BCHC Paediatric Education team hosts clinical skills event
Yesterday our Paediatric Education team hosted an event aimed to enhance clinical knowledge and practical competence when caring for children and young people with complex health needs.
Held at Priestley Wharf, the event delivered a full day of learning for staff employed in our Paediatric Specialist Services. The event began with registration and refreshments, followed by a welcome from Rachel Williams, Clinical Service Manager, Abbie Mason, Amina Hassan and Aylish Marshall from the Education team.
The morning sessions featured a variety of healthcare professionals who each shared information to their peers, with a focus on key clinical and communication topics.
Hannah Jordan, Specialist Inpatient Nutrition Nurse, delivered a presentation on enteral feeding devices, educating attendees on the different types of feeding tubes and how to insert and clean them safely.
Nicola Hall, Speech and Language Therapist, discussed how speech and language therapy is used to support children and young people who are non-verbal, and the different strategies and devices available to help them communicate with their health workers and carers.
Guest speaker, Jo Matthews, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at Birmingham Women and Children NHS Foundation Trust, explored how speech and language therapy is used to help children with tracheostomies by aiding them to feed and swallow, vocally communicate and improve respiratory issues.
After each presentation attendees were able to ask questions to gain clarity on the information they had been given and ensure the guidance aligned with BCHC policies.
Refreshments during comfort breaks and lunch were provided by our sponsors, ATOS Medical, Convatec, Medtronic and Solventum. The event was also complemented by a marketplace allowing attendees to engage with industry partners, explore resources and network.
Later in the day a series of rotational clinical skills stations were held, enabling hands‑on learning for attendees in small groups. The stations covered six scenarios:
- An ABCDE (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure) assessment of an unwell child using high‑fidelity simulation
- Tracheostomy management
- Eating, drinking and swallowing (dysphagia)
- Gastrostomy insertion and troubleshooting
- Wound care and pressure ulcer management
- Learning from serious case reviews
Attended by around 50 colleagues from our Children and Families division the event combined theory, simulation, and practical skills to support safe, confident, and high‑quality care.
The event concluded with a feedback session giving the organisers some insight into what attendees would like to learn at future events.