BASHH

To find STIF course dates, venues and local organisers please click HERE 

Further details about Registration for eLfH (e-HIVSTI) CLICK HERE

Registration of STIF Foundation and STIF Plus Courses

For more information about how to register and run a STIF Course, please contact Sue Bird, STIF Secretariat STIF@suebird.biz

STIF Course Directors

BASHH STIF Course Directors please login HERE

Further details of the new format STIF for Course Directors are HERE

BASHH Statement on Training - HERE

Target Audience This is a multi-professional course. The course is designed to be useful for doctors and nurses from primary care and from family planning, as well as secondary care clinicians (who may encounter patients with STIs e.g. obs & gynae, rheumatology, ophthalmology, A&E etc), SAS doctors working in GUM, health advisers, school nurses etc.

Format - the new course (from September 2010) will consist of one day of e-learning, one core day and one STIF-PLUS day

Background

The National Sexual Health Strategy (2001) emphasised the provision of more sexual health care in the Primary Care setting. In response BASHH (British Association for Sexual Health and HIV) developed a 2-day sexually transmitted infection foundation course (STIF). This course has been updated (from August 2010) and is now structured to include approximately 7 hours of e-learning followed by one CORE/Foundation day and one STIF-PLUS contact day. New material has been introduced covering sexual assault, Hepatitis, Genital Dermatology and Syphilis.

This course provides multidisciplinary training in the attitudes, skills, and knowledge required for the prevention and management of STIs, using a variety of educational techniques. Core topics include national and local epidemiology of STIs, HIV and Teenage Pregnancies; principles of STI service provision; sexual history taking, HIV testing in non-GU settings; Partner notification and management. Each participant also rotates through small group workshops on common STI presentations.

In some deaneries all VTS trainees will have attended a STIF course before entering general practice. The STIF Foundation Course is accredited by the Royal College of Nursing (12 study hours) and also accredited by Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.

The STIF course is constantly being revised and updated to keep up with current trends - a national steering group with representation from BASHH, RCGP, RCN and the FRSH produces and reviews all course materials including course director's manual, instructors' manual and teaching material and a manual with self assessment tool for delegates.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course candidates should:

Knowledge

• Understand the principles of STI service provision
• Be aware of the issues relating to confidentiality, partner notification and treatment
• Basic knowledge of the epidemiology and the factors involved in the transmission of STIs and how to prevent transmission
• Basic knowledge of common Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), their presentation, diagnosis and management
• Know where to and when to refer patients on

Skills

• By the end of the course they should be competent, and feel comfortable, taking a sexual history
• develop the skills necessary to inform patients on reducing their risk of sexual infections and their risk of unplanned pregnancy
• Optimise care pathways for patients through improved links with local GUM /sexual health (TOP, Contraception, psychosexual), and microbiology services

Attitudes

• Appreciation of the lifestyle and circumstances of others and how this may reflect in their presentation and impact on their management.
• Develop an appreciation and acceptance of the range of human sexuality, lifestyles, culture and the impact this has transmission/prevention counselling
• Develop an understanding of how one's personal beliefs could affect the consultation