BASHH

Introduction to the training package

What is STIFIntermediateCompetency training?

A clinical training package developed by BASHH in collaboration with Barts & The London NHS Trust and Tower Hamlets PCT to train and assess the competence of healthcare professionals to manage patients in primary and secondary care presenting with sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

It was initially designed to train and assess the competence of primary care health professionals who wished to deliver more specialised STI services within primary care (e.g. a Locally Enhanced Service {LES} in sexual health). It is now also available for trainee doctors and nurses working in GUM Level 3 services to cover the core competencies required.

It is designed as a flexible teaching tool based on Department of Health (DH) recommendations¹ for use by Genito-urinary Medicine (GUM) specialists, as trainers, and follows on from the BASHH STI Foundation (STIF) theoretical courses (old style STIF and new STIF Core and Plus).

Successful completion of training and assessment culminates in accreditation and certification with BASHH through 'The STI Foundation'. The trainee will be registered on the STIFIntermediateCompetency database. A revalidation process is required every 5 years to maintain registration, click HERE for further information.

Who is STIFIntermediateCompetency training for?

NB: It is anticipated that all applicants will have some practical experience of managing patients with sexually transmitted infections. See below for specific pre-course requirements.

1. Non-specialist clinical staff working in:

• General practice
• Reproductive and Sexual Health (RSH)
• Alternative provider settings (eg Third sector, private companies)

The clinical standard achieved by successful completion of STIFIntermediateCompetency training is appropriate for staff working in a sexual health LES and/or a Level 2 sexual health service as defined in the BASHH document 'Standards for the management of STIs'². Clinical leads of Level 2 sexual health services would be expected to attain STIFLevel2Competence accreditation.

If you are a doctor or nurse working in one of the above settings please click HERE for more information.

2. Clinical staff working in a Level 3 GUM service

Doctors: STIFIntermediateCompetency is suitable for junior doctors (eg FY1, FY2, ST1, ST2, Clinical Fellows, GP VTS) doing a four month (or longer) job in GUM and wishing to obtain a nationally recognised certificate of competence in Sexual Health & HIV which may be useful as evidence of skills in this area for future jobs (eg General Practice, RSH) and for entering the specialty of GUM itself.

Nurses: unlike doctors, nurses do not have a clearly defined training pathway through the specialty of GUM and are often required to be re-assessed in basic competencies at the start of each new job, if they have moved hospitals or PCTs. It is intended that STIFIntermediateCompetency will be the first of several modules forming a nationally recognised competency assessment programme for GUM nurses which will serve as a 'passport' providing standardised evidence of clinical competence.

If you are a nurse or junior doctor managing, or training to manage, clinical cases in a Level 3 GUM service please click HERE for more information.

Contact us

If you have any further queries or comments, please send an e-mail to the STIFCompetency working group via the BASHH secretariat at bashh@rsm.ac.uk.

References

• 1. Competencies for providing more specialised sexually transmitted infection services within primary care. Assessment toolkit. 2006, Department of Health (http://www.dh.gov.uk/; Gateway reference - 7088).
• 2. Standards for the management of sexually transmitted infections. 2010, BASHH (http://www.bashh.org/).