NPC Archive Item: What’s new on NPC? (November 2010)

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working.
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17 November 2010

We have updated some resources on the therapeutics section of NPC recently — why not take a look?

The therapeutics section of the NPC contains materials arranged into sections (for example, asthma) which are grouped into categories (for example, respiratory tract). For each theme, a number of resources are available (see below for a more detailed description).

Updates to existing floors
The <60 minute eLearning events have been updated on the following sections of NPC. The quiz, case study, data focussed commentary and key slides on the contraception section have also been updated. These have been designed to give you a quick hot-synch to the latest changes to the evidence in these areas.

Dementia
The information in the <60 minute eLearning event on this floor is still valid and up to date. However, some new information and initiatives on the topics discussed have been added. Most notably the safety concerns regarding the use of antipsychotics in the treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, which is discussed in the Update 2010 recording. An overview of the entire workshop has also been prepared, including this newer information.

Lifestyle
The <60 minute eLearning event on the lifestyle floor is also still valid and up to date but we have added some new information, which is discussed in the Update 2010 (what’s new?) recording. Some new questions that have arisen, partly from feedback from users and participants in face to face teaching, and partly from our scanning of the literature, have also been addressed. These are discussed in the New questions 2010 recordings.

Smoking cessation
A new section, What’s New – An Overview, has been added to the <60minute eLearning event. It covers the changes to the evidence-base around smoking cessation since the materials were last updated. In addition, Part 3 of the existing eLearning event has been replaced by a new update on the available interventions and approaches to smoking cessation.

Contraception
The <60minute eLearning event, key slides, quiz and data focussed commentary on this section of NPC have been updated to include new information on the types and choices of contraception, the risks associated with hormonal forms of contraception, the evidence for some of the newer contraceptive products available in the UK and, briefly, the Government’s teenage pregnancy strategy and some of the evidence and issues around long-acting reversible contraception and emergency hormonal contraception.

What resources are available on the therapeutic section of NPC?
Depending on the topic, some or all of the following resources are available for each therapeutic theme:

  • A <60 minute eLearning event, where you can follow slides online and listen to an NPC trainer present a series of short workshops on the theme – generally all in less than 60 minutes
  • A key slide set for the theme, with notes, to use in discussion with others
  • A data focussed commentary, where you can read how recent prescribing data compares with the evidence base for that theme. There are also questions for reflection
  • A patient decision aid which you can download to help explain therapeutic choices to patients so that they can make an informed decision
  • One or more quizzes where you can test your knowledge of the theme. The quizzes are formative — getting answers wrong is a valuable way of learning as fully referenced answers are provided
  • One or more case studies, which are fictional but represent “real world” scenarios where you can apply your understanding and compare your answers with fully referenced suggested model answers

We are still in the process of developing materials for the NPC website, and are continually updating materials.

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