title: Continuing education and short courses.
abstract: Requirements for healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom to undertake continuing education are discussed. For nurses, midwives and many career-grade doctors, formal arrangements are in place; for other professionals, continuing education is recommended but not yet a formal requirement. In order to explore what is available, courses, conferences and seminars advertised in the Hospice Information Service's publication Choices for the academic year September 1994 to July 1995 are reviewed in terms of number, intended audience, participants and duration. Comment is offered on size of events and their financing. Issues of approval, quality assurance and evaluation are addressed. Suggestions are offered with regard to future financing of courses, and co-ordination of planning and provision. It is suggested that the National Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care might encourage increasing co-operation between units in the provision of education.
authors.affiliation: St Christopher's Hospice, Sydenham, London, UK.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000639:trends; D003479:Curriculum / Q000639:trends; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000639:trends*; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000639:trends*; D006738:Hospices / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000191:economics; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000191:economics; D006113:United Kingdom