The Built Environment (Infection Prevention and Control) CPD Award

Course code B99B

What is special about this course?

The design of healthcare environments is very topical in Scotland following the challenges identified in two newly built hospitals.

This CPD Award will provide you with the skills to deal with scenarios that might arise during the design, planning, construction and maintenance of healthcare facilities, and understand the role of these elements in relation to prevention and control of infection. The module will use a problem-based approach to enable you to:

  • Examine the role of the infection control team in the design, build and maintenance of hospitals and other healthcare facilities
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of water safety and be able to appraise water control measures and the role of the water safety group
  • Critically evaluate and appraise the requirements for specialist ventilated areas in healthcare premises and the validation of such
  • Critically evaluate and reflect on the challenges, barriers, and solutions to investigating and managing environmental incidents/outbreaks.

Who should apply?
Infection prevention and control practitioners, environmental health officers, doctors, and dentists, with clinical experience, who wish to develop knowledge of the built environment in a healthcare setting and engage in postgraduate education. For the critically reflective practitioner, this module will provide credits towards a Masters in Infection Prevention and Control.

For more details and /or informal discussion about the module please contact: 
MSc.ic@uhi.ac.uk

Special features

  • Fully online delivery gives flexible access to study and can therefore fit around work and personal commitments.

Entry requirements

  • 2:1 Degree in a relevant healthcare subject and at least 3 years professional experience in a related field OR
  • Evidence of study at SCQF level 10 in a healthcare subject and employment in related field

Recognised European or international equivalent qualifications are considered. If English is not your first language, you must have evidence of your English language skills. All non-UK students must have one of the three options below: 
 

  • IELTS at 6.5 or above, taken no more than two years prior to the start date of the course
  • TOEFL at 90-100, taken no more than two years prior to the start date of the course
  • Cambridge English Qualifications: C2 Proficiency
     

CPD Award

The module will cover:

  • Critical care, high dependency units
  • Design and ventilation for operating theatres
  • Endoscopy including specialist isolation facilities
  • Evaluation of learning
  • Hospital design/build and maintenance 
  • Introduction to relevant legislation. 
  • Management of incidents 
  • Practical reflective practices
  • Risk assessments
  • Role of the infection prevention and control team (IPCT) 
  • Specialist ventilation including bone marrow transplant and infectious diseases
  • Surgical day case units 
  • Ventilation and water systems
  • Ward layout and design 
  • Water damage/ingress
  • Water related outbreaks, 
  • Water systems, design features and control measures
  • New concepts: 
    • Waterless ICU 
    • Energy efficiency
    • Nightingale hospitals for COVID
    • HAI scribes

How will I study my course?

  • Part-time (unstructured)
  • You will have regular tutorials, in addition to online study via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors

How long will my course last?

  • Part-time (unstructured): 14 weeks @ approximately 14 hours per week

Number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent in lectures and your own time spent on individual study and research.

Where can I study my course?

  • Inverness - this fully online course can be studied from anywhere in the world. You will be enrolled and supported by staff at UHI Inverness.

Start date

  • September
  • January

Fees

For the latest information on fees please see our fees policy.

Funding

UHI has a number of scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.

Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.

Can I progress into further study?

You may wish to supplement this CPD Award with further modules from the MSc Infection Prevention and Control Programme, to complete a Post Graduate Certificate or Diploma.

Is there more information available online?

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Apply for The Built Environment (Infection Prevention and Control) CPD Award

I want to start in Jan/Feb 2025 or Aug/Sep 2025 or Jan/Feb 2026

We are delighted that you are thinking about studying at the University of the Highlands and Islands. We operate a fair and open admissions system committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. We consider all applications on merit and on the basis of ability to achieve, without discrimination on grounds of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic background. We welcome applications from all prospective students and aim to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities.