E-Learning Unit (ELU)

The Electronic Learning Unit (ELU) is a team of specialists in the areas of Medicine, Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), Education, and IT. ELU provides services related to TEL to deanery staff and all medical staff in Wales. In particular we provide and support the Professional Development in Education for all doctors via Tools for Trainers and you can access these resources from related links on the right of this page. There are fourteen different modules with pre and post assessments, all of which map essential use cases for education supervision, outcomes are automatically recorded in INTREPID to facilitate accreditation. More information in Tools for Trainers.

ELU works in partnership with all stakeholders in medical education and training, including specialty schools, specialty training chairs, programme directors and trainees, providing advice, guidance and support to maximise learning opportunities in challenging working environments. TEL is a recognised and valuable component of education and training and provides complementary training, which fits well to support trainees working in shift patterns, with limited time and exposure to Consultant experts.

On a UK basis, ELU works with the Department of Health (DOH) and E.Learning for Healthcare, and maintains close links with the wider NHS. Through its contacts with the Welsh Government and the National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare (NLIAH), ELU contributes to government strategy for TEL related to medicine. There is increasing evidence that TEL can enhance outcomes and provide increased retention of learning, and ELU is committed to delivering services which empower individuals and provide a richer training experience.

Part of ELU strategy is to support medical teams to draw upon good quality electronic resources and turn them into quality assured training programmes, which may be delivered, assessed and tracked in PLATO. More recently ELU has been involved in the enhancement of the Medical Appraisal and Revailidation System (MARS) and work is ongoing to bring this software suite in house. Where there are training gaps or the need for Wales-specific resources, ELU has created content led by steering group specialists in the field. To date ELU has developed the following interactive e.learning packages: Prospective trainers course for G.P.s, Management of Acute Pain, Rheumatology, Cervical Screening Wales and resources in support of the deanery programme ‘Supervising the Route to Excellence.’ The latter includes CPD for those consultants with a training/ supervisory remit. Resources may be seen in the ELU Showcase.