An NHS trainer who has delivered his acclaimed course to thousands of health staff has secured two more training commissions from esteemed national medical publications.
John Blenkinsopp, clinical effectiveness lead analyst at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, has been leading national training for dozens of organisations over the last 25 years.
He has recently been commissioned to train the editors of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) this year in how to identify quality in clinical research as part of their decision-making around what they publish.
He has also been asked by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society to train the editors of the British National Formulary (BNF) in how to critically appraise research evidence for publication.
John said: “This is big news for us and is again putting North Tees and Hartlepool in the spotlight.
“As the BMJ is the core journal for all medical staff in this country, this is a great achievement for an acute trust like us.
“To also be commissioned to train the editors of the BNF is a big issue as they are the core prescribing tool for all clinicians.
“These prestigious publications in healthcare have chosen us to carry out training for their editors in best practice.
“It’s a fantastic reflection of what we do here.”
Courses free to University Hospitals Tees staff
John also regularly runs introductory critical appraisal training – something all healthcare professionals need to have. Although this is a commercial course, it is now available free to all staff in the University Hospitals Tees group.
The one-day workshop gives an intensive overview of the skills needed and resources available for critical appraisal and how these can be used in the workplace.
The session includes a mixture of teaching, workshops and discussion around using evidence to improve outcomes for patients.
John added: “This course also continues to develop and grow since I first started delivering it in three decades ago.
“I also run other courses in critical appraisal, including advanced courses, facilitating courses and revision courses across every specialty.
“If you are a health professional looking for this training, you are encouraged to get in contact with me.”