Paediatric HCID Course
This one-day simulation course provides a unique opportunity to develop and refine the skills required for the safe assessment and care of children with suspected and confirmed High Consequence Infectious Diseases (HCIDs). Developed in partnership with the UK Paediatric HCID Network and HSE, the programme has been specifically designed to address the clinical, practical and ethical challenges associated with managing HCID presentations in paediatric settings. This course uses the HCID unified PPE recommended for use in the NHS.
The course combines immersive clinical simulation with practical training in the HCID unified PPE ensemble recommended for use within the NHS. Participants will gain practical insight into how pathogens spread during clinical care. Using ultraviolet tracers to model both airborne and contact transmission, the training makes otherwise invisible contamination visible. This approach provides powerful, immediate feedback that enhances understanding of transmission risks and reinforces safe, effective practice.
In addition to practical simulation scenarios, the course explores key issues specific to the care of children with suspected HCID infection. These include communication with families, safeguarding considerations, ethical dilemmas in high-risk clinical situations, and the challenges of delivering safe paediatric care while maintaining strict infection prevention and control measures.
Participants will leave with increased competence and confidence to recognise, assess and manage children with suspected HCID infection. The course is particularly suitable for healthcare professionals who may encounter such patients in practice, including staff working in paediatric emergency departments, paediatric intensive care units, infectious diseases services, and HCID referral pathways.
Please note that this is a practical, hands-on training course involving simulated patient care using the HCID unified PPE ensemble currently recommended for use within the NHS.
General information
Building on the HCID Unified PPE programme established in 2022—which has trained over 500 healthcare professionals in the recognition, assessment, and care of patients with suspected High Consequence Infectious Diseases (HCIDs)—this course focuses on the safe assessment and management of children with suspected and confirmed HCID infection. Using immersive paediatric simulation scenarios and hands-on training in the HCID unified PPE ensemble used in the NHS, participants will develop practical skills for managing these rare but high-risk presentations. Ultraviolet tracers are used during simulations to make contamination visible, helping participants understand transmission risks and reinforce safe clinical practice.
The programme also explores issues specific to paediatric care, including communication with children and families, safeguarding considerations, and ethical challenges that may arise when delivering care in high-risk infection scenarios.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate safe donning and doffing of HCID assessment PPE
- Demonstrate competent PPE “buddy” supervision during doffing
- Apply key HCID infection prevention and control measures in simulated paediatric scenarios
- Understand the importance of teamwork, communication, and staff welfare when working in PPE
- Perform safe HCID risk assessment and diagnostic testing in suspected paediatric cases
Course structure and programme
Pre-course preparation:
Before the course, you will need to complete our online learning modules, which can be accessed via the resource centre section website. We recommend completing these within 2 weeks of the course.
Programme:
During the day, you will take part in an introductory seminar and demonstration, 4 simulation scenarios using the ultraviolet contamination model and debrief periods.
Each scenario starts with a patient referral. During simulation exercises, you will assess patients with suspected or confirmed HCID infection, and perform a variety of tasks. Using our UV contamination model, you will be able to visualise contamination on your PPE before and after doffing. This offers a powerful educational experience and will provide confidence in the PPE ensemble.
Assessment and Certification
You will be expected to show competency in the core skills of the course, including safe use of the unified HCID PPE ensemble, other enhanced infection control precautions and, if relevant for your job role, assessment and diagnosis of HCID suspect cases.
At the end of the course, theoretical knowledge will be formally tested with an MCQ paper, and practical components tested in a practical skill station.
Course location
The course is run from the clinical simulation centre in Mexborough Hospital, near Doncaster. This is a 15-minute taxi ride from Doncaster train station, which is on the east cost mainline, 1h30 from London.
Montagu Clinical Simulation Centre, Adwick Road, Mexborough, South Yorkshire, S64 0AZ, 01709 649106
How to apply for this course
Courses often book quickly, so we would advise planning your attendance well in advance of when you wish to attend a course. Please follow the link below to view availability and book a course.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the course cost?
The HCID networks course is £300 per person
Can I claim the course cost back as study budget?
Medical staff working in a relevant specialty are usually able to access course funding via study/CPD budget
Nursing staff may wish to utilise the £1000 personal development budget outlined in the NHS long term workforce plan (page 65, paragraph 3) – please discuss with your line manager to discuss accessing this.
Are CPD points available for the course?
CPD points equivalent to 10 hours are available for the course. Please contact us if you have any further queries regarding CPD points.
