E-learning courses launched for healthcare professionals

Several new online learning courses aimed at people working in healthcare have been unveiled in Northern Ireland.

Sexual Offences E-Learning programmes - an initiative funded by the Department of Health and developed by the University of Ulster - will be made available to healthcare professionals tomorrow (April 1st).

Public health minister Anne Milton suggested the courses will ensure students are aware of the telltale signs of violence and mistreatment.

"We have funded this course to help any frontline healthcare professionals to spot signs of sexual abuse and to know how to respond ... there may be only one chance to save a life," she said.

Nurses, midwives and family doctors are among those urged to enrol on the online courses, with the first 30 registrants receiving a 50 per cent discount on the £595 fee.

Earlier this month, the government in Canada helped create a 35-module e-learning programme intended to train police officers, sexual assault workers and other victim services staff in the province of Alberta.