Genetic Education of Primary Care Health Professionals in Britain

The drive to ensure that primary care health professionals in Britain receive appropriate genetics education has made substantial progress in recent years. The strategic initiatives that have emerged from a strong policy foundation are leading developments in education and raising awareness about the role of genetics in primary care. Although significant challenges remain, there is evidence of an evolution from justification of the place of genetics in mainstream healthcare and education, to an articulation of what genetics should be taught, and, more latterly, to a consideration of strategies in ensuring that genetics can be fully integrated into practice.

Keywords: genetics education; primary care; genetics; professional development; genetic competence

Figure 1. UK workforce competences for genetics in clinical practice for nongenetics healthcare staff – the patient pathway. Nine workforce competences cover the pathway for a patient with, or at risk of, a genetic disorder. Reproduced with permission from NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre and Skills for Health (2007b).
Figure 2. The development of genetics education: evolution not revolution.
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How to Cite close
Kirk, Maggie, and Tonkin, Emma(Dec 2008) Genetic Education of Primary Care Health Professionals in Britain. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0005874.pub2]