Register here for ‘Free’ funded CPD events –
These events are sourced from local experts to enable them to share the latest knowledge & updates, often giving up their own time to deliver something they are passionate about
We are thrilled to invite you to the launch of our new Insight Dementia resource on Tuesday 20th May at Bournemouth University as part of our Alzheimer’s Awareness Week events.
Info & BookingThe NHSE Safe Learning Environment Charter (SLEC) designed by NHS England sets clear expectations around creating a culture where students and trainees are treated with respect and dignity and are supported in their professional development. It aligns closely to the NHS People Promise, and shows our dedication to creating a positive, inclusive, and caring workplace.
Info & BookingSuitable for all staff wishing to (& eligible to) pick up a module via SWAST CPD.
Discover the academic writing fundamentals to help you achieve success in your healthcare-related degree.
Ideal for those who have been out of higher education for a while but are keen to pick this up. Or just for those who feel they would like a refresher to give the best chance of success!
Academic writing forms a significant part of your healthcare degree, and is key to your success at university. This three-week course from Kingston University and St George’s, University of London will give you the tips, strategies, and tools you need to develop your academic writing skills. In honing your skills, you’ll boost your confidence and be able to focus on your course content to become a motivated and independent learner.
Available to all staff (not currently available to students)
The Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET) is commonly regarded as the 'gold standard' for the training industry in the UK. This certified course is being offered as a self-paced course, offering guided learning, enabling staff to fit around their shift patterns to suit.
Deadline for applications: Mon 28th April 2025 at 8am.
An overview of the available Microsoft 365 training we have on offer.
Info & BookingOpen to all staff.
This PowerPoint training is an up to 90-minute interactive workshop delivered remotely via Microsoft Teams. This engagement gives users a basic understanding of the tools and how to locate and utilise them within PowerPoint. Each session will include a Q & A.
Info & BookingAll SWASFT staff.
This remote workshop is aimed at those who are looking to improve their Excel skills. It covers conditional formatting rules, sorting advanced data, advanced formulas and functions as well as additional tips and tricks. Attendees will leave feeling confident in using conditional formatting rules and using advanced functions in Excel, as well as using more advanced features such as pivot tables and data validation.
The provider have suggested the foundation Excel workshop should be a prerequisite for this intermediate session.
Designed predominantly for front-line staff (registrants & non-registrants), but non-clinical staff are also welcome to sign up.
Created by a dementia nurse specialist with over 30 years experience, Finding the Light in Dementia is designed to provide a deep understanding of dementia. Covering an overview of the how our brains work, as well as practical tips and approaches when it comes to what to consider, how to connect and how best to communicate with a person living with dementia.
This course is available as both an online study day and e-learning platform.
Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is about making the most of contacts we have with the people we meet every day. MECC is a reflective skills-based training opportunity that encourages a different way of interacting to address health and well being issues.
Info & BookingDesigned predominantly for front-line staff (registrants & non-registrants), but non-clinical staff are also welcome to sign up.
A flexible virtual training package, for those who prefer to learn at their own pace. Available as part of a package along with live study days, or by itself if you aren't able to attend any of the live sessions.
Content has been created by a dementia nurse specialist with over 30 yrs experience, Finding the Light in Dementia is designed to provide a deep understanding of dementia. This resource provides an overview of the how our brains work, as well as practical tips and approaches when it comes to what to consider, how to connect and how best to communicate with a person living with dementia. This training has been delivered to other ambulance services with positive feedback.
Designed predominantly for front-line staff (registrants & non-registrants), but non-clinical staff are also very welcome to sign up.
One day live virtual workshop / study day. Available as part of a package along with a self-paced virtual training package or by itself if you'd prefer just to attend a live session.
Created by a dementia nurse specialist with over 30 years experience, Finding the Light in Dementia is designed to provide a deep understanding of dementia. Covering an overview of the how our brains work, as well as practical tips and approaches when it comes to what to consider, how to connect and how best to communicate with a person living with dementia.
This course is available as both an online study day and e-learning platform.
Available to all staff of all grades (registered & non registered) in both patient-facing roles. Patient-facing includes scenarios where the patient is contacted over the phone.
1 day virtual workshop designed to enhance skills & confidence & to provide a framework to deliver courageous conversations.
Sometimes we feel over worked and under appreciated. Other times, we might like to give feedback but hold back for fear of reprisal. Occasionally, we may feel undermined by a colleague or boss. The common thread in these scenarios is the need to have a potentially difficult conversation.
These conversations take strategy, skill and above all courage. This workshop is designed to help build these skills & confidence.
Available to all staff and students
Managing a patient experiencing an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) requires quick thinking and the ability to use the latest technology to deliver a high-quality resuscitation attempt.
This 1-day workshop focuses on the importance of high-quality CPR and utilising advanced monitoring features on Trust ZOLL X-Series defibrillators.
Exercise Armoured Rescuer 2025 is a joint partnership between Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) and the Armoured Centre at Bovington. This prestigious event attracts attendees from all over the globe and aims to promote best practices, share knowledge, and develop expertise in dealing with rescue incidents or fires involving military armoured vehicles.
Info & BookingOpen to all staff.
Most of us by now have completed a Microsoft Form; but are you a bit baffled by how to create one yourself? Want to capture a lot of data quickly but don't have time to do this manually or want to help yourself or your team to work more efficiently?
This Forms Foundation training is a 90-minute interactive virtual workshop delivered remotely via Microsoft Teams. This engagement gives users a basic understanding of the tools and how to locate and utilise them within Forms. Each session will allocate time for Q & A.
All SWASFT staff.
Do you feel you need to build some basic skills and foundation knowledge around Excel? You may be a member of staff who uses Excel rarely, but when you do, you find it a bit overwhelming to do simple tasks. Or perhaps you use it fairly regularly within your role, but have never had any formal training & would like to get back to basics so that you can feel you are using it in the most effective way...
If you think this is you, sign up for this remote 90 minute workshop to build skills and confidence!
The trainer advises attending a foundation level workshop as a prerequisite to the intermediate level.
This practical CPD session gives clinicians the opportunity to refresh their airway management skills in a relaxed and informal setting; through a variety of skills stations, clinical discussions and scenario-based training.
Taught by Specialist Paramedics in Critical Care from across the Trust, this Airway workshop aims to cover topics such as:
- Escalation of airway management techniques
- Oxygenation and ventilation strategies
- End-Tidal CO2 waveforms and their clinical significance.
Working for the ambulance service can be stressful and we know from a systematic review of the evidence that employees want more time at work to look after themselves and their colleagues.
To build on this evidence we invite all SWASFT employees (from all roles) to express interest in joining a focus group (or one to one interview if preferred) where you can share your opinion and thoughts about why some colleagues are happy to ask for help from organisational support services and why some are not. This information will be used to help minimise any barriers and to enhance any facilitators to ambulance staff accessing support when needed.
Registered clinicians
An airway essentials day covering all the key areas of airway assessment and management. Including a blend of mini-teaching sessions, practical workshops and simulation. Delivered by the team at Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
To ensure a balanced skill mix on the day, expressions of interest are being taken for this session. Staff will be made aware if they have a place after 24/10/24 by the educators.
Available to all frontline staff and students
The SWASFT MatNeo webinar sessions will take place on a monthly basis, covering a range of topics to help you approach maternity and neonatal jobs with confidence.
October's webinar will act as a forum to learn more about supporting families experiencing baby loss. Hear from subject-matter experts, discuss best practice in pre-hospital care and ask questions in a supportive environment.
Suitable for all staff and students. May be most applicable for staff who have contact with patients.
This pre-recorded session offers information and guidance if someone discloses to a professional that they have been raped or sexually assaulted. Delivered by Duncan from The Bridge, which is a Sexual Assault Referral Centre.
All staff booked on to the Conflict Resolution Education Day
This page contains access to the joining instructions for: Conflict Resolution Education Day
Info & BookingAvailable to all staff and Paramedic Science students
These sessions will take place on a monthly basis, covering a range of topics to help you tackle those paedatric jobs with confidence.
They have been generously offered to SWASFT by staff & students by the Bristol Royal Children's Hospital.
Available to all staff
The Research team at Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (BNSSG ICB) welcome you to a special seminar introducing our latest Launching Fellow, Dr Julie Armoogum.
Julie is a Macmillan Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Social Wellbeing and a researcher within the Centre for Health and Clinical Research at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). Julie studies ways to support people living with chronic pain after cancer treatment.
patient-facing people trustwide.
As ambulance professionals, we are likely to meet people that disclose sexual violence/ assault to us. It is important for both short and long-term management and recovery that we handle this well, and that we are aware of the referral pathways available to us. Many people don’t know what Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) can provide, don’t know how to refer to them and don’t know that the police don’t need to be involved in this process
Info & BookingStudent or SWASFT staff
OSCE stands for Objective Structured Clinical Examination. SWAST Students on the BSc paramedic degree apprenticeship programme with the University of Cumbria (UoC) need to complete a level 5 system assessment OSCE and a level 6 patient assessment OSCE.
Volunteering to play the role of a patient is a fantastic opportunity to see an OSCE without being assessed and meet the team! You do not need any prior knowledge or acting experience.
This is a great opportunity for all, but particularly for those who are aspiring to be on the programme and current students. You will also receive a UoC CPD certificate for your participation.
Suitable for Paramedics and Clinicians above this level plus Dip HE students.
This PROMPT training day includes managing birth complications, haemorrhage and basic new-born resuscitation with some fantastic practical sessions on pregnancy induced hypertension with hands‐on workshops on cord prolapse, vaginal breech and more.
Info & BookingAvailable to registered clinicians (+AP's and AT's & students).
The ParaPass App is a vast, user friendly, digital platform that includes tools and information to support paramedic learning and development, developed by the same people who produced JRCALCPlus.
N.B. Everyone who needs access to PGD's via ParaPass Lite will continue to have access via the usual processes. However, you will need to sign up below to gain full access to the ParaPass App.
Available to all Paramedics
Virtual PE Update days are now available for qualified, Practice Educators (Mentors) across the Trust that support our future Paramedic workforce; existing Practice Educators should attend the Update annually. These sessions will be offered an incentive payment and will all be delivered virtually.
If you have not taken one of our approved courses to qualify as a Practice Educator, there are several courses available to you. You can access the endorsed Practice Educator Course on ESR, or the Mentorship Virtual Level 6 Module or the Level 7 Module via the CPD Website.
All staff & students - most beneficial to patient focused roles
Open to all All staff & students. A three-step course aiming to deliver practical, focused, frontline palliative care skills and knowledge to all ambulance clinicians across the whole Southwest. The first step will be a focused handbook on palliative care, sent out before the course start date.
The second step is a virtual, interactive teaching day on July 12th. (*This is now a recorded session for those that couldn't attend*). During this day we will build on the concepts in the handbook. .
The final step will be to attend a 1-hour Q&A session. This will allow you to ask any specific questions to a palliative care specialist.
Available to SORT trained staff only
SWAST have a legal responsibility to respond to acts of terrorism and incidents involving chemicals with the intent of saving and preserving life.
Available to all staff and Students
A series of short films and e-Learning modules to help you understand, identify, and manage sepsis. Whether you are a clinician, careworker, or simply a concerned parent, son/daughter or friend, these modules will help you understand more about sepsis and how you can help save lives.
Info & BookingAvailable to all operational & bank staff
Open to all clinical grades and part time and bank staff.
Expressions of interest
This course will train you to form part of the specialist assets that respond to these incidents and to support the overall care of casualties in adverse environments whilst utilising safe systems of work which protects you and others.
Available to all staff
A free online educational resource from the Zero Suicide Alliance.
Info & BookingAvailable to all staff
A free online educational resource from ELfH that will be recorded on ESR for your CPD.
Info & BookingAvailable to all staff
A collection of ECG Distance Learning resources available online.
Info & Booking