Gaps in social medicine education in Britain

A recently published report from Britain highlights the importance of reducing the social distance between healthcare professionals and those from vulnerable groups.

 

The report underlines the need for appropriate education and training for health professionals to prepare them for work with socially excluded groups.

 

According to the report health professional trainees have reported a lack of teaching in this area in their respective training courses. In addition, specialist professionals who are currently working with vulnerable groups report difficulties accessing specialist training programmes to help them develop their clinical and non-clinical knowledge and skills to care for patients from socially excluded groups.

 

While the report highlights the current gaps in the British education system it also provides a framework for ensuring that the educational needs for this field of service provision are met into the future.

 

(summary by S Barror (PHE), 09.03.16)