Course Overview
This 2-day course offers training to those working in respiratory physiology/medicine with an interest in occupational asthma, or those currently working in occupational health. It covers the core investigations into occupational asthma, how to do them and interpret them, with a case-based approach throughout. You will need a good foundation knowledge in spirometry.
Location
The course will be held at Voco St John’s Hotel in Solihull.
Costs
2-day Occupational asthma course: £450. Trainees and ARTP members £395.
Target Audience
This course is aimed at Respiratory Physiologists, Occupational Health Doctors and Nurses, GPs, Asthma Nurses, and others involved in diagnosis or screening for occupational asthma.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course delegates will:
- Understand the definitions of occupational asthma
- Be competent in the initial methods for the diagnosis of occupational asthma
- Be knowledgeable about the investigations that can be performed to diagnose occupational asthma
- Understand the different methods of measuring peak expiratory flow, and the strengths and weaknesses of different manual and logging meters
- Understand spirometry and how to interpret data
- Be able to train workers to complete serial peak expiratory flows (PEFs) successfully
- Be proficient in using the Oasys program for plotting serial PEF measurements
- Know how to carry out surveillance for occupational asthma including analysis of serial lung function
- Understand what to do when a worker has abnormal spirometry or screening questionnaire results
- Be knowledgeable about legal aspects of occupational asthma and compensation
- Understand the definitions of occupational asthma
- Be competent in the initial methods for the diagnosis of occupational asthma
- Be knowledgeable about the investigations that can be performed to diagnose occupational asthma
- Understand the different methods of measuring peak expiratory flow, and the strengths and weaknesses of different manual and logging meters
- Understand spirometry and how to interpret data
- Be able to train workers to complete serial peak expiratory flows (PEFs) successfully
- Be proficient in using the Oasys program for plotting serial PEF measurements
- Know how to carry out surveillance for occupational asthma including analysis of serial lung function
- Understand what to do when a worker has abnormal spirometry or screening questionnaire results
- Be knowledgeable about legal aspects of occupational asthma and compensation.
Activity Evaluation
The course will delivered using a mixture of practical sessions in groups (for the computer-based programs and other group work), interactive case-studies and open discussion.
Speakers and Tutors:
Vicky Moore - Consultant Clinical Scientist
Gareth Walters - Consultant in Respiratory Medicine
Chris Huntley - Consultant in Respiratory Medicine
Emily Rawle - Consultant in Occupational Medicine
Sam Wallbanks - Clinical Scientist
Course Support:
Administration - Vicky Moore
Occupational Course Programme
Click here to download
Speaker Biographies
Dr Gareth Walters BSc MAcadMedEd MMedEd MD, DOccMed, MRCP, AFOM, FHEA
Dr Walters is the Director of the Occupational Lung Disease Service at Heart of England NHS foundation Trust. His research interests include Barriers to the diagnosis of occupational asthma. He is also the Director of the Interstitial Lung Disease Service in the same trust which is an ever-expanding field. He has an active role in undertaking workplace visits, and has previously undertaken workplace bronchial challenges and specific inhalational challenges to occupational agents. He is a keen research writer and also manages others’ research. He is a trained educationalist and Member of the Academy of Medical Educators.
Dr Vicky Moore BSc, MSc (Occupational Health), PhD
Dr Moore Is a clinical scientist who specialises in the interpretation of serial peak expiratory flow records (using the Oasys system) for occupational asthma, workplace visits and previously in specific inhalation challenge testing. She runs clinics in occupational asthma with the team and at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire. She completed her PhD entitled "Development and validation of a diagnostic tool for occupational asthma based on serial lung function measurements" in 2010. Her enthusiasm for research has continued. She is also the current Chair of ARTP Education.
Dr Christopher Huntley MRCP(UK), MBChB
Chris is a Consultant in Occupational and Interstitial Lung Disease. He is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and has obtained his Specialty Certificate Examination in Respiratory Medicine. Chris joined the Birmingham Occupational Lung Disease Service in August 2019 and has been completing his MD at the University of Birmingham. He is currently leading the SANDSTONE Study hosted by the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Emily Rawle BSc MBChB MRCP(UK) MFOM
Dr Rawle is a Consultant in Occupational Medicine. She has completed her MFOM examinations and her dissertation for the MSc in Occupational Medicine at the University of Manchester. She has experience working in Occupational Medicine in NHS Trusts and Industry. She has provided medical advice to surveillance programmes within these organisations. She previously trained in general medicine.
Mr Samuel Wallbanks BSc MSc
Samuel Wallbanks is a current Clinical Scientist in Respiratory and Sleep Physiology working across Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and Birmingham Chest Clinic. After completing the Scientist Training Programme in 2023, he now undertakes much of the serial peak flow analysis using the OASYS system and is routinely involved in occupational workplace visits and challenge testing.
To apply please complete the form below return to Vicky Moore e-mail: vicky.moore@uhcw.nhs.uk
Click here to download