EU-HCWM
“Developing an EU Standardised Approach to Vocational Educational
Training Awards in Healthcare Waste Management”
Project No. 541982-LLP-1-2013-1-UK-LEONARDO-LNW
PROJECT UPDATE
NHS NPAG Waste
Birmingham
Funded by the EACEA
with the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Project outline
Purpose - to develop a framework for a healthcare waste
management qualification & training package, which will
provide a unified approach to the development of a Vocational
Educational Training Programmes for Healthcare Waste
Management across the EU Member States.
Methodology & Outputs - will reflect best practices and best
available technologies for the management and treatment of
healthcare wastes.
PROJECT MAIN TASKS
The project has set the following objectives:
1. Conduct & report on an assessment of the healthcare waste
management situation
2. Prepare a comparative analysis report of the above findings
3. Develop a National Occupational Standard for the post of
healthcare waste manager in a healthcare facility.
4. Develop a Vocational Educational Training Programme in line
with the requirements of the national occupational
standard.
5. Develop an e-learning platform for the NOS
6. Develop an EU wide network for dissemination and support
of the project outputs
Next Steps
1. Last task in 2015 was to Publish the External Evaluation
Report for the Qualification Framework and the Proposed
Overall Training Programme
2. Develop the e:learning platform
3. Develop the EU Professional Network
4. Develop a Pan European Implementation Plan for the Award
Work Packages
The project is entering its final phase now and the partners
are focused on three main work packages:
• Professional Network Development
• E:Learning Portal
• Exploitation Plan
In terms of dissemination activities the main focus is the
final conference in November this year.
Professional Networks (1)
The task of developing professional networks in all EU
member states is being undertaken by the following project
partners:
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EUHP
ISWA
NHS Confederation via linked networks
REC Network
Professional Networks (II)
The idea of the professional networks was to provide a group
of stakeholders across EU member states who would be able
to share/transfer skills and knowledge about best practice
through an online platform. Participants could include
representatives from the following stakeholder groups:
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Healthcare Waste Managers – Public/Private Sectors
Healthcare Waste Contractors – Treatment/Transport
Vocational Trainers in HCW
Technology/Equipment Suppliers
Environment/Waste Management Consultants
Professional Networks (III)
While the professional networks will consist of a broad range
of stakeholders it is hoped that the healthcare waste managers
within that group both from the public and private sectors
would form a pan European professional body e.g.:
European Institute of Healthcare Waste Managers (EIHWM)
This would be a suggested output of the project within the
Exploitation Plan and would be an accredited professional
body solely for healthcare waste managers.
E:Learning Portal
The e:learning portal is being developed at the moment and it
includes two versions as we have a two tier approach to the
vocational learning process across the EU.
The majority of partners will use the platform to provide HCWM
training as there is an absence of vocational learning in those
member states.
Those of us who do have a vocational qualification framework
established will use the platform within that formal framework
and it will have all the assessment and verification functionality
to support this.
E:Learning Portal
In the case of the UK version of the portal we will have
three distinct qualifications available:
1. Healthcare Waste Manager
2. Healthcare Waste Treatment Manager
3. Healthcare Waste Transport Manager
These will be degree level vocational qualifications and will
be known as Professional Development Awards. More on
this at the Final Conference.
Exploitation Plan
Currently working on the exploitation plan and are looking
at ways of addressing the sustainability of the project
outputs. At the moment we are trying to focus on building
the professional networks and developing an e-platform to
allow professional network interaction.
In addition we intend to propose the professional body for
HCWM and provide a web site and newsletters etc. in this
regard. This would be hosted for 5 years beyond the life of
the project. More on this at the Final Conference in
November.