What is Core of Knowledge?

What training do the HealthCare Commission Inspectors expect to see?

If you are offering laser or pulsed light treatments you must be registered with the HealthCare Commission. The Care Standards Act 2000 and the supporting legislation set out the things you and your service must do to show that you operate a safe and compliant facility. You will need to think about health and safety, about how you recruit people, the information you give your clients, the facilities you have available and the training for your staff.

The National Minimum Standards (NMS) are the statements or criteria that your facility must meet and against which your facility will be graded when the Healthcare Commission Inspectors visit.

Standard P2 contains the criteria for training for staff using lasers and intense pulsed light systems. It states that all laser and intense pulsed light users have training, which is recorded and covers the following;

- Characteristic features of light from laser and intense pulsed light sources
- Hazards from device malfunction
- Equipment management
- Effects of light upon the eye, skin and body tissues
- Safety management, including local rules and controlled areas
- Minimising risks
- Action to be taken in the event of an adverse incident

It is also a requirement under the NMS that:

- all staff using lasers or pulsed light equipment have regular update training, both planned and in reaction to relevant technological and medical developments
- all operators of laser or pulsed light systems use them only for treatments for which they have been trained, and where appropriate, hold qualifications.

The training topics that the HC Inspectors require are based upon the ‘Core of Knowledge' in the Medical Devices Agency document “Guidance on the safe use of lasers in medical and dental practice”.

Our Core of Knowledge courses cover all of the topics in the MDA Guidance document and fully meets the requirements of the National Minimum Standards. The one day course provides excellent reference materials, a comprehensive overview of laser and pulsed light technologies and applications and a Certificate of Attendance. (An optional written assessment paper is available at an additional fee and provides excellent evidence of continuing professional development.)

Evidence of understanding of The Core of Knowledge course is a pre-requisite for our nationally recognised BTEC qualifications.

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