Thanks to Clare Goodhart, Sarah Capewell, and Sarah Uwimbabazi for sharing their experience using the TRP to create their own courses, for their input into this report, and for sharing their photos and materials with us.

Background

Two courses were developed by a team from the UK for use in rural southwest Uganda, adapting the Training Resource Package for Family Planning. The pilot was done at Bwindi Community Hospital, a health care institution serving a population of 100,000. Level 1 training (Continuing Professional Development re Family Planning), involving five one-hour sessions, was offered to all staff, and 53 took part. The 30-hour Level 2 course (Family Planning Certificate) was run twice, and aimed to enable trainees to reach the standard of a certificate in family planning, equipping them to give detailed counselling about available methods and to undergo practical training. Level 2 was assessed by written exam, consultation skills, and participation in group work. Nineteen nurses and other clinical staff attended this more advanced training, and 17 successfully completed it. Since the training, screening for unmet need is becoming embedded across many hospital departments, which is a testimony to the improved confidence and knowledge gained through the training. The hospital’s community team are also undertaking outreach work to tackle barriers to male engagement in family planning.