Most participants choose to work on a case study rather than a live project, but Anna returned to work with a firm commitment to investigate and liven up Access training at the Royal Free Hospital. It is a requirement of the NHS Executive that all trusts have installed an EPR system by 2005. However, the Trust has not as yet established this type of system, and as a result numerous small databases had sprung up in the hospital and problems occurred without a central administrator to monitor the databases. For example, when a skilled person leaves the Trust, the database he or she may have established becomes redundant. Anna's aim was to improve quality standards, efficiency, time spent on manual record keeping and statistical analysis, and helpdesk calls.
Students learn through their experience and are encouraged to bring their experience into the group.
Feedback is given at every practicable stage of the course. Any tests are checked and positive feedback is provided. At the beginning of the session, participants are encouraged to make mistakes. Participants are also encouraged to ask questions and to help each other. It is hoped that by the end of the one-day course participants will have created a complete database project unaided by tutor or course notes.