Course Overview

This intensive two-day Fundamentals of Dermatology course is designed for healthcare professionals working in Primary Care who wish to develop structured, evidence-based dermatology knowledge and practical confidence.

Dermatology accounts for approximately 10–15% of the Primary Care workload, yet many clinicians receive limited formal post-registration dermatology training. This course provides a comprehensive foundation in skin assessment, common dermatological conditions, and safe recognition of red flags.

Participants will develop practical skills in describing skin lesions, performing structured assessments, managing common inflammatory skin conditions, and identifying when referral is required. The programme emphasises patient-centred care, appropriate prescribing, and supporting self-management in chronic skin disease.

Who Should Attend

This course is suitable for:

- Practice Nurses
- Nurse Associates
- Advanced Clinical Practitioners
- General Practitioners
- Primary Care Pharmacists
- Healthcare professionals involved in skin assessment

No prior specialist dermatology training is required.

What This Course Covers

Day One – Assessment, Recognition and Safe Diagnosis

- Anatomy and physiology of normal skin
- Principles of skin assessment and structured history-taking
- The language of dermatology:
- Primary and secondary lesions
- Distribution and morphology
- Pathophysiology of common conditions:
- Acne
- Eczema
- Psoriasis
- Recognising skin lesions and skin cancer:
- “When to worry” features
- Red flags and referral thresholds
- Pigmentation disorders:
- Hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation
- Common benign variants
- Sun safety and patient education
- Accessing dermatology guidelines and reliable resources

Day Two – Practical Management in Primary Care

- Managing acne in Primary Care:
- Topical treatments
- Antibiotic stewardship
- Referral considerations
- Managing psoriasis:
- Topical therapies
- Patient education
- Recognising severity
- Managing eczema:
- Emollient optimisation
- Topical steroid use
- Treatment escalation
- Practical emollient workshop:
- Choosing appropriate preparations
- Patient preference and adherence
- Skin infections:
- Recognition and management
- Bacterial, fungal and viral presentations
- Genital dermatology:
- Recognition of lichen sclerosus
- Safe management and referral
- Psychosocial impact of chronic skin disease
- Competency development and reflective discussion

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

- Describe normal skin anatomy and physiology
- Perform a structured dermatological assessment
- Accurately describe skin lesions using appropriate terminology
- Recognise common inflammatory skin conditions
- Identify red flag features suggestive of skin cancer
- Prescribe and advise on appropriate topical therapies
- Support patients in self-managing chronic skin conditions
- Recognise when referral to secondary care is required

Course Format

Duration: Two full days

Delivery: Virtual or face-to-face

Format includes:

- Structured teaching sessions
- Image-based learning
- Case-based discussion
- Practical product review
- Interactive discussion

Certification

Certificate of attendance provided for CPD and revalidation purposes.