Health Improvement (HIMP) Training Programme, October 2026

Oct 19, 2026
Health Improvement (HIMP) Training Programme

Please find details of our current training courses below together with the attached catalogue which gives further details on all of our courses which are currently delivered over Microsoft Teams, unless otherwise stated. Please feel free to forward this email to any of your contacts who you think might be interested in attending.

Places on our courses must be booked through the online platform Learning Together, and you can book a place by clicking on the course title which will take you directly to the Learning Together page for that course where you can log in and sign up.  You can also search Learning Together for our courses, just enter (HIMP) in the ‘search for courses’ box and this will bring up a list of all of the courses we deliver.  Please remember to include the brackets.

Please go to northumberland.learningpool.com to log in or create an account and if you need any assistance to register, please contact support@learningpool.com. For any general queries please email healthimprovement@northumberland.gov.uk.

Please note : to be eligible to attend our free courses you must either live or work in Northumberland and we reserve the right to reject or charge for applications from anyone who does not meet these criteria.

This training will give participants an understanding of alcohol units and the current recommended guidelines, as well as an awareness of the effects of alcohol. Participants will learn about the health risks and the impact of alcohol misuse on the individual and communities. Discover hints and tips for cutting down, information on local specialist alcohol services and how to use the ‘Make Every Contact Count’ framework to initiate conversations about alcohol use.
    • Tuesday 8 December 2026 – 11.00 to 12.00
  • Tuesday 16 March 2027 – 2.00 to 3.00
This training will give participants a basic knowledge and understanding of substance use. We will look at a range of drugs, their classification, the law and effect on the body. This training will cover some of the reasons people use drugs as well as the effect substance use has on communities. We will also cover the specialist support services available in Northumberland.
  • Tuesday 12 January 2027 – 11.00 to 12.00
  • Monday 22 March 2027 – 2.00 to 3.00
The purpose of this training is to understand the importance of reducing childhood accidents, to gain a thorough understanding of the main causes of accidents in England and Northumberland, and how to integrate this knowledge into practice.  The training will also cover childhood accidents and development, signposting, and childhood illness.
This training is now delivered through bespoke courses only, so if you and your team are interested in booking a bespoke session for a group of 10-20 people please email the trainer, Emma Farrar, direct on emma.farrar@northumberland.gov.uk to discuss details and availability.
Community Health Champions
Northumberland’s Public Health Team has an annual plan of health awareness campaigns. To help us share and shape health messages, we’re looking for people who live and/or work in Northumberland to sign up as a Community Health Champion. The role of a Community Health Champion has two levels:
Sharer: As a Sharer, you would receive regular Public Health updates and campaign resources, which you can then share with your community and social networks. This is an informal role and there are no requirements, other than signing up to our mailing list via the expression of interest form linked below.
Supporter: As a Supporter, you are registering your interest in a formal volunteer position with Northumberland County Council. Within this role, you will support Northumberland’s Health Trainer’s and wider Public Health team. To find out more, complete the form and we will send you a detailed role description. This formal role involves the completion of training; this includes a Volunteer Induction and Royal Society of Public Health Level 2 Award in Understanding Health Improvement.
If you would like to sign up as a Sharer, please complete this Sign up Form.
If you would like to sign up as a Supporter, please complete an Expression of Interest Form and you will be contacted by the Volunteer Coordinator.
If you have any questions you would like answered before signing up, or to request the Sharer or Supporter role descriptions, please email healthchampions@northumberland.gov.uk

This training aims to provide a knowledge, skills & understanding on HIV/AIDS, screening, treatment & prevention with an overview of PEP, PrEP & U=U.

  • Tuesday 9 February 2027 – 10.00 to 11.00

Introduction to Sexual Health 

This training is aimed at professionals working with young people, who may be delivering sexual health education or advising young client groups.
  • More dates to be arranged
This session will look at what is the Menopause, the facts, signs, symptoms, treatments, different stages of Menopause, timeframes, & how to cope when living with Menopause. We will also look at supporting Menopause in the workplace & share various useful links to support in Northumberland.
  • Wednesday 20 January 2027 – 10.00 to 11.00

Promoting Oral Health Care for Adults 

This digital training course will give an introductory overview into the topic of oral health care for adults and older people.

This digital training course will give an introductory overview into the topic of oral health care for children and young people.

RSPH Level 2 Award in Understanding Health Improvement

The Understanding Health Improvement course is a Level 2 qualification, accredited by the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH), and the aim of this qualification is to provide candidates with an understanding of the principles of promoting health and wellbeing which will enable them to direct individuals towards further practical support in their efforts to attain a healthier lifestyle. Candidates will learn how effective communication can support health messages, how to promote improvements in the health and wellbeing of others and understand the impact of behaviour change on improving an individual’s health and wellbeing.
The qualification can be delivered via an eLearning course or a half day face to face session. Both options will be followed by a one-hour multiple-choice assessment paper, which must be completed face to face.  To attend this course, you must currently be volunteering as a Community Health Champion Supporter with Northumberland County Council.  If you are currently volunteering in this role and you would like to access the Understanding Health Improvement course please email healthchampions@northumberland.gov.uk for more details.
This training aims to support practitioners working with families, parents and carers to facilitate age-appropriate discussions around growing up, body changes, puberty, healthy relationships and sexual health.  Parents & Carers may request bespoke sessions for this training.
  • Thursday 11 February 2027 – 10.00 to 12.30
Tobacco and Nicotine Vaping training increases awareness of the health risks associated with tobacco smoking, second‑hand smoke and the role of nicotine vaping products in quitting, and includes the wider impact of smoke exposure, including effects on pets, and how to support smoke‑free environments.
This training offer is being reviewed and is changing from an awareness session to targeted training and will be available when the new offer has been finalised but if you would like more information in the meantime, please email the trainer, Richard Palmer Heathman, direct on richard.palmerheathman@northumberland.gov.uk.
This training will look at the stages of a woman’s life, beginning with menstruation and ending with menopause, and everything women’s health related in between.
  • Thursday 21 January 2027 – 10.00 to 12.30
Solihull Approach e-courses 

Northumberland County Council has partnered with the Solihull Approach to sponsor FREE online courses developed by psychologists and professionals. These courses are designed to help you understand your child’s feelings, as well as focus on your own feelings as you go through life as a family. You will also learn to understand the changes in your child’s development and how to make the most out of each relationship. We wholeheartedly recommend these courses – they are for everyone, for everyday parenting. They don’t tell you how to parent, that’s up to you. Instead, they give you a framework for understanding what might be going on and space to think about how you want to respond.  For ALL parents, carers, grandparents and teens. We all need a bit of headspace and thinking time occasionally.  From bump to 19+ years. Including adult relationships.

 

Courses available 

1a.   Understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby (Antenatal)

1b.   Understanding pregnancy, labour, birth and your baby: for women couples (Antenatal)

2.    Understanding your baby (Postnatal)

3a.   Understanding your child (0-19 years) (Main course)

3b.   Understanding your child with additional needs (0-19 years) (Main course)

4.    Understanding your teenager’s brain (Short course)

5.    Understanding your brain (for teenagers only!) (Short course)

6.    Understanding your feelings (for teenagers only!) (Short course)

7.    Understanding your child’s feelings (A taster course)

8.    Understanding your child’s mental health and wellbeing (Accompanies 3a. and/or 3b.)

9.    Understanding your relationships

 

Age range: Suitable for parents, carers, grandparents and teens

Duration: Flexible

Delivery: Online resources

 

Further details on how to register for this training can be found on Free Online Courses | Family Hubs (familyhubsnorthumberland.co.uk)

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