Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Advanced Clinical Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship)
The Advanced Clinical Practitioner Master's Degree Apprenticeship is a programme for...
Single Module
Level 7
First Contact Practice in Primary Care (Level 7, 30 credits)
School of Health and Society
Attendance
Part-time
Course
Two semester
Next enrolment
September 2022
In a nutshell
This multi-professional module is designed to support suitably qualified and experienced Allied Health Professionals who wish to work as autonomous First Contact Practitioners (FCPs) within primary care.
The module is designed to include stage 1 and stage 2 of the required elements, consistent with Health Education England ‘roadmaps to practice’ which outline the skills and attributes needed for AHPs to become FCPs in primary care.
Completion of the module will support AHPs to be recognised by Health Education England’s Centre for Advancing Practice by being placed on a FCP directory.
Please see the 'What you need to know' section for full details of entry and application requirements.
You will:
- be supported to develop your existing skills to deliver person centred assessment, diagnosis and management safely and effectively in relation to your individual scope of practice
- complete supervised practice within primary care as part of the module, during which you will have the opportunity to understand the specific context of primary care and evaluate the contribution FCPs can make
- enhance your clinical reasoning and decision-making skills using a case-based approach, supported by peers, tutors and experts from practice
All about the course
The module will cover:
- The role of the FCP in primary care, person centred care and advanced communication skills, consultation skills and systems in a primary care environment and primary care pathways.
- Recognition, appropriate screening and management of the acutely unwell/ seriously ill patient, undifferentiated / undiagnosed long-term conditions, systemic conditions and frailty.
- Signposting, risk assessment and safety netting.
- Identification of mental health concerns, including depression and anxiety, addictive behaviours and substance abuse, dealing with suicidal ideation and dementia.
- Introduction to medicine prescribing, side effects and contraindications, medicines management, advice, supply and administration, medicine optimisation.
- Public health and social prescribing, work adaptation, fit note and empowering early return to work.
- Persistent pain, pain sensitisation, pain communication and behaviour change.
- Safeguarding, legal frameworks and documentation – coping with uncertainty.
- Practitioner resilience, health and well-being.
- Complex decision making and clinical reasoning.
- Outcome measure and clinical audit, service evaluation and redesign.
How is the module delivered?
You will be taught via flexible online sessions, action learning sets and individual mentoring. We can offer a high level of flexibility for you to choose how you access learning activity; tutorials, meetings and action learning sets can be delivered on-line through existing platforms (Blackboard Ultra and MS Teams) or on campus.
Current government advice related to COVID may mean we will need to vary the methods of face-to-face teaching and assessment.
You will be taught by experts in the field including lecturers, advanced clinical practitioners, leaders from practice and first contact practitioners.
You will need to complete 75 hours of practice-based learning. This may be in the form of a placement for those who are not currently employed in a primary care setting, structured work-based learning for those who are, or a combination of both.
For those wishing to enrol from September 2021 onwards, information about access to placements and/or work-based learning will be on this website as soon as it is available.
You will be able to access lectures, tutorials and project supervision from our academic team, delivered for 80 hours across the module.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
The School of Health and Society
The School of Health and Society is a forward-thinking, dynamic school with a commitment to lifelong learning and real world impact.
Our courses are informed by the latest research and we work closely with organisations from both the public and private sector to ensure our teaching is at the forefront of practice.
What about after uni?
Completion of the module will support AHPs working as FCPs in primary care. It will also support AHPs to be recognised by Health Education England’s Centre for Advancing Practice by being placed on a FCP directory.
This module can be taken as a single module or combined with other relevant modules offered by us to graduate with a PgCert, or to progress onto studying modules from the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme, and thus graduate with an MSc.
Career Links
We work with over 100 health and social care organisations so our links with industry are very strong. These relationships will be of direct benefit to you because our academic team work in practice in some of these organisations at a senior level so are able to keep you at the forefront of developments in the sector which in turn help you provide a better service.
What you need to know
This module is aimed at:
AHPs either currently working in primary care as FCPs or those seeking employment in as FCPs in primary care.
AHPs who wish to be recognised by Health Education England’s Centre for Advancing Practice by being placed on a FCP directory.
Please note that you will need confirmation from your employer of support for all elements of the module including supervision, assessment, project work and placement and/or work-based learning. Please complete the verification form below and send that, along with your completed application form, to applications@salford.ac.uk
We will not be able to progress your application with both a completed application form and verification form.
Entry requirements
Previous study and experience
- Qualified Health Care Professionals registered with a recognised statutory body i.e. HCPC or General Osteopathic Council.
- Three years of experience within the relevant specialist field e.g. Musculoskeletal, Paramedics, Occupational Therapy, Podiatry, Dietetics (normally five years post-qualifying experience).
If you wish to take this module as a single module, to support your existing role as an FCP and/or to support your application to Health Education England’s Centre for Advancing Practice directory of First Contact Practitioners you will need to demonstrate enhanced level speciality specific clinical knowledge and skills through either:
- Completion of relevant knowledge and skills-based level 7 module at the University of Salford.
- Portfolio of evidence assessed through Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)
- Completion of appropriate Postgraduate, level 7 learning (equivalent to 30 credits) in relevant area of practice assessed through Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
How much?
| Type of study | Year | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Part-time | 2021/22 | £1,350 per 30 credit module |
| Part-time | 2022/23 | £1,380 per 30 credits |
Additional costs
You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.