PSY8084 : Engagement and Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Mrs Ashley Cave
- Lecturer: Miss Aisling O'Connor, Miss Zoe Lambert, Miss Laura Stevenson
- Owning School: Psychology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module aims to give trainees the knowledge and skills to undertake a range of assessments within NHS talking therapies for people with common mental health problems. These assessments include: screening/triage; risk; provisional diagnosis; psychometric assessment, problem focused assessment and intervention planning assessment. The module will teach the theoretical and diagnostic principles of undertaking assessments, and the correlating clinical and interpersonal skills to carry these out. The module aims to give an overview of the incidence, prevalence and presentation of mental health disorders, including complex and severe presentations and the care pathways associated with more severe disorders. The module will raise issues pertaining to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in NHS clinical settings and considerations for minority groups and all protected characteristics.
Outline Of Syllabus
Assessment types overview
Diagnosis (ICD-10/11) and diagnostic measures
Interpersonal Skills
Clinical Risk Management
Information gathering for mental health problems
Use of therapeutic questioning and interviewing
Problem summarizing and goal setting
Behaviour change models
Socialisation and formulation in CBT
Diversity, equality and inclusion applications to engaging minority groups - protected characteristics group exercise
Formulating co-morbid and complex difficulties at LI
Different diagnostic criteria in NHS talking therapies
Assessment of different anxiety disorders in NHS talking therapies
Self care and resilience as a mental health professional
Medication management
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 6:00 | 60:00 | Didactic and interactive segments of theoretical based learning Skill development through roleplays / practical |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | formative assessment and feedback |
| Placement/Study Abroad | Employer-based learning | 25 | 4:00 | 100:00 | Paid employment (NHS band 4) via work-based placement three days per week, recorded in clinical contact hours |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Tutor led information on assessments Formative Assessment |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 5 | 5:00 | 25:00 | Practice based learning days to support integration from theory to clinical practice, aligned with module content |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 2 | 6:00 | 12:00 | Study days given by work based placement, in line with NHS talking therapies manual and curriculum |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
• Didactic lecture segments establish a learning framework for the theoretical components of the module and the learning outcomes
• Small group work within workshop segments enable role play practice of the relevant clinical topics, to enable trainees to practice and develop their clinical skills ahead of seeing NHS patients. This ensures clinical skill develops within the learning outcomes
• Structured guided learning enable trainees to expand on theoretical knowledge of the lecture/workshop content, and translate this theory to clinical practice where relevant. This supports the application of theory to practice and advances knowledge and competence of the learning outcomes.
• The placement ensures theory is embedded in clinical practice, which clinical competence advancing throughout the module with the support of on-going supervision provided through the placement
The total hours of the module exceeds 200 due to the nature of the programme of study. Students are employed full time by their NHS employer (37.5 hours FTE). 0.4 FTE of the working week is spent at the education institution and is detailed within the teaching activities, and 0.6 FTE is with the employer to full fill their employment contract. Their salary reflects the working hours of a full time employee on a clinical training contract and expected clinical contact hours.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 60 | 1 | A | 50 | Present in person written Examination Three multi-part questions. This assessment must be passed in order to pass the module. |
| Observ of prof pract | 45 | 1 | M | 50 | Present in person Simulated OSCE of NHS talking therapies assessment/s Trainees get a grace period of 5 minutes maximum This assessment must be passed in order to pass the module. |
Zero Weighted Pass/Fail Assessments
| Description | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | M | The deadline submission of this is in semester 2, to ensure sufficient time on placement to evidence skill based practice outcomes. This will further entail all required documentation required to fulfil the accreditation and NHS talking therapies manual |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Observ of prof pract | 1 | M | Present in person Simulated OSCE of NHS talking therapies assessment/s Trainees get a grace period of 5 minutes maximum. This is a formative assessment ahead of the summative, to allow feedback to be given on clinical competencies |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Assessments are compliant with those determined by the national curriculum / NHS England. All assessment components must be passed.
The written examination assesses trainees knowledge of assessment theory, diagnostic measures and treatment planning as per the NICE guidelines
The OSCE allows for the clinical skills and application of theory to be assessed. This will be with an actor playing an NHS patient, following which the trainee will complete a full problem focused assessment, entailing risk assessment and behaviour change assessment.
The formative assessments give trainees the opportunity to test their knowledge and skills and allows feedback to be given prior to the summative assessments.
The portfolio allows for all skills outcomes to be assessed, and evidences whether the embedding of skills within the placement has occurred. The portfolio further enables the theoretical knowledge gained during the practice based learning days to be evidenced and assessed.
In order to pass the module, trainees must pass all assessment components. In order to pass the placement within the module, the practice-based outcomes set by NHS England must be evidenced in a practice portfolio, which demonstrates the programmes content has been embedded in clinical practice. This includes assessment of clinical competencies by clinical supervisors. Each practice portfolio must be passed. The clinical hours obtained on the placement component of the module contributes to the required total of 80 hours on placement across the programme.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- PSY8084's Timetable