• Offered for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Ms Helen Raffell
• Lecturer: Professor Helen Stringer, Dr Janet Webster, Mrs Linda Jose, Dr Lisa Ramshaw

• Owning School: Education, Communication & Language Sci
• Teaching Location: Mixed Location

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

The module has the following aims:

1. To enable students to understand the professional role and responsibilities of a student speech and language therapist
2. To provide clinical practice that will allow students to demonstrate professionalism and their adherence to the HCPC guidance on Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for Students.
3. To provide clinical practice that will allow students to implement, under supervision, a case-based management approach, applying theory of assessment and intervention, to 1-2 adult cases or 1-2 child cases, and to reflect on their own practice and that of their peers within the campus clinics.
4. To provide clinical practice that will enable students to experience and understand the role of the speech and language therapist across a range of client groups and in a range of therapeutic contexts.
5. To provide clinical practice that will allow students to implement, under supervision, a case-based management approach, applying theory of assessment and intervention to client management for a range of client groups.
6. To provide students with an opportunity to consider the impact of current and relevant NHS and government policies on speech and language therapy practice.
7. To develop critical awareness and understanding of a range of professional issues specific to speech and language therapy, including health inequalities, health promotion and cultural competence and issues of particular current relevance.
8. To understand the role of leadership within speech and language therapy.

In relation to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, this module provides opportunities for students to demonstrate that they can practise safely and effectively within their scope of practice (1), practise within legal and ethical boundaries of their profession (2), look after health and wellbeing, seeking appropriate support where necessary (3), practise as an autonomous professional, exercising their own professional judgement (4), recognise the impact of culture, equality and diversity on practice and practise in a non-discriminatory and inclusive manner (5), understand the importance of and maintain confidentiality (6), communicate effectively (7), work appropriately with others and understand leadership (8), maintain records appropriately (9), be able to reflect and review practice (10), assure the quality of their practice (11), draw on appropriate knowledge and skills to inform practice (13), establish and maintain a safe practice environment (14). This requires an understanding of the issues as well as the need to demonstrate the skills. The specific standards included within the professional issues and taught elements of this module are: 1.3, 2.3, 2.4, 2.11, 3.1-3.4, 4.8, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5-5.7, 6.1 - 6.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 8.3, 8.6-8.9, 8.13-8.15, 11.6, 12.3, 12.4, 12.7, 12.11, 12.13, 13.15, 15.1-15.3.

Within the final placement, there is a focus on the transition from student speech and language therapist to newly qualified practitioner, with increased consideration of caseload management, prioritisation and service provision issues. There is a continued focus on developing reflective skills so that they are able to reflect on and review practice (10), with additional opportunities to reflect on multi-professional practice. The clinical practice within external placements allows students to work with a greater range of client groups in varied settings and to practise the skill-based competencies covered within the Standards; these are assessed within the clinical evaluation report (see mapping document) and include: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.5-2.7, 2.9, 2.10, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4-4.7, 5.1, 6, 6.3, 7.1, 7.4-7.9, 8.1, 8.2, 8.4, 8.5, 8.10-8.12, 9.1-9.3, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1-11.5, 13.1-13.7, 13.12-13.14, 13.16, 13.17, 14.1-14.5.

Outline Of Syllabus

Professional issues sessions during induction period & semester 1.

General clinical induction sessions thinking about the professional role and responsibilities of a student speech and language therapist.

Leadership and interview preparation workshops between semester 1 and semester 2.

Semester 2 tutorials to support general clinical development and preparation for the unseen viva and unseen written report.
Semester 3 block placement (5 days for 8 weeks; this will typically involve one day each week dedicated to planning and preparation)

Within clinical placements, there will be opportunities to:
1.       Review case history information or take case histories
2.       Plan and implement assessment
3.       Analyse, integrate and interpret information and assessment to determine diagnosis
4.       Consider the implications of the communication impairment for the client within a holistic framework
5.       Consider ultimate, long-term & short-term goals for intervention
6.       Devise an intervention programme, selecting appropriate tasks, developing materials and reviewing progress
7.       Implement intervention – establishing rapport with clients, carrying out tasks with description of aims and appropriate feedback
8.       Evaluate the impact of intervention, considering the effectiveness of intervention and the outcome for the client
9.       Write professional reports
10.       Reflect on and evaluate skills of self and others

In relation to the RCSLT curriculum guidance, this module contributes to the mandatory placement hours (3.4.1). During the block placement, students may work with any of the client groups listed in section 4.3.2. This module contributes to the mandatory placement hours (3.4.1). Within the professional issues component of the module, there is often discussion of multilingualism (4.4.1), the influence of social and cultural factors on speech and language therapy practice and palliative and/or end of life care (4.4.3).

The Clinical and Professional Education modules focus on developing the knowledge and skills to meet the key graduate capabilities: advanced communication skills (4.2.1A), promoting inclusion and access (4.2.1B), health promotion (4.2.1C), interprofessional practice and team working (4.2.2A), working with service users, families and carers (4.2.2B), advocacy (4.2.2C), self development and self management (4.2.3A), professional commitment/clinical business skills (4.2.3B), developing others (4.2.3c), innovation and change (4.2.3D), use of the evidence base to support clinical reasoning and practice (4.2.4A) and service evaluation and development (4.2.4C). The focus comes from taught sessions and opportunities on clinical placements, with the professional issues seminars allowing in-depth consideration of current issues and policies. Students are applying knowledge and skills developed in other modules.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Jointly Taught With

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Rationale:

Semester 1: Students engage in small group teaching in induction period on quality and quality improvement and health inequalities. They then attend staff and student-led presentations and seminars about current professional issues, with sessions jointly taught with students on SPE4051. These sessions allow discussion about current professional issues, with opportunities to share and learn from peer experience.
There are three workshops focusing on health inequality, working with bilingual clients & leadership (with SPE3050) and interview preparation (SPE3051 & SPE4051). These workshop sessions allow active participation and discussion.

Semester 2: tutorials to support clinical development & preparation for unseen viva and unseen report. Meet the expert sessions with supported learning activities provide students with an opportunity to meet specialist Speech and Language Therapists, consider their work context and the clients they work with.


Semester 3: The external block placement allows students to be embedded in clinical practice, with opportunities to work with a variety of clients in a range of therapeutic contexts. On placement, there are regular opportunities for students to reflect on their skills and knowledge and to receive feedback from the practice educators. Whilst on placement, students have the opportunity to work directly with service users. Students also have opportunities to observe and to work alongside other professionals, as well as parents, family members and carers. There may also be opportunities for inter-professional learning, with students from other professions e.g. student teachers, students from other allied health professions.

Teaching hours exceed University guidance due to inclusion of mandatory placement hours.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams

Other Assessment

Zero Weighted Pass/Fail Assessments

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Students are asked to reflect on their learning after each of the professional issues presentations and seminars. Reflective practice is a key professional skill. They are asked to submit the whole log, with identification of one entry for marking.
Clinical Evaluation Report is completed by the Practice Educator. It is a competency based report which assesses professional and statutory standards of proficiency. The unseen exams both give students an opportunity to demonstrate the relationship between theory and practice, applying theory to an unseen case in order to provide a communication profile, plan assessment and intervention. The oral viva focuses on professional oral communication and the ability to explain intervention to a carer. The unseen written report focuses on the production of a written professional report. It allows the student to integrate observations with formal assessment results to produce a communication profile and intervention plan. Across the two unseen exams, students are assessed on both clients with developmental and acquired communication difficulties.

Reading Lists

• SPE8221's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• SPE8221's Timetable