MSc Advanced Practice

HPDM128: Principles of Advanced Clinical Practice

This module will develop your knowledge base and your understanding and appreciation of the impact of advanced practice on your own professional development and within the wider community. You will be able to critically evaluate your own practice and to reflect on the extended role of the advanced practitioner in the wider context of healthcare policy and provision. You will explore the four pillars of advanced practice, which in addition to your own clinical specialty will also encompass leadership and management, education and research and how these elements blend with your own profession and clinical role.

This module will allow you to gain an introduction to the 4 pillars of advanced practice. The learning and teaching will support you in the consideration of current legislation and in your understanding of relevant research and theory in the context of advanced practice. There will be opportunity for collaborative learning and engagement with other allied and health care professionals in a multidisciplinary setting.

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HPDM133: Advanced Clinical Assessment and Decision-Making Skills

Advanced practice embodies the ability to holistically manage complex clinical care utilising a biopsychosocial approach. It is therefore imperative that Advanced Practitioners (APs) are equipped with knowledge and understanding of pathophysiological processes, advanced patient assessment techniques and complex decision-making theory to support the analysis and synthesis of complex problems and thus enable innovative solutions.

This module therefore aims to prepare you to extend your scope of practice through enhancing your core knowledge and understanding of complex history taking, systems-based physical assessment, diagnostics and decision-making. Using an interactive, multidisciplinary and engaging approach, this module will empower you to work effectively and collaboratively in dynamic clinical environments.

Using a blended learning strategy to include face-to-face workshops, lectures and simulation-based learning sessions alongside a playful and engaging virtual learning environment, you will attend to the 4 pillars of advanced clinical practice though:

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HPDM166: Research Skills for Advanced Clinical Practitioners

This module will provide you with the opportunity to create your own clinical research proposal to take back into your workplace to implement should you wish to (subject to appropriate ethical approval). It will allow you to build on the knowledge and experience gained in previous modules, focusing on an area of clinical research of particular interest to your clinical specialism. You may choose to focus on an area of clinical need or specific patient group you feel is underrepresented in practice. The module will build on the research basics discussed in HPDM128 and allow you to demonstrate originality in the application of your research knowledge to your area of clinical practice.

The aim of this module is for you to develop and write a research proposal that you can use in practice. It will give you the skills to become a research confident practitioner who has the appropriate skills to develop clinical research proposals and the knowledge to implement them into your area of clinical practice.

This module will explore the research pillar of advanced practice and ensure that you and your workplace experience the benefits of clinical research within your chosen specialist area.

Learning opportunities include: problem-based learning, group discussion, interprofessional working, reflective practice, research-focused teaching and learning.

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HPDM132: Advanced Skill Development

Advanced Practitioners are experienced clinicians who are able to manage defined episodes of care independently within their scope of practice. This module will develop your knowledge and skills to equip you for autonomous practice in areas such as patient assessment, clinical decision-making and exercising professional judgement in planning, delivering and evaluating routine and complex episodes of care based on contemporary and high-quality evidence. Your workplace-based experience will need to include 175 hours of supervised practice in a chosen skill / skill-set.

The module allows you to explore an area of advanced clinical practice in which you wish to develop. Undertaking a mixture of university-based sessions and workplace-based learning you will identify an advanced clinical skill and work towards developing this under the supervision of a clinical mentor in addition to writing reflectively on this within your portfolio. This module will further develop understanding of the complexities of introducing / advancing knowledge within practice whilst considering any relevant ethical issues and will enable students to explore strategies to improve the integration / translation of knowledge to improve healthcare.

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HPDM147: Practice Certificate in Independent and Supplementary Prescribing

Prescribing is a key clinical intervention that must be safe, effective and patient‑centred. Decisions about medicines must be evidence‑based and cost‑effective. This interdisciplinary programme brings together pharmacists, nurses and allied health professionals.

This module prepares you to assess patients holistically and prescribe safely as an autonomous practitioner. It supports development as a Supplementary and/or Independent Prescriber.

You will learn to analyse evidence from multiple sources to support shared prescribing decisions with patients and carers.

Successful completion awards the Practice Certificate in Independent and Supplementary Prescribing, mapped to the RPS Competency Framework (2016) and meeting GPhC, NMC and HCPC standards. Completion enables you to apply for Independent Prescriber annotation on your professional register.

You must have organisational support, including clinical supervision, protected learning time, employer approval, a declaration of good character and a valid Enhanced DBS that meets your organisation’s policies. Pharmacists must be GPhC or PSNI registered with relevant UK post‑registration

experience.

NMC registrants (nurses, midwives, SCPHNs) need 1 year of post-qualification experience, previous Level 6 study and confirmed competence in clinical assessment, diagnostics/care management and planning/evaluation of care.

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HPDM152: Advanced Clinical Practice Improvement Project

This module will provide you with the opportunity to create an action plan for change via a service improvement project. This will allow you to build on your experiences gained in previous modules by focusing on an area of service improvement that is particular to your area of clinical specialism.

The project will demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to carry out a quality improvment project of enquiry. You will present your project in the form of a change initiative in practice action plan with appreciation to concepts such as equality, diversity, and inclusion.

You will use both the theoretical knowledge you will acquire, throughout the taught part of the course, and the analytical skills you will develop to create your action plan.

The aim of this module is to:

• Plan a quality improvement activity in a specific area of practice
• Develop your academic skills to source and review national and global evidence-based resources
• Enhance your skills as a reflective practitioner using workplace based significant events
• Analyse critically how healthcare outcomes are measured
• Make links with local healthcare stakeholders and resources

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HPDM065: Care of the Older Adult

Life expectancy has been steadily increasing. This has led to a population that is ageing. An ageing population has unique needs. This module will cover the relevant biopsychosocial factors of ageing and disease in this demographic group of patients. Knowledge and skills will be developed by reference to suitable learning material, learning activities and skills-based training. You will be encouraged to integrate your clinical experience into your learning.

This module is suitable for healthcare practitioners who wish to develop their skills in delivering holistic healthcare to the older adult patient.

By virtue of the physiology of ageing and the increasing chance of having multi-system disease, the ageing population may have complex needs. This module is intended to develop your knowledge of degenerative disease, their effects and management options. In addition, you will further your skills in thinking broadly, assessing patients holistically and considering the risks and benefits of interventions. You will be expected to consider the ethical and social issues relevant to this age group.

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HPDM103: Teaching Practitioner

This module builds on some of the theory and concepts introduced in Education Essentials, and enables you to further apply learning and teaching principles to a wider variety of practical situations such as lectures, tutorials and small group sessions.

You will extend your knowledge of work-based learning and apply contemporary ideas to practical work based situations.

You will be expected to reflect on how to improve your teaching and the teaching of others. Through this process you will learn about quality and management issues in teaching and learning.

This module aims to extend your teaching knowledge and skills and also introduces you to some principles of educational leadership and management. There is a strong emphasis on looking at how educational ideas are translated into practice. You will also be invited to reflect on and plan for your future development, including opportunities for professional recognition.

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HPDM104: Assessing Learning

This module introduces the principles and practice of assessment in clinical education, including assessment types and relevant theoretical frameworks. You will learn about the constructs used to evaluate assessments, such as validity, reliability, and utility, and how to apply these when designing an assessment. Through exploring the clinical education evidence base, you will explore a variety of work-based assessment tools and their use in continuing professional development. You will also consider the uses of learning technologies in assessment, and issues around equality, diversity, inclusion and their implications for assessment design and practice.

This module aims to give you both a sound knowledge of assessment principles and an understanding of how to apply them in assessment design for professional practice.

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HPDM105: Education Essentials

In this module we introduce you to the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes required of all healthcare professionals who educate - both in the workplace and in more formal situations such as lectures, tutorials and small groups. Through critical appraisal of learning theories and models of delivery, the module explores the practicalities of delivering high quality education in busy healthcare environments.

Teaching is a practical skill that uses complex ideas about how people learn. As a clinical educator, you will increasingly need to demonstrate appropriate knowledge and application of learning and skills in teaching.

In the module, you will explore how to apply educational theory and teaching models to develop your teaching and support learners in the workplace. Through observed teaching, and evaluation of a session that you deliver in your workplace, you will design an evidence-based action plan for improving your practice as a clinical educator.

Teaching observations, peer review, and other activities such as the microteaching you'll be expected to undertake as part of this module, provide evidence to draw upon should you decide to apply for professional recognition with Advance HE, the Academy of Medical Educators, or other relevant organisations.

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HPDM142: Principles of Supervision, Mentoring and Coaching

In this module you will explore the important part supervision, mentoring and coaching plays in the learning process. You will learn about Pendleton's Rules, Agenda Led, Outcomes-based Analysis (ALOBA), Set-Go and have the opportunity to put your feedback skills into practice.

Educators need to encourage all learners to improve and to identify those who need particular support and guidance. They also need feedback and opportunities to reflect on their own performance. This module will equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to give effective feedback, supervise learners, identify learners in difficulty and explore this important aspect of your role as an educator based in a clinical/healthcare education setting. In a similar manner to other modules, there is an emphasis on developing both in-depth knowledge and practical experience.

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HPDM154Z: Future Health: Beyond Data

With a focus on outcomes-based healthcare, public health and prevention of disease, in this module you will go beyond data analytics and artificial intelligence to look at societies' expectations and the way systems will adapt and evolve.

You will explore the application of artificial intelligence, and the scope of data analytics to transform the quality and value of healthcare 'from bedside to board'. You will explore new paradigms, such as how patient-centred care has been redefined by technically empowered patients shaping their care: 'the patient will see you now'. You will consider the changing role and educational needs of the human professional, exploring where humans add value in future health systems and where smart devices know patients better than their carers through monitoring health metrics.

This module will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to innovate, lead, and deliver digitally-integrated health and social care that meets the needs of individual patients and broader society. You will critically appraise the purpose and uses of data collection and analysis, including machine learning and predictive data to inform clinical decision-making.

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HPDM155Z: Future Health: Reimagining Systems

With a focus on outcomes-based health and social care, public health and prevention of disease, this module will explore the possibilities and effects that different systems might have on the delivery of care in the future at regional, national and international levels. It will focus on the drivers to transform existing linear structures into complex systems and emerging models of delivery, such as consumer-led health care. It will explore the complexity of healthcare systems and how they can be harnessed to bring about sustainable, equitable improvements in care and public health across the world.

In this module you will develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to lead, manage and deliver affordable, sustainable and equitable health and social care services in a world transformed by emerging digital capabilities and partnerships between sectors. You will synthesise the perspectives of health and social care providers, industry partners, other sectors, patients and academia to seek out holistic approaches to local, national and global health challenges.

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HPDM156: Long-Term Condition Care (Respiratory, Endocrine and Renal)

Long-term conditions are increasingly prevalent in the UK, and effective prevention and management can reduce complications and improve outcomes. This module develops your knowledge and skills for evidence-informed clinical practice with people living with long-term conditions such as asthma, COPD, chronic kidney disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and thyroid disease. You will analyse and apply current guidance and research to challenges drawn from your own practice, with teaching supported by expert clinicians and researchers. The module also considers behaviour change, medicines optimisation and adherence, recognition of deterioration and exacerbations, and the organisation of services. Assessment is designed to support personalised, practice-based learning and improvement.

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HPDM157: Long-Term Condition Care (Cardiovascular)

Long-term conditions are increasingly prevalent in the UK, and effective prevention and management can reduce complications and improve outcomes. This module develops your knowledge and skills for evidence-informed clinical practice with people living with cardiovascular long-term conditions, including ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, and cardiovascular risk reduction. You will analyse and apply current guidelines and research to issues arising from your own clinical practice, supported by teaching from expert clinicians and researchers. The module also addresses behaviour change and healthy lifestyle promotion, medicines optimisation and adherence, recognition and management of deterioration and exacerbations, and the organisation of services to improve population cardiovascular outcomes. Assessment is designed to support personalised, practice-based learning.

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HPDM184: Advanced Clinical Practice in Primary Care

This module focuses specifically on Primary Care in relation to the Four Pillars of Advanced Practice and how you can innovate and change future primary care.

This module provides you, as a health care practitioner (HCP) working in primary care, an opportunity to examine the core ideas that underpin your daily practice. You will develop a comprehensive understanding of the core principles of primary care in relation to advanced clinical practice and reflect on the importance of cross discipline working and its impact on the patient journey.

The module uses a flipped approach (the course content is online allowing you to prepare much of the material before the contact days). The contact days therefore focus on applying ideas to practice using a combination of small groups, masterclasses and interactive sessions.

This module aims to provide you with a knowledge of why primary care systems are so effective in delivering healthcare and the principles of primary care that underpin this efficacy. It will provide you with an understanding of primary care systems and the underpinning knowledge necessary to support positive change within your workplace.

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HPDM194: Management and Leadership in Global Healthcare

In this module, you will explore the theoretical knowledge and practical skills that contribute to effective management and leadership in complex healthcare settings. Through a comparative approach to analysing global healthcare systems, you will reach into the available evidence base and reflect on multi-disciplinary perspectives on areas such as integrated governance, communication, project management, self-management and decision-making in healthcare. You will critically appraise principles of leadership and followership to understand how you may most effectively lead.

You will examine how to understand and engage with human behaviour in a changing healthcare environment, and through understanding decision making theory, critically appraise the conditions needed to make a collaborative decision. By the end of the module, you will be equipped with a series of practical tools that will assist you in offering safe, effective and sustainable system of healthcare for your patients.

The aim of the module is to provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge, behaviours and attitudes to enable you to manage and lead multi-professional teams within a complex system of care.

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PAMM120Z: MRI: Integrated Theory and Practice

Specialist radiographers are experienced practitioners who assess and image patients within their own specialist area. During this module you will gain experience of applying knowledge and understanding of MRI to your clinical environment. This will support your understanding of how the evidence base is integrated into your clinical practice and how this understanding can lead to service improvement.

Elements of this module may map against aspects of Enhanced or Advanced Practice as defined by the relevant AHP frameworks (NHSE) and / or as defined the College of Radiographers' Education and Career Framework 2023.

Entry to this module requires you to be a registered practitioner working regularly within an MRI unit. You must identify an appropriately qualified and experienced radiographer to act as a clinical mentor before commencing this module. You will also be required to demonstrate how you take responsibility for your own continuing professional development and reflect on your own performance.

This module allows you to explore how the theory and science of MRI applies to your clinical practice and your workplace procedures and protocols. Undertaking a mixture of university-based sessions and workplace-based learning means you will clearly work towards developing yourself in this area under the supervision of a clinical mentor.

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