Low Intensity Psychological Interventions for Severe Mental Health Problems

Module title	Low Intensity Psychological Interventions for Severe Mental Health Problems
Module code	PYCM122
Academic year	2021/2
Credits	20
Module staff	Mr Shane Fitzgerald (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	10	10	10

Number students taking module (anticipated)	20

Module description

This component enables you as a MHWPs to set collaborative goals for low intensity interventions with people with severe mental health problems and to deliver seven focused low-intensity interventions according to an intervention manual. It will also embed the routine use of patient-reported outcome measures to support collaborative evaluation of progress.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of this module is to deliver goal focused treatment focused around evidenced based interventions. MHWP should gain competency to use these interventions with skill, utilising the collaborative skills of earlier modules. Practitioners should be able to enable the widest range service users, to benefit, including who experience motivation barriers. Recovery and clinical gain will be measured with recognised psychometric questionnaires. The advances made through treatment will be preserved through effective relapse prevention.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate competence in collaborative goal setting for low intensity psychological interventions
2. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in developing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance with service users during their treatment programme, including working with motivational difficulties and dealing with issues and events that threaten the alliance.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in the effective use of routine patient-reported outcome measures
4. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of, and competence in the use of, a range of low-intensity, evidence-based psychological interventions
5. Demonstrate competence in planning and managing the ending of contact, including Relapse Prevention/Staying Well plans
6. Demonstrate an appreciation of the workers own level of competence and boundaries of competence and role, and an understanding of how to work within a team and with other agencies with additional specific roles which cannot be fulfilled by the worker alone.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

7. Summarise basic and essential factual and conceptual knowledge of the subject, and demonstrate a critical understanding of this knowledge.
8. Review and evaluate established work and identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of this work.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

9. Record accurately interviews and questionnaire assessments using paper and electronic record-keeping systems
10. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, challenge received opinion and develop your own criteria and judgement, and to seek and make use of feedback.

Syllabus plan

The module content, module-specific learning objectives, style of delivery and assessment for this module are informed by the National Curriculum for Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners – Specialist Adult Mental Health for the training of Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners to support the delivery of low intensity CBT. Teaching content will include:

Evidence-based interventions and strategies?

Treatment Goals
Motivational interviewing?
Developing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance
The effective use of routine patient-reported outcome measures
Seven specific wellbeing-focused psychologically-informed interventions:
Behavioural Activation and Graded Exposure using the “GOALS” programme
Problem-solving skills
Sleep hygiene
Recognising and managing emotions
Guided self-help for bulimia and binge-eating
Building confidence / Improving self-esteem
Medication support – based on information-giving.
Relapse Prevention/Staying Well
Dealing with endings safely and appropriately;
Appreciation of the worker’s own level of competence and boundaries of competence and role
Medication support

Context of delivery?

Relapse prevention
Competent working
Dealing with issues and events that disrupt the alliance?– engaging service users?
Supporting low intensity interventions (face-to-face, telephone, e-mail, group work)?

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
60	90	50

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	25	Practical classes these will be used to develop clinical competencies in assessment and engagement through tutor supervised small group role-play
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	10	Lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	10	Seminars these will be led by the tutor and address a range of important topics covered in the module
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	15	Tutorials these will take the form of small group sessions led by the tutor
Guided Independent Study	50	Reading and preparation for seminars and/or flipped classroom delivery model
Guided Independent Study	40	Undertaking structured reflective blogging of intervention practice with colleagues during workplace role-play or service user work
Placement	10	Within the workplace, Supervision will be provided by a HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist or a BABCP accredited CBT Therapist with competence in the MHWP interventions with people with severe mental health problems. Trainees should undertake a minimum of 40 hours of clinical supervision of which at least 20 hours should be weekly 1:1 case management supervision and at least 20 hours should be clinical skills supervision, either individual or group-based, on a fortnightly basis.
Placement	40	Programme members will be employed by their Trusts as trainee MHWPs where they will work 3 - 5 days a week over the year. In this time they will accumulate a minimum of 80 contact hours with service users within an adult community mental health service (of which 40 hours should be specifically delivering low intensity interventions). Reading and preparation around adaptations to practice, and preparation for clinical planning scenario

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
A recording of a session with a service user delivering one of the specified interventions, rated according to a standardised rating scale.	45 minutes	1-10	Oral within tutorial
Successful completion of the following practice outcomes, to be assessed by means of a practice outcomes portfolio and supervisor report: Demonstrates the ability to set appropriate goals for intervention collaboratively with service users Demonstrates competence to deliver all specified interventions in practice	Programme member will usually contribute around 100 words about the report	1-10	Written and Oral

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
50	0	50

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
A case report of intervention with a service user using one of the specified interventions, linked to relevant theory and critical evaluation (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme).	50	3000 Words	1-10	Written
Clinical skills competency assessment - a recording of a session with a service user delivering one of the specified interventions, using a standardised rating scale. With a written reflection (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme).	50	50 - 60 minutes/ 500 words	1-10	Written
Successful completion of the following practice outcomes, to be assessed by means of a practice outcomes portfolio and is pass/fail only: Demonstrates the ability to set appropriate goals for intervention collaboratively with service users Demonstrates competence to deliver all specified interventions in practice (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme)	0	80 hours minimum practice and 40 hours minimum supervision (incorporates all elements of the programme)	1-10	Written

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Case report	Case report	1-10	Four weeks from the date feedback was provided.
A recording of a session with a service user	A recording of a session with a service user	1-10	Four weeks from the date feedback was provided.
Practice outcomes Portfolio	Practice outcomes Portfolio	1-10	Four weeks from the date feedback was provided.

Re-assessment notes

Three assessments are required for this module. In all cases re-assessment will be the same as the original assessment. Where you have been referred/deferred for any form of assessment detailed above you will have the opportunity to retake within four weeks from the date that feedback was provided.

If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of deferral, your re-assessment will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment and the overall module mark will not be capped.

If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), the overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

If you fail re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), you will be failed in the module. However, another possible programme-specific outcome on failure is:

If the module is part of the PGCert Psychological Therapies Practice (Mental Health and Wellbeing in Specialist Adult Mental Health), you may be permitted to transfer to the Graduate Cert Psychological Therapies Practice (Mental Health and Wellbeing in Specialist Adult Mental Health), providing you have passed all competency assessments, and passed all marked assessments with a mark of 40-49%, in all modules that comprise the programme. If your marks are less than 40% in any module you will be failed in the programme and your registration as a student of the University will be terminated.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Bennett-Levy, J., Thwaites, R., Haarhoff, B. & Perry, H. (2015). Experiencing CBT from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists. Guilford.
Farrand, P. (2020). Low-intensity CBT skills and interventions. SAGE.
Silverman, J., Kurtz, S. and Draper, J. (2005). Skills for communicating with patients. Radcliffe.
Papworth, M., Marrinan, T. (2019). Low intensity cognitive behaviour therapy: A practitioner's guide. Sage.
Lovell, K. and Richards, D. (2008). A recovery programme for depression. Rethink.

Wider reading:

Farrand, P. and Woodford, J. (2013).?Impact of support on the effectiveness of written cognitive behavioural self-help: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(1), 182-195
Goldberg, D. and Huxley, P. (1992). Common mental health disorders: A biosocial model. Routledge.
Westbrook, D., Kennerley, H., & Kirk, J.?(2007).?An introduction to cognitive behaviour therapy: Skills and applications.?SAGE.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages

Key words search

Mental Health Wellbeing Practitioners, MHWP, low intensity, cognitive behavioural therapy, common mental health problems, secondary care, evidence based psychological therapies, clinical competency, care planning

Credit value	20
Module ECTS	10
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	PYCM120 Engagement and assessment with people with severe mental health problems and PYCM121 Care planning in partnership
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	24/03/2022
Last revision date	24/03/2022