Engagement and Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems
| Module title | Engagement and Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems |
|---|---|
| Module code | PYCM067 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 20 |
| Module staff | Miss Senga Clarke-Cote (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 14 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 50 |
|---|
Module description
PWPs assess and support people with common mental health problems in the self-management of their recovery. In this module you will learn how to undertake a range of patient-centred assessments and how to identify the main areas of concern relevant to the assessment undertaken. You will acquire knowledge and competence to enable you to apply these in a range of different assessment formats and settings. These different elements or types of assessment include screening/triage assessment within an NHS Talking Therapies service; risk assessment; provisional diagnostic assessment; mental health clustering assessment; psychometric assessment (using standardised symptoms measures); problem focused assessment; and intervention planning assessment. In all these assessments you will need to be able to engage patients and establish an appropriate relationship whilst gathering information in a collaborative manner.
You will obtain knowledge of mental health disorders and the evidence-based therapeutic options available and be able to communicate this knowledge in a clear and unambiguous way so that people can make informed treatment choices. In addition, you will develop knowledge of the COM-B behaviour change model and how this can inform choice of goals and interventions. This module will equip you with a good understanding of the incidence, prevalence and presentation of common mental health problems and evidence-based treatment choices. Skills teaching will develop your ‘core common factors’ competencies of active listening, engagement, alliance building, patient-centred information gathering, information giving and shared decision making.
You will develop awareness of the value of NHS talking therapy metrics, including anxiety disorder specific measures.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of this module is to develop your core ‘common factors’ competencies in communication skills and collaborative working and, along with a good understanding of common mental health problems and evidence-based treatment choices, enable you to apply these skills to undertake an effective low intensity CBT-based assessment and plan a collaborative treatment programme.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Describe in detail and evaluate critically concepts of mental health and mental illness, diagnostic category systems in mental health and a range of social, medical and psychological explanatory models, to a level appropriate to Level 7
- 2. Apply competently the principles, purposes and different types of assessment undertaken with people with common mental health disorders
- 3. Use competently common factors to engage patients, gather information, build a therapeutic alliance with people with common mental health problems, manage the emotional content of sessions and grasp the clients perspective or world view
- 4. Gather patient-centred information to arrive at a succinct and collaborative definition of the persons main mental health difficulties and the impact this has on their daily living
- 5. Recognise and describe in detail patterns of symptoms consistent with diagnostic categories of mental disorder from a patient centred interview, to correctly identify the patients primary problem descriptor
- 6. Recognise and describe the complexity of mental disorders, the presence of multi-morbidity of physical or mental health conditions and support the identification of the primary target problems.
- 7. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in accurate risk assessment to patient or others
- 8. Use standardised assessment tools including symptom and other psychometric instruments to aid problem recognition and definition and subsequent decision making
- 9. Use competently the COM-B behavioural change model in identifying intervention goals and choice of appropriate interventions
- 10. Give evidence-based information about treatment choices and make shared decisions with patients
- 11. Competently support the setting of agreed goals for treatment which are specific, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART)
- 12. Competently support the identification of the most appropriate treatment pathway, including stepping up and onward referral for those who do not fit the criteria for treatment at Step 2
- 13. Competently support the patient to identify, review and revise the most appropriate mode of delivery for treatment, including suitability for online modes of delivery
- 14. Comprehend and evaluate critically the patients attitude to a range of mental health treatments including prescribed medication and evidence-based psychological treatments
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 15. Summarise basic and essential factual and conceptual knowledge of the subject, and demonstrate a critical understanding of this knowledge, to a level appropriate to Level 7
- 16. Review and evaluate established work and identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of this work, to a level appropriate to Level 7
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 17. Record accurately interviews and questionnaire assessments using paper and electronic record-keeping systems
- 18. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, challenge received opinion and develop your own criteria and judgement, and seek and make use of feedback
Syllabus plan
The module content, module-specific learning objectives, style of delivery and assessment for this module are as informed by the HEE 4th Edition (2022)) revised curriculum for the training of Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners to support the delivery of low intensity CBT associated with NHS Talking Therapies. Teaching content will include:
Knowledge Concerning Core Competencies, Assessment of Common Mental Health Problems
- Issues and ethical codes of conduct in relation to practice as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
- Concepts of mental health and mental illness
- Diagnostic classification systems in mental health
- Patient-centred interviewing
- Social, medical and psychological explanatory models of mental health
- Recognition of patterns of symptoms and relate these to diagnostic categories of mental health difficulties
- Risk and risk assessment
- Standardised symptom assessment tools and psychometric instruments
- Treatment choices and shared decision making
- Patient attitude and effect on medication and psychological therapy treatment choice
- Electronic record-keeping systems
- Recording of interviews and pencil-based questionnaire assessments
Intensive Skills Practice
- Use of ‘common factors’ communication skills to effectively engage clients and develop and maintain an effective therapeutic alliance and engagement with the CBT self-help intervention process
- Patient-centred information gathering; deriving a collaborative definition of the client’s main mental health difficulties and impact on daily livingRecognising and assessing risk
- Use of standardised symptom assessment tools and psychometric instruments
- Managing the emotional content of sessions
- Appreciation and understanding of the patient’s perspective or world view
- Patient-centred information giving: communicating concepts of mental health, mental illness, treatment options
- Shared decision making including mode of treatment delivery
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 58 | 142 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 35 | 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 | 7 | Seminars these will be led by the tutor and address a range of important topics covered in the module |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 6 | Tutorials these will take the form of small group sessions led by the tutor |
| Guided independent study | 80 | Reading, practice-related activities, and preparation for seminars flipped classroom delivery model |
| Guided independent study | 45 | Self-practice and self-reflection on role plays of assessments with fellow students undertaken outside of teaching sessions |
| Guided independent study | 17 | Develop an understanding of service related clinical protocols, policies and procedures to inform practice, and develop knowledge of role |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical skills competency assessment | 45 minutes | 2-14, 17,18 | Oral |
| Formative exams used in-class and on flipped classroom directed learning | 5-10 minutes each battery of questions | 1-14 | Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 0 | 70 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme) | 30 | 1500 words | 1-7,9, 10, 12, 14-16 | Written and oral |
| Clinical skills competency assessment of an assessment of a patients mental health, comprising six sections (this assessment must be passed with a mark of 18/36 overall and with marks of 3/6 in sections 2, 3, 4 and 6; failure in this assessment will result in a maximum fail mark of 49 and lead to failure in the module and the programme) | 70 | 45 minutes | 2-14, 17, 18 | Written and oral |
| Clinical practice outcome assessment of service level applied competencies undertaken in clinical practice and is pass/fail only (this assessment must be passed; failure in this assessment will lead to failure in the module and the programme) | 0 | n/a | 2-14, 17-18 | Written and oral |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay | 1-7,9, 10, 12, 14-16 | Four weeks from the date feedback was provided |
| Clinical skills competency assessment | Clinical skills competency assessment | 2-14, 17, 18 | Four weeks from the voluntary additional top up skills date |
| Clinical practice outcome | Clinical practice outcome | 2-14, 17-18 | Four weeks from the date feedback was provided or a date determined in partnership with you and your service, on basis of agreed action plan |
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 individual assessment is capped at the pass mark and 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. There are two possible programme-specific outcomes on failure:
- If the module is part of the PGCert Psychological Therapies Practice (Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), you may be permitted to transfer to the GradCert Psychological Therapies Practice (Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), providing you have passed all competency assessments at 50% or above, and passed all other 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.
- If the module is part of the MSci Applied Psychology (Clinical), you will not be permitted to continue with the MSci (Hons) programme, your registration as a student will be terminated with immediate effect, and you will be awarded a BSc (Hons) Psychology.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Core reading:
- Bennett-Levy, J., Richards, D., Farrand, P. et al (2010). Oxford Guide to Low Intensity CBT Interventions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- 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, New York.
- Farrand, P. (2020). Low-Intensity CBT Skills and Interventions. London: SAGE.
- The improving access to psychological therapies manual - NHS England. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/the-nhs-talking-therapies-manual-v6.pdf?trk=public_post_comment-text
- Papworth, M. and Marrinan, T. (2019) Low intensity cognitive behaviour therapy: A practitioner’s guide. Los Angeles: SAGE.Richards, D. & Whyte, M. (2011). Reach Out Manual, 3rd Edition. http://cedar.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/schoolofpsychology/cedar/documents/liiapt/coverimages/Reach_Out_3rd_edition.pdf
Wider reading:
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Desk reference to the diagnostic criteria from DSM-5. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.
- Layard, R., & Clark, D. M. (2014). Thrive: The power of evidence-based psychological therapies. London: Penguin Group.
- Michie, S., van Stralen M.M., & West, R. (2011). The behaviour change wheel: A new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions. Implementation Science, 6, 42
- Myles, P. and Rushforth, D. (2007). A Complete Guide to Primary Care Mental Health. London: Robinson.
- David M. Clark (2011) Implementing NICE guidelines for the psychological treatment of depression and anxiety disorders: The IAPT experience, International Review of Psychiatry, 23:4, 318-327, DOI: 10.3109/09540261.2011.606803
- Code of Ethics and Conduct. Guidance published by the Ethics Committee of the British Psychological Society. (2018). BPS: Leicester.
- Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics. British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies. (2010). BABCP: Bury.
- National Institute for Clinical Excellence. (2009). CG90 Depression in Adults (update), Depression: the treatment and management of depression in adults. London: National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
- National for Clinical Excellence. (2011). CG113 Anxiety. London. National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
| Credit value | 20 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 10 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | PYCM068/PYCM096 Evidence-Based Low Intensity Treatment for Common Mental Health Problems and PYCM069/PYCM103 Values, Diversity and Context |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 05/02/2018 |
| Last revision date | 15/09/2023 |
