Health & Social Care

There is a demand for advanced practitioners specialising in the case management of multiple long-term conditions. The course will allow you to develop an integrated and structured approach to the care of those with highly complex needs while further enhancing your knowledge of research and evidence-based health and social care. You'll develop advanced skills for the clinical assessment and management of long-term health conditions. You will also develop your ability to engage with a broad range of stakeholders to orchestrate and deliver supportive care to this group of patients.

What you study

Within the course core modules focus on evidence-based practice and research. Pathway-specific modules address the diverse clinical and organisational issues in the management of patients with long-term conditions. You also have the opportunity to carry out an independent research study.

Year 1 aims to enable you to make the transition to master’s level study and establish the requisite knowledge and skills for evidence-based practice and working with clients with long-term conditions. The module Evidence-based Practice is fundamental in addressing outcomes in relation to current approaches in evidence-based healthcare. The Supportive Care of Patients with Long-term Conditions module aims to facilitate the development of your skills and knowledge in relation to the delivery of complex packages of care for these patients and their carers which recognise the need for both support and facilitated self-management. The option module enables you to tailor the programme to reflect your own unique learning needs by allowing you to study a module of your choice.

Year 2 aims to enable you to develop further your competence and capability in working with clients with long-term conditions. You undertake the Clinical Assessment and Management of Long-term Conditions which is a year- long module and, through this, develop the requisite advanced skills for the clinical assessment and management of long-term conditions. You also undertake the Designing Research Projects module which provides the knowledge and skills to prepare to plan, manage and write a dissertation.

Year 3 enables you to design, plan and implement research methodologies to generate new knowledge in clinical practice. This is achieved through the completion of an independent research project.

How you learn

The learning and teaching strategies employed within the modules Evidence-based Practice and Designing and Managing Research Projects are specifically designed to engage you in understanding how knowledge is created and changed within the field of healthcare. Methods include appraisal techniques, in groups and individually, and literature searching followed by learning sets in which you share and debate the nature of the knowledge you have located. You work in small groups to explore qualitative and quantitative approaches to knowledge generation and explore the epistemological boundaries of both approaches within the Year 2 research module. The module supportive Care for Patients with Long-term Conditions develops your skills in generating and evaluating complex packages of care to facilitate self management as well as being supportive and valuing the carer’s role. A variety of teaching methods are used including web-based learning, expert speakers and case studies, as well as group work and presentations. The module Clinical Assessment and Management of Long-term Conditions employs a variety of teaching methods to facilitate the development of advanced clinical skills for practice which includes practical skills-based group work. You are expected to spend the equivalent of 12 days with a practice mentor to develop the requisite diagnostic and disease management skills. The aim of the Dissertation module is to enable you to design, plan and implement research methodologies to generate new knowledge in clinical practice. This is achieved through the completion of an independent research project which is supervised by a member of the programme team.

How you are assessed

The course utilises a range of assessment methods relevant to the topics covered and provides a diverse student learning experience. This includes a clinical review for general management, outlining the direction of an aspect of clinical practice, an OSCE examination and written assignments. In addition you are expected to design a research proposal and undertake a dissertation in which you undertake an individual research project which may be primary or secondary.

Career opportunities

You can become a practitioner specialising in the case management of multiple long-term conditions in a clinical setting within primary care or with close connections with primary care.

Entry requirements

Applicants should be registered healthcare professionals with an honours degree (2.2 classification or above). Applicants should have the support of their employing organisation.

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