FdSc Assistant Practitioner - Health and Care with Foundation Year (recruiting for September 2024)
About This Course
Based at the University Centre Grimsby, this programme encourages students to explore their individual area of interest and allows them to choose a specialism from mental health, adult healthcare and children's health. The programme provides an enriching experience where tutors are committed to encouraging students to become independent and autonomous learners, whilst developing their own sense of professional identity and integrity within an occupational discipline.
The general aims of the programme are to:
• Provide a programme of study for those who wish to work in the healthcare sector or for those who already have experience and wish to widen their knowledge base.
• Equip students with the theoretical knowledge, professional conduct competencies and practice skills necessary to work with service users in a healthcare setting.
• Develop reflective practitioners who are ‘fit for practice’ to safeguard the health and well-being of the public.
Students on the programme are taught by industry specialists who are working in the healthcare industry and are up-to-date with current practice.
Vaccinations
As this course includes mandatory patient-facing placements in health or social care settings, you will need to comply with the placement policy or Government vaccination rules for those settings. This includes any changes to these rules announced at a future date. Failure to comply with any vaccination requirements could see the placement withdrawn, and this may result in your withdrawal from the
course. You should be aware that future employment in this sector may also be subject to vaccination requirements. You must also complete a course of Hepatitis B vaccination and complete an Occupation Health screening at your own cost.
Standard offer
For this programme, applicants will require 3 GCSEs grade C/4 which must include Maths and English, or an appropriate level 2 qualification such as BTEC Certificate, Level 2 pass in Numeracy and Literacy.
Non-standard offer
The Institute encourages applications from those who lack institutional qualifications, which is in line with the widening participation brief. All such applicants will be set an appropriate piece of work for an academic to assess; a judgement will then be made on this work considering academic potential and relevant experience. However, all applicants must hold a Level 2 pass in Numeracy and Literacy which must be achieved prior to the start of the course.
Students will complete 120 credits at each year.
At level 3, there will be six modules:
- Principles of Health and Care
- Literacy and Study Skills
- Digital Skills
- Numeracy for Healthcare
- Fundamentals of Science
- Social Science Perspectives of Health
At level 4 there will seven modules:
- Preparing for Professional Practice
- Introducing Clinical Skills
- Research and Study Skills
- Developing Clinical Skills
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Counselling Skills and Communication
- Introduction to Mental Health
At level 5 students need to complete seven modules:
- Advancing Skills and Medicine Management
- Psychology in the Healthcare Setting
- Developing Practice Skills
- Health Promotion and Well being
- Contemporary Issues in Health
- Understanding Pain
- Child and Adolescence Health and Development
At Foundation Year (Year 0) and level 4 students are supported to develop their academic skills through a research and study skills module which will enable them to complete their assessments to the correct level of academic requirements. Essay and Report writing, presentations using ICT, reflective writing, undertaking secondary research, presenting structured arguments and Harvard referencing will be introduced and assessed. At this level, basic principles of all the concepts within these modules are taught so these can be built upon as they progress to higher levels.
At level 5 students are supported to build upon the academic skills gained at level 4 with a stronger focus on independent research. They will be supported in developing their critical thinking and writing skills and will be encouraged to use wider source material to construct a critical argument. Module assessment will be varied to develop and test the students' academic, problem solving, and practice skills at the required level.
The Assistant Practitioner programme offers those who do not want to move out of the local area an opportunity to gain a recognised qualification within the healthcare sector. Many students do not wish to travel daily or move to complete their studies, and they can balance their studies around other commitments. A strength of this programme is the amount of control it gives each individual student, as it is offered either two days full time or one day part time. As such, students will be able to integrate learning with the rest of their life, balancing their studies with work, home, and leisure time. There are excellent transport links to allow students access to these facilities at all times. They will be fully supported throughout their studies through pastoral and academic coaches. Sessions are delivered in smaller cohorts to allow the individual support to be accessed and build strong relationships between students and tutors.
The Assistant Practitioner foundation degree will enable students to work with registered health and social care professionals, with a level of knowledge and skill beyond that of the traditional band 2 and 3 support worker or healthcare assistant roles. The programme is both a theoretical and competencybased course of study which will broaden students’ appreciation of the wide range of vocational opportunities within health and social care. Opportunities exist for students to work with a selection
of different healthcare professionals in multidisciplinary environments to establish outcomes linked to core standards. After completing this programme, students will be qualified to the NHS band 4 level.
