Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The overall aim of this introductory module is to provide trainees with a broad knowledge and understanding of the NHS values and constitution, contextualised within the practice of healthcare science.
Central to this, is the contribution of reflective practice, effective clinical leadership and teamworking and their impact on patient care, patient safety, research and innovation and the students’ own professional standards.

This module will build on the knowledge, skills and experience gained during the students’ practice experience. This is with the aim of developing their learning and application within the context of the trainees own self leadership.

A key tenet of the module is the ability to critically appraise their individual contribution to healthcare science and integration within a multi-disciplinary team. Indeed, effective communication is a major theme which is threaded throughout this module.

The overall aim of this module is to support the healthcare science student on their journey to becoming an effective reflective practitioner so they can take responsibility for their own learning and development – thus becoming an effective, compassionate and competent healthcare professional.

MSC8006 and MSC8007 together form one module which spans two academic years of the programme.

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus reflects the outline of the national “Scientific Training Programme” curriculum
Indicative content:
1.       Professional and personal standards as a practising healthcare professional
2.       Patient safety in the NHS
3.       The structure of the NHS, its values and constitution
4.       Personal responsibility and practice
5.       Confidentiality and information governance
6.       Shared decision making and informed consent
7.       Inclusivity and organisational culture
8.       Patient pathways, experience, and patient-centred care
9.       Effective communication and having difficult conversations
10.       Leadership and followership
11.       Introduction to public and community health
12.       Quality and service improvement

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

1.       To have the ability to critically evaluate personal responsibilities, challenges and limitations of their practice as a healthcare scientist in respect of the standards and ethical boundaries including: confidentiality, informed consent and safeguarding.
2.       To be able to critically appraise the contribution of healthcare science and multi-professional working in relation to the provision of patient care – within the structure and function of health and social care. This would include evidence-based theory linked to effective communication, teamworking and clinical leadership.
3.       The ability to critically evaluate the principles and methodologies which ensure the quality of practice in healthcare science.
4.       To be able to critically evaluate the principles of patient centred care applied to healthcare in the NHS. This would include effective approaches to managing health – which aim to promote well-being and reduce health inequalities.
5.       To understand and critically appraise the requirements for continuous development, evolution and improvement of service and standards in healthcare and innovations which impact healthcare science.

Intended Skill Outcomes

1.       To increase confidence and competence in relation to professional practice and ethical values, as a healthcare practitioner.
2.       To improve individual skills in relation to effective teamworking, communication and self-leadership.
3.       To increase competence in improving the quality of care provided in relation to excellence in patient outcomes.
4.       To have increased confidence and competence as a practitioner in facilitating patient-centred care. This would include the ability to provide an inclusive service for patients such as shared decision making and informed consent.
5.       To become competent and creative ‘agents of change’ in relation to service improvement.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

To prepare the clinical scientist trainee for the real and complex world of the NHS.
To ensure the clinical scientist feels confident and competent in relation to working as both an autonomous practitioner and team member. The aim is for the trainee to be an effective member of a multi-professional team in healthcare.

The scheduled lectures, structured and independent studies and reflective learning will encourage and promote critical thinking skills. These in turn will facilitate the ability to critique their own and others’ leadership skills and behaviour. Thereby supporting and challenging themselves and their colleagues to improve the patient experience as well as clinical outcomes.

Students will complete a compulsory learning activity during this module through the preparation of a leadership map that will be compared to their previous leadership map (produced during MSC8006) and used during the final summative assignments in MSC8007. Failure to complete this activity may result in a candidate’s progression on the programme being delayed until the activity is completed, and a candidate may be subject to the University’s Satisfactory Progress Regulation F 25 c) Failure to submit written work required under your programme regulations (whether or not such work counts for assessment purposes) at the required time. The leadership map must be completed to a satisfactory standard as judged by the Module Leader.


During the 2nd Year – they will gain more knowledge and depth in relation to their own leadership skills. For example, the ability to understand their own personality preference, leadership and conflict style. Hence, becoming effective reflective practitioners and ‘agents of change’. The emphasis will be much more on critical reflection skills through critique of research, literature, utilising reflective models and self-assessment strategies.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The first written summative critique will support and demonstrate critical analysis and reflective writing skills.
The second written summative critique will demonstrate understanding of the student’s own leadership in the context of a healthcare setting.

General Notes

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