Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care: Assistant Practitioner

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1 Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care: Assistant Practitioner Supporting the delivery of excellent and compassionate healthcare Starts: September Study Days: one day/week Location: Brentford and Reading Duration: two years Become the best you can be UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON FOUNDATION DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: ASSISTANT PRACTITIONER

2 UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON FOUNDATION DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: ASSISTANT PRACTITIONER 2 What is a foundation degree (FdSc) and who is it for? Our foundation degree is a two year full-time course which combines academic study at University (one day a week) with work place learning (supported by a mentor). In fact 50% of the learning happens at work which means you can continue working whilst you study. The course is for unregistered health and social care workers (ie support workers/healthcare assistants), who are working in or preparing themselves for an assistant practitioner role. Why should I study a foundation degree at UWL and what will I get out of it? Our foundation degree has been created in association with NHS employers and is designed to equip you with the relevant transferable skills, knowledge, understanding and academic abilities you need in your work role. This will enable you to become more effective in your job, resulting in an enhanced patient experience. It will also make you eligible to work at a higher level (following successful completion you are eligible to work as a Band 4). You will benefit from the state of the art learning and support facilities available at the UWL, enabling you to get the most from your studies. the course has enabled me to develop self-confidence, academic writing skills, knowledge and clinical skills, improving my practice

3 How is the course structured and what will I be studying? The course is made up of modules, which are single units of study that focus on a particular subject. You will study five modules in the first year and five modules in the second year of the course as shown below. Year 1 (Level 4): Learning Skills Development 1 Human Structure and Function Principles of Safe Practice Working with Others Introduction to Assistant Practitioner Role (Work-based Learning) Year 2 (Level 5): Learning Skills Development 2 Human Structure and Function 2 Developing the role of the Assistant Practitioner 2 (Work-based Learning) Service Improvement in the Workplace (Work-based Learning) Contributing to Care Delivery and Management (Work-based Learning) Modules run from September to January (Semester 1) and February to May (semester 2) and there is always an assessment at the end of each module. The course consists of two levels: Higher Education Level 4 in the first year and Higher Education 5 in the second year. Levels 4 and 5 are equivalent to the first and second year of any undergraduate University course in England. This means you will be studying a nationally recognised qualification. 3 UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON FOUNDATION DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: ASSISTANT PRACTITIONER

4 UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON The work-based learning modules have specific clinical competencies associated with them. Achievement of these competencies* can lead to one of the following awards upon successful completion of the course: FdSc: Assistant Practitioner FdSc: Assistant Practitioner Long-term Conditions FdSc: Assistant Practitioner Renal Care FdSc: Assistant Practitioner Peri-operative Care *dependent on work role Where will I be studying? FOUNDATION DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: ASSISTANT PRACTITIONER 4 You will study one day a week in University. The course runs from both our Brentford and Reading sites. It is important that you chose the most appropriate site for you ie it may be the campus closest to your home. You will also be studying at work, this may involve you observing others, learning new skills, reflection, assessment of competence and experiencing new areas of work. The course will also involve studying outside of University and your workplace and there will be work to do in your days off/weekends/evenings, depending on how you decide to manage this. How will the course be assessed and are there exams? The course will be assessed using a variety of innovative approaches eg a critical incident report, reflective account, personal development plan, case studies, a service improvement poster. All WBL modules have competencies attached to them. These will involve your nominated mentor in your workplace assessing your new skills and providing you with feedback.

5 There is one multiple choice question examination for the Human Structure and Function 1 module. However, you will be given the opportunity to practice undertaking an exam such as this, prior to siting the real thing. Don t worry if you haven t studied for some time. We have a dedicated team of academic staff to support you and your clinical mentor, to ensure you can become the best you can be. the course has enabled me to embrace the ethos of life-long learning to allow me to evolve in line with the needs of the modern healthcare service What are the course entry requirements? You will need the following qualifications: 3 GCSEs with Grade C or above in English Language and Mathematics, plus any other subject, or AVCE, GNVQ, B/TEC in Health and Social Care or a related subject with Level 2 in numeracy and literacy, or Access to Higher Education in an appropriate area i.e. Nursing/Health and Social Care/Science with a minimum of 60 credits (45 at Level 3 and 15 at Level 2 with numeracy and literacy), or you will have GCSEs with Grade C or above in English Language and Mathematics, or NVQ level 3 in a Health or Social Care related subject with Level 2 numeracy and literacy 5 UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON FOUNDATION DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: ASSISTANT PRACTITIONER

6 UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON FOUNDATION DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: ASSISTANT PRACTITIONER 6 There is also an opportunity to provide evidence of prior experiential learning and/or certificated learning, knowledge and skills, in order to gain entry to the course (APEL/APCL route). In addition, you will need: To be in full time employment in a health and social care setting. Written confirmation of employer s support and confirmation that an identified, appropriately qualified mentor is available in your practice area for the duration of the course, to support your learning and assess the clinical competence component of the course. Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) and occupational health clearance. Two satisfactory written references. I m interested in applying; who should I talk to? The first step is to talk to your manager at work. It is really important that your manager supports your application, due to the amount of learning that needs to occur at work (WBL element of the course). You will then need to consider how the course will be funded. If you are an NHS employee you may be able to access funding through the Trust to pay for your tuition fees. Funding opportunities may also be available in non-nhs organisations, its best to talk to your manager/education lead about this. If you are not able to obtain funding (but your manager is happy to support the WBL) you may wish to pay for the tuition fees yourself. For more information regarding the tuition fees for the forthcoming academic year please contact us. The fees include all teaching, access to our virtual learning environment and the state-of-the-art University facilities (including our clinical simulation suite).

7 We are very happy to talk to you about the requirements of the programme if you have any questions prior to applying (our contact details are on the back page). How do I apply and when do I need to apply by? Once you have your managers support and secured a source of funding, you can apply for the course. Application forms are available here: Applications usually need to be received no later than mid-august for a September start. After successfully completing the first year of the course [my clinical colleagues] appreciate and recognise my contribution to the skill mix Will I need to attend an interview? Yes, we interview all applicants who meet the entry criteria. This provides an opportunity for us to check applicants understanding of the course, that they have their employers support and a funding route. It also provides an opportunity for you to ask any questions you have and decide if the course is right for you. We look forward to receiving your application and answering any questions you may have about the course. 7 UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON FOUNDATION DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: ASSISTANT PRACTITIONER

8 UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON Contact Us: FOUNDATION DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: ASSISTANT PRACTITIONER Dr Swapna Williamson, Course Leader Tel: Karen Sheehy Head of Post-Qualifying Education Tel: