MODULE SPECIFICATION TEMPLATE
MODULE DETAILS
Module title / Managing Mental Health Assessments and InterventionsModule code / SS7131
Credit value / 40
Level
Mark the box to the right of the appropriate level with an ‘X’ / Level 4 / Level 5 / Level 6 / Level 7 / X / Level 8
Level 0 (for modules at foundation level)
Entry criteria for registration on this module
Pre-requisites
Specify in terms of module codes or equivalent / § Available only to Students registered on the PG Dip Approved Mental Health Practice, training as AMHPs (Mental Health Act 1983 as amended by the Mental Health Act 2007)
§ Hold a recognised professional qualification in social work, nursing, occupational therapy or psychology and be registered currently as a social worker, nurse, occupational therapist or chartered psychologist
Co-requisite modules
Specify in terms of module codes or equivalent / N/A
Module delivery
Mode of delivery / Taught / X / Distance / Placement / X / Online
Other
Pattern of delivery / Weekly / Block / X / Other
When module is delivered / Semester 1 / Semester 2 / X / Throughout year
Other
Brief description of module content and/ or aims
Overview (max 80 words) / This module prepares students for autonomous and independent practice in the AMHP role, through promoting the development of critical reflection and evidence-based practice by supporting students to shadow and undertake AMHP practice. Central to this is an awareness of service users as unique individuals, and the promotion of rights, dignity and self-determination. Students learn the skills necessary to manage risk, plan, negotiate and manage compulsory admission to hospital, Guardianship or Supervised Community Treatment, including the documentation necessary, and the process for appealing against detention.
Module team/ author/ coordinator(s) / David Watson, Emma Inch, Martine Danby, Julia Stroud
School / SASS
Site/ campus where delivered / Falmer
Course(s) for which module is appropriate and status on that course
Course / Status (mandatory/ compulsory/ optional)
Post Graduate Diploma Approved Mental Health Practice / Mandatory
MODULE AIMS, ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT
Aims / The aims of the module are to enable students to:§ Apply relevant legislation, policy, codes, practice guidance, knowledge, theory and research to evidence-based AMHP practice
§ Develop self-directed practice skills in the AMHP role
§ Reflect on their AMHP practice and professional development as a prospective AMHP
§ Demonstrate the requirements of the Approval criteria for approved mental health professional (AMHP) programmes (Section 2: HCPC, 2013).
Learning outcomes / On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Critically evaluate and apply detailed knowledge, law, policy, theory, research, ethical principles, and professional codes of conduct to informed evidence-based decision making in the AMHP role, in relation to assessments for compulsory admission to hospital, or Guardianship, and arrangements for Supervised Community Treatment, evaluating the options for the care of the service user, including identifying any unmet needs.
2. Demonstrate independent judgement, use of authority, and application of a social perspective, in the AMHP role, including effective communication with service users, Nearest Relatives, carers, relatives and other professionals, balancing effective information sharing with the requirements of confidentiality.
3. Assess and effectively manage risk, enabling service users to contribute to decisions that may affect their liberty or quality of life, whilst reflecting upon containing and managing conflict and anxiety.
4. Systematically gather, analyse and synthesise information, applying this to evidence-based decision making, and the completion of documentation, in relation to compulsory admissions to hospital or Guardianship, and preparing for, and presenting to, legal hearings.
5. Demonstrate critical awareness of values, diversity and equality in AMHP practice, promoting social inclusion, respect, rights, dignity, choice and privacy.
6. Demonstrate effective professional relationships and partnership working with:
a) Service users, Nearest Relatives, carers and families, networks and/or community groups involved in their care.
b) Other professionals, advocates and agencies, including an understanding of the different roles and responsibilities of these in relation to statutory mental health work.
7. Critically reflect on, and evaluate, own practice in the AMHP role, and on own professional development.
8. Consistently demonstrate all elements of the Approval criteria for approved mental health professional (AMHP) programmes (Section 2: HCPC, 2013):
1) Knowledge (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9)
2) Autonomous practice (2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
3) Informed decision making (3.1, 3.2, 3.3)
4) Equality and diversity (4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5)
5) Communication (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4)
6) Collaborative working (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5)
7) Assessment and intervention (7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5)
Content / 1. Relevant standards, policies and frameworks, e.g.
i. Refocusing the CPA (DH, 2008)
ii. No Health Without Mental Health (DH, 2011)
iii. Making mental health services more effective and accessible (DH, 2013)
iv. Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (HCPC, 2012) / Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives (NMC, 2008) / Code of Ethics and Conduct (BPS, 2009)
2. Referrals of acutely mentally disordered or ill individuals, initial assessment, the application of mental health law, and critical knowledge of the range of different models of mental disorders/ illnesses and associated interventions and treatments, including social, physical & developmental factors
3. Social perspectives, values in, and independence of the AMHP role. The ability to challenge, & where possible to redress, discrimination and oppression in the use of mental health legislation and the impact of the compulsory admission process on the individual, recognizing their strengths, rights and qualities
4. Application of the law to the planning, negotiating and managing compulsory admissions to hospital, Guardianship or arrangements for supervised community treatment; processes for appealing against detention including First-Tier Tribunals (Mental Health) and associated legal proceedings, the role of Independent Mental Health Advocates, and the nature of the statutory documentation required
5. Local and national policies in relation to the AMHP role, for example local policies on Section 135/136 or Conveyance to hospital.
6. The importance of gathering and applying information and data in decision making, based on the perception of users, carers and professionals; the social background and history; the psychiatric background and history
7. Assessment, analysis and safe management of risk to self or others, including positive risk taking, the importance of safety to self in the assessment process
8. Use of networks and community resources in meeting need and assessment of the least restrictive alternative to compulsory admissions
9. Application of values based practice and social perspectives in making properly informed independent decisions in relation to compulsory admissions
10. Communications that are sensitive to acutely ill and mentally distressed individuals and take account of the perspectives of other professionals
Learning support / Learning materials
Bailey, D. 2012. Interdisciplinary working in mental health Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Barker, P. 2011) Mental health ethics: the human context Abingdon: Routledge
Campbell, J. 2010. Deciding to Detain: The Use of Compulsory Mental Health Law by UK Social Workers. British Journal of Social Work 40: 328-334
Docking, M., Grace, K. & Bucke, T. 2008. Police custody as a "place of safety": examining the use of Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983, London: Independent Police Complaints Commission
Fernando, S 2010. Mental health, Race and Culture (3rd Ed) Basingstoke: Palgrave
Gregor, C. 2010. ‘Unconscious Aspects of Statutory Mental Health Social Work: Emotional Labour and the Approved Mental Health Professional’ Journal of Social Work Practice 24(4): 429 – 443
Hale, B. 2010. Mental Health Law (5th Ed) London: Sweet and Maxwell
Hewitt, D. 2010. The nearest relative: losing the right to concur? Journal of Adult Protection 12(3): 35 – 39
Hughes, R., M. Hayward & W. Finlay 2009. ‘Patients’ perceptions of the impact of involuntary inpatient care on self, relationships and recovery’ Journal of Mental Health 18 (2): 152-160
Hunt, G., O'Hara-Aarons, M., O'Connor, N. & Cleary, M. 2012. Why are some patients admitted to psychiatric hospital while others are not? A study assessing risk during the admission interview and relationship to outcome. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 21 (2), 145-153
Jones, R. 2008. Mental Capacity Act Manual (3rd Ed). London: Sweet & Maxwell
Jones, R. 2013. Mental Health Act Manual (16th Ed). London: Sweet & Maxwell
Littlechild, B. & Hawley, C. 2010. Risk assessments for mental health service users: ethical, valid and reliable? Journal of Social Work, 10 (2), 211-229.
Longo, S. & K. Scior 2004. In-patient psychiatric care for individuals with intellectual disabilities: the service users’ and carer’ perspectives. Journal of Mental Health. 13 (2): 211 - 221
Priest, P., C. Dunn, J. Hackett & K. Wills 2011. How can mental health professionals best be supported in working with people who experience significant distress? Journal of Mental Health 20(6): 543 – 554
Rouf, K., M. Larkin & G. Lowe 2011. Making Decisions about Parental Mental Health: An Exploratory Study of Community Mental Health Team Staff. Child Abuse Review Published online 13 March 2011
Tew, J. 2011. Social approaches to mental distress Basingstoke: Palgrave
Thompson, N. 2012. Anti-discriminatory Practice (5th Ed). Basingstoke: Palgrave
Tribe, R. & P. Lane 2009. ‘Working with interpreters across language and culture in mental health’ Journal of Mental Health 18 (3): 233-241
Whitelock, A. 2009. Safeguarding in mental health: towards a rights-based approach Journal of Adult Protection 11(4): 30 – 42
Teaching and learning activities
Details of teaching and learning activities / Learning and Teaching on this module focuses upon:
§ The critical application of knowledge, theory and research to AMHP practice;
§ The development of autonomous skills in the use and application of mental health law to assessments for compulsory admissions to hospital
§ Social perspectives, values and ethical practice in the AMHP role
At the heart of SS7131 Managing Mental Health Act Assessments and Interventions is the need for students to develop their professional practice as an AMHP in respect of the requirements in the Approval criteria for approved mental health professional (AMHP) programmes - Section 2 (HCPC, 2013). As such, core learning takes place in practice, and this is supported by a series of lectures, workshops and regular group practice learning in the University. The student’s employing or sponsoring Local Authority / Health Trust arrange for appropriate placements for each of the students, in a specialist mental health setting, where they work ‘normal’ working hours. Placements are for a minimum of 40 days. There is a continuous cycle of learning from, and reflecting upon, complex, challenging AMHP practice throughout the placement. The focus is on the integration and application of learning on mental disorder (with particular reference to the social perspective and service user perspectives); law and policy; on risk assessment and management; the AMHP role in safeguarding and protection and on theory, methods and research in relation to AMHP practice. The student develops their skills in relation to managing the process of compulsory admission to hospital, Guardianship and supervised community treatment, including collaborative working with service users, carers, relatives and other professionals.
Students’ AMHP practice is supervised and guided in the agency by a qualified, experienced AMHP acting as Practice Supervisor. All AMHP Practice Supervisors are required by their employers to be registered with the appropriate professional register. To be eligible as a Practice Supervisor for an AMHP student the local authority must be also satisfied that the supervisor is an AMHP who has either undertaken, or is undertaking, appropriate practice educator training.
The agency based Practice Supervisor introduces the student to the requirements and practices of the placement and supervises the student’s AMHP practice. At the start of the placement the student and their Practice Supervisor will collaborate on the development of a Learning and Development Plan that identifies for the student, AMHP Practice Supervisor and University Tutor how the Approval criteria for approved mental health professionals (AMHP) programmes – Section 2 will be met in practice. The Learning and Development Plan also includes identification and evaluation by the student and Practice Supervisor of the student’s knowledge and skills to date, together with learning and development needs, and an indication of how these will be met, in relation to AMHP Role and evidence of the student’s Induction (including any Health & Safety policies or procedures that the student needs to be aware of) to the placement setting. The Learning and Development Plan has to be agreed by the Tutor, and a review meeting will take place during the placement. Placement based Practice Supervisors offer regular supervision to the student in relation to the AMHP practice they are undertaking, and are supported themselves by the AMHP Lead Professional in their authority. Practice Supervisors attend preparatory, supportive and evaluative sessions in the University. Students are supported in their learning by a preparatory workshop session and regular Practice Tutorials held approximately once every 4-5 weeks throughout the course and facilitated by the student’s Tutor from the course, as well as individual tutorial time with their Tutor.
Allocation of study hours (indicative)
Where 10 credits = 100 learning hours / Study hours
SCHEDULED / This is an indication of the number of hours students can expect to spend in scheduled teaching activities including lectures, seminars, tutorials, project supervision, demonstrations, practical classes and workshops, supervised time in workshops/ studios, fieldwork, external visits, and work-based learning.
Lectures and workshops / 42 hours
GUIDED INDEPENDENT STUDY / All students are expected to undertake guided independent study which includes wider reading/ practice, follow-up work, the completion of assessment tasks, and revisions.
Directed study
Private Study
Assessment Preparation / 18 hours
30 hours
30 hours
PLACEMENT / The placement is a specific type of learning away from the University that is not work-based learning or a year abroad.
40 Days (at 7 hours per day) / 280 hours
TOTAL STUDY HOURS / 400
Assessment tasks
Details of assessment for this module / Managing Mental Health Act Assessments and Interventions has two assessment tasks:
1. Learning outcomes 1 - 8 (inclusive) are demonstrated through a structured Portfolio of evidence in relation to all the elements of the HCPC Approval criteria for approved mental health professional (AMHP) programmes – Section 2 in a 40 day AMHP practice placement. The portfolio is graded PASS/ FAIL. All elements of the portfolio must be assessed as satisfactory to achieve a pass.