Program Overview

Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner in Specialist Adult Mental Health

PG Cert/Grad Cert

Overview

This BPS Accredited programme is designed to equip students with the clinical competence to work in specified NHS mental health positions. The programmes will prepare Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners (MHWPs) to work alongside multi-disciplinary team members to co-ordinate care, supporting collaborative decision-making about care and treatment. MHWPs will also be enabled to deliver a set of wellbeing-focused psychologically-informed interventions, aligned to cognitive-behavioural principles, based on the best evidence available, that address problems often experienced by people with severe mental health problems.

Key Features

• Demonstrate the clinical and professional competencies required to practice as Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners within the NHS
• Develop the core clinical competencies required to engage with and support people experiencing severe and enduring mental health difficulties
• Apply clinical competencies in identifying appropriate goals, care planning and coordinating care in collaboration with people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties, their carers/family/partners and other multi-disciplinary team members
• Be proficient in delivering CBT-based psychologically informed interventions based on the best available research evidence to improve psychological well-being in collaboration with people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties
• Contribute to a culture of providing person-centred, recovery-oriented, trauma informed, and evidence-based psychological care in close collaboration with service users, their carers/family/partners and other mental health professionals within the NHS
• Reduce inequity of access and outcome among those from minoritised groups accessing mental health services
• Seek to eliminate all forms of discrimination from the experience of the mental health service users and staff

Entry Requirements

• For PgCert Entry: Achievement of a degree at 2:2 or above in a relevant discipline
• For GradCert Entry: Evidence of recent successful study at Level 5
• Sufficient numeracy and literacy to meet the requirements of the course, for example Maths and English at Grade 4 and above. University of Worcester GCSE Maths and English equivalency tests will be accepted. See Admissions Policy for other acceptable qualifications.
• Applicants whose first language is not English are required to provide a language test certificate as evidence of their proficiency and must ensure that it is, or is comparable to, IELTS level 7.0 with no element below 6.5.
• A strong interest and understanding of the breadth of the values, role and the skills required to be a Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner.
• An offer of employment as a Trainee Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner in an NHS mental health service.
• Please note, you cannot apply for this course directly through the University of Worcester. You must apply for a 'Trainee Mental Health Wellbeing Practitioner' role within an NHS Trust. If your application is successful you will be invited to interview with the NHS Trust and university.

Further Entry Requirements

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) requirements

Applicants will need to have completed Enhanced DBS clearance through their employing organisation. The employer will be asked to provide evidence of the applicants DBS certificate number.

Interview

Applicants will be invited to a values-based selection event facilitated jointly by the employing NHS Trust and a member of the course team. This involves a series of activities and an interview facilitated by the academic team, practitioners/ employers, and service users, allowing applicants to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and values, numeracy and literacy skills, and a commitment to succeeding on the programme.

Course Content

Mandatory Modules

• MHWP4101 – Engaging and assessing people with severe mental health problems
• MHWP4102 – Care planning in partnership
• MHWP4103 – Wellbeing-focused psychologically-informed interventions for severe mental health problems

Teaching and Assessment

Teaching

Students are taught through a combination of approximately 14 online teaching days, 21 on campus clinical skills days, 12 directed practice learning days and a half a day of study time per week. Teaching days run from 09:30-16:30, on either Mondays, Wednesdays or both, with time included for breaks and lunch. The course operates using a ‘block teaching framework’ which means modules are taught across 7-12 weeks, with 4-5 weeks break in between. Please note, the timetable is subject to minor changes for each cohort.

Contact Time

Before the course formally begins, a two-day online university induction will be provided and the NHS employer will also provide a trust induction if required. Module 1 runs from October-December and consists of 10 teaching days; 7 on campus and 2 online. Module 2 runs from January-April and consists of 9 teaching days; 2 on campus and 7 online. Module 3 runs concurrently with Module 2 from February-July and consists of 15 teaching days; 11 on campus and 4 online.

Work Based Learning

Student learning also takes place predominantly in their employing organisation, where students engage in practice-based learning, such as role plays, observing live clinical sessions and conducting assessments and interventions under supervision. This involves clinical skill development, practice and feedback.

Clinical Supervision

Regular support for students on this course comes from the two forms of supervision which occur on placement every week. The programme benefits from close working relationships with all of the involved NHS Trusts and supervisors. All NHS supervisors will have completed MHWP Superviso Induction with the University of Worcester and will therefore have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to ensure that students have a coherent and positive learning experience across teaching and practice.

Assessments

The assessment strategy for this course is specified by the NHS England National Curriculum for MHWPs and BPS Accreditation Standards. Students complete two assessments per module; one clinical and one academic assignment, which are closely aligned to the knowledge- and competency-based learning outcomes for the programme, with a final additional Practice Outcomes Portfolio signifying demonstration of competence.

• Role Play
• Reflective Essay
• Case Report x 2
• Portfolio of Collaborative Care Plans
• Assessed Recording of An Intervention Session
• Practice Outcomes Portfolio

Careers

Students on this course are employed within the NHS at Agenda for Change Band 4 for the duration of the programme, and upon completion are guaranteed a position at Agenda for Change to Band 5 as a Mental Health Wellbeing Practitioner within their employing organisation service.

All graduates of the programme are guaranteed paid employment within the NHS as a Mental Health Wellbeing Practitioner, in the service in which they were on placement. Graduates of the programme can develop in these roles further, such as becoming a supervisor, lecturer and team leader. Graduates may also pursue further training in relevant professions such as Clinical Psychology or as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist.

Fees and Funding

This is a funded course and applications are limited to people who are offered a position of employment as a Trainee Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner in an associated NHS Trust. This is a full-time, salaried position during which students undertake this course.