Module Directory

This module is aimed at Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) working within the Musculoskeletal (MSK) field (including Hand Therapy) wishing to gain a greater understanding of current concepts in upper limb rehabilitation. This module is appropriate for clinicians working in both primary, secondary, and tertiary care.

The 'Multi-professional Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) framework' was published in 2017 in response to ensure the long-term sustainability of the NHS. At the heart of this is development of a critical workforce role to deliver innovative models of care in a consistent way to ensuring safety, quality, and effectiveness. Core capabilities for health and care professionals are detailed in the framework, it is stated that:

'The language used to describe the capabilities is deliberately mapped to level 7 taxonomy to support and make clear the expectation that people working at this level are required to operate at master's level i.e. to have the ability to make sound judgements in the absence of full information and to manage varying levels of risk when there is complex, competing or ambiguous information or uncertainty.'

AHPs are central to the assessment and management of MSK conditions, their professional development towards advanced practice level supported by higher education institutions is essential to fulfilment of this vision. The framework sets out 4 key pillars of practice, each with a set of capabilities, this module and its assessment strategies aim to support professionals to evidence achievement of capability within these pillars.

Within the field of Hand Therapy educational routes to achievement of Accredited Hand Therapist qualification under the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT) and Advanced Practice in Hand Therapy include university-based masters modules. BAHT states:

'For a BAHT postgraduate education system to work and in order to increase the standing of Hand Therapyas a specialty in the United Kingdom we need to see more courses running.'
This module will add to Hand Therapists level 7 learning enabling them to work towards Advanced Practice status and provide additional options to achieve points towards the Accredited Hand Therapist qualification.

As most students are in full-time employment and located some distance to the university, this module enables remote study using e-learning technology, (Moodle) and remote tutorials via Zoom. The postgraduate musculoskeletal team at The University of Essex prioritise enabling study and minimising barriers; tutors will aim to be flexible with tutorial times and responsive to individual's clinical, professional, and personal circumstances.

The aims of this module are:

• To provide students with critical understanding of the key concepts underlying advanced musculoskeletal rehabilitation of the upper limb beyond their normal professional scope of practice


• To enable students to manage a range of differentiated and undifferentiated musculoskeletal conditions

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Critical evaluation of personal professional practice informed by current evidence.


2. The application of advanced clinical reasoning to manage complex presentations and individuals within a biopsychosocial model and considering the wider determinants of health.


3. Capability providing and modifying a range of person-centred interventions which may include traditional therapies (exercise prescription, pain management modalities, splinting, manual therapies) but also lifestyle advice and appropriate referral to other specialities or agencies.


4. A personal contribution and commitment to a culture of organisational learning.

Indicative Syllabus:

• Upper limb versus lower limb – implications for rehabilitation.


• Graded motor imagery and sensorimotor approaches.


• Exercise therapy.


• Pain management and the upper limb.


• Tendinopathy and tendon management.


• Managing complex injury.


• Managing complex patients (challenging thoughts and behaviours, biopsychosocial model, wider determinants of


• health).


• Current concepts in management of arthropathies.


• Work related upper limb disorders.


• Orthopaedics and trauma.


• Protocol and pathway driven care models.


• Patient information and education.

This module will be delivered via:

• Three weeks of online learning prior to face-to-face teaching.

The online content will include resources to direct students’ learning and completion of tasks prior to the face-to-face content. Following this, two days of ‘face to face’ teaching (typically via a digital platform) will include lectures and interactive seminars. The module teaching material will be available to all registered students via the university's intranet learning platform, Moodle.

The module leader will be available to answer queries via e-mail. Students will be registered with their appropriate professional body. They will be practicing clinicians within the field of musculoskeletal medicine.