HS932-6-AS-CA:
Engagement and Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems
2024/25
Health and Social Care (School of)
Colchester Campus & Apprenticeship Location
Autumn & Summer
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Monday 30 September 2024
Saturday 11 December 2004
20
26 April 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
HS943
CERLB940SS Psychological Wellbeing Practice (Apprenticeship)
This module is one part of a three module Certificate in Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (Low Intensity) Interventions. The role of the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) has been developed since 2007 alongside the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme . PWPs work at high volume (high caseloads) with people experiencing depression and/or anxiety at Step 2 in Primary Care mental health settings offering evidence based low intensity, guided self-help interventions.
This module introduces students to the concepts of service user engagement through establishing a sound therapeutic alliance. This is achieved through the use of comprehensive main problem and risk assessment of service users with common mental health problems e.g., anxiety and depression. Students will also be exposed to the current evidence-based treatments for such problems and the appropriate use or not of such interventions.
Psychological wellbeing practitioners delivering low intensity interventions assess and support people in primary care settings who are experiencing common mental health problems in the self-management of their recovery. To do so, they must be able to undertake screening assessments and a full patient-centred interview which identifies both the person’s main difficulties and areas where the person wishes to see change and / or recovery, and which makes an accurate assessment of the risk the person poses to self or others. Psychological wellbeing practitioners need to be able to engage patients and establish a therapeutic alliance while gathering information to begin assisting the patient to choose and plan a collaborative treatment programme. They must have knowledge of mental health disorders, behaviour change processes and the evidence-based therapeutic options available, and be able to communicate this knowledge in a clear and unambiguous way so that people can make informed treatment choices. This module will, therefore, equip workers with a good understanding of the incidence, prevalence and presentation of common mental health problems, and of evidence-based treatment choices recognising the individual needs of patients as central to this.
Skills teaching will develop workers’ core ‘common factors’ competences of active listening, engagement, alliance building, patient-centred information gathering, information giving and shared decision making.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and critical awareness of concepts of mental health and mental illness, diagnostic category systems in mental health and a range of social, medical and psychological explanatory models.
- Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in applying the principles, purposes and different types of assessment undertaken with people with common mental health disorders (across in person, telephone and video-based modes of delivery).
- Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in using ‘common factors’ to engage patients; gather information; build a therapeutic alliance with people with common mental health problems; manage the emotional content of sessions and the impact of this on both themselves and the client and hold boundaries.
- Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in ‘patient-centred’ information gathering to arrive at a succinct and collaborative definition of the person’s main mental health difficulties and the impact this has on their daily living.
- Demonstrate competence in assessing and understanding the world view of patients, with a focus on the here and now, including cognitive patterns and biases that link to specific conditions and the implications of these to shape low-intensity working.
- Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in recognising patterns of symptoms consistent with diagnostic categories of mental disorders (according to ICD 11) from a patient- centred interview, and by doing so correctly identify the correct primary problem descriptor.
- Demonstrate understanding of the complexity of mental disorders and competence in conceptualising comorbidity, including how to decide the primary target problem for intervention in the context of comorbidity of mental and physical health problems.
- Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in accurate risk assessment to patients or others to ensure practitioners can be upskilled to confidently manage this effectively.
- Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in the use of standardised assessment tools including symptom and other psychometric instruments to aid problem recognition and definition and subsequent decision making.
- Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and competence in using the COM-B behaviour change model to identify intervention goals and choice of appropriate interventions.
- Demonstrate the ability to set agreed goals for treatment which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART).
- Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in giving evidence-based information about treatment choices and in making shared decisions with patients.
- Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in selecting an appropriate mode of delivery in partnership with patients. If digital modes of delivery are considered, competence to assess a service user's suitability for online interventions, revising this as necessary on an ongoing basis.
- Demonstrate competence in understanding the service user's attitude to a range of mental health treatments including prescribed medication and evidence-based psychological treatments.
- Demonstrate competence in clinical decision making in terms of choosing the appropriate pathway for a service user after assessment.
- Demonstrate competence in identifying patients at assessment who do not fit the criteria for treatment at Step 2 (e.g. those with PTSD, social anxiety disorder or severe mental health problems) and facilitate appropriate stepping up or onward referral.
Practice Outcomes
- Demonstrates competency in undertaking and recording a range of assessment formats. This should include both triage within an IAPT service and problem focused assessments.
- Demonstrates experience and competence in the assessment and correct identification of presenting problems across a range of problem descriptors including depression and two or more anxiety disorders.
- Demonstrates the common factor competencies necessary to engage patients across the range of assessment formats.
- Demonstrates understanding of the complexity of mental health difficulties, to conceptualise comorbidity of mental disorders and prioritise the appropriate primary problem in the context of both physical and mental health comorbidity.
- Demonstrate competence in accurate recording of interviews and questionnaire assessments using paper and electronic record keeping systems.
- Demonstrate competence in identifying patients at assessment who do not fit the criteria for treatment at Step 2 (e.g. those with PTSD, social anxiety disorder or severe mental health problems) and facilitate appropriate stepping up or onward referral.
Psychological wellbeing practitioners delivering low intensity interventions assess and support people in primary care settings who are experiencing common mental health problems in the self management of their recovery. To do so, they must be able to undertake screening assessments and a full patient-centred interview which identifies both the person's main difficulties and areas where the person wishes to see change and / or recovery, and which makes an accurate assessment of the risk the person poses to self or others. Psychological wellbeing practitioners need to be able to engage patients and establish a therapeutic alliance while gathering information to begin assisting the patient to choose and plan a collaborative treatment programme. They must have knowledge of mental health disorders, behaviour change processes and the evidence-based therapeutic options available, and be able to communicate this knowledge in a clear and unambiguous way so that people can make informed treatment choices. This module will, therefore, equip workers with a good understanding of the incidence, prevalence and presentation of common mental health problems, and of evidence-based treatment choices recognising the individual needs of patients as central to this.
Skills teaching will develop workers' core 'common factors' competences of active listening, engagement, alliance building, patient-centred information gathering, information giving and shared decision making.
Knowledge will be learnt through a combination of lectures, seminars, discussion groups, guided reading and independent study. Skills-based competencies will be learnt through a combination of clinical simulation in small groups working intensively under close supervision with peer and tutor feedback, and supervised practice through supervised direct contact with patients in the workplace.
There is a heavy focus on practical skills development within this module. Each session is roughly split in a 50% lecture to 50% skills practice ratio.
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Papworth, M. and Marrinan, T. (2018)
Low intensity cognitive behaviour therapy: a practitioner’s guide. Second edition. Los Angeles: SAGE. Available at:
https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/299594.
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Richards, D. and Whyte, M. (no date a) ‘Reach Out - National Programme Student Materials to Support the Delivery of Training for Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners Delivering Low Intensity Interventions’. Rethink Mental Illness. Available at:
https://www.rethink.org/media/2693/reach_out_3rd_edition.pdf.
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Haarhoff, B., Thwaites, R. and Bennett-Levy, J. (2016)
Reflection in CBT. London: SAGE. Available at:
https://sk-sagepub-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/books/reflection-in-cbt?utm_source=ss360.
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Marrinan, T. (2019)
Low intensity cognitive behaviour therapy: a practitioner’s guide. 2nd edition. Edited by M. Papworth. London: SAGE. Available at:
https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/299594.
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Bennett-Levy, J. (2010b)
Oxford guide to low intensity CBT interventions. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=694167&site=ehost-live.
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Richards, D. and Whyte, M. (no date b) ‘Reach Out - National Programme Student Materials to Support the Delivery of Training for Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners Delivering Low Intensity Interventions’ (3rd Edition)’. Rethink Mental Illness. Available at:
https://www.rethink.org/media/2693/reach_out_3rd_edition.pdf.
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Roth, A. and Pilling, S. (no date) ‘The competences required to deliver effective cognitive and behavioural therapy for people with depression and with anxiety disorders’’. Department of Health. Available at:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130107105354/http:/www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_078535.pdf.
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Clark, D.M.
et al. (2009b) ‘Improving access to psychological therapy: Initial evaluation of two UK demonstration sites’,
Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47(11), pp. 910–920. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2009.07.010.
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Richards, D. and Suckling, R. (2008) ‘Improving access to psychological therapy: The Doncaster demonstration site organisational model’,
Clinical Psychology Forum, 181, pp. 9–16. Available at:
https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10036/42082.
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Cuijpers, P., van Straten, A. and Warmerdam, L. (2007) ‘Behavioral activation treatments of depression: A meta-analysis’,
Clinical Psychology Review, 27(3), pp. 318–326. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2006.11.001.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
HS932 Portfolio |
|
|
| Coursework |
HS932 Reflection |
14/01/2025 |
100% |
| Practical |
HS932 OSCE |
|
|
Additional coursework information
OSCE (Pass/Fail) and Portfolio (Pass/Fail) components must be passed
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Ms Rachael Parsons, email: rachaelp@essex.ac.uk.
Rachael Parsons, Julie Puttock, Katalin Abdul Hamid, Bryony Nicholas, Harriet Nairn
E: hhsiapt@essex.ac.uk
Admin: Catarina Cosstick-Wright
No
No
No
Mrs Jennie Hague
University of Sheffield
IAPT Programme Director
Available via Moodle
Of 80 hours, 80 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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