The Advanced Clinical Assessment unit results in the award of 30 academic credits (CATS credits), which can be used to contribute to a range of academic awards including Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and MSc.

If you complete Independent Prescribing and Advanced Clinical Assessment units, you will gain the award of PG Cert in Prescribing and Therapeutics.

You can take Advanced Clinical Assessment as a standalone CPD unit if you have already completed an accredited Independent Prescribing course.

The key features of the Advanced Clinical Assessment unit are:

• you will gain a range of advanced clinical and physical assessment skills through a series of workshops facilitated by expert trainers
• you will develop your skills through a range of practice-based activities within your clinical area and under the supervision of a clinical supervisor
• you will also be supported to complete 25 hours in practice developing your clinical assessment skills

Please note that the course covers examination skills for adult patients, we do not have a paediatric component in this unit.

Dates

This unit has two intakes a year. The next intake will be January 2023.

The Advanced Clinical Assessment unit takes place over six months. You'll have access to a dedicated online learning environment and an electronic portfolio.

There are also a number of compulsory workshops which will enhance your learning. Some of these run remotely and others are in-person on the University of Bath campus, where you will be able to develop your assessment skills using our clinical simulation equipment and by working with medical actors. The workshop dates for the January 2023 running are planned as:

• Induction (online) 24 and 25 January 2023
• 23 February 2023 (in-person at University of Bath campus)
• 15 March 2023 (online)
• 19 April 2023 (online)
• 24 May 2023 (in-person at University of Bath campus)
• Assessment day 1: 21 June 2023 (online)
• Assessment day 2: 29 June 2023 (in-person at University of Bath campus)

Eligibility

• You have completed an accredited Independent Prescribing course.
• You are embedded within a clinical setting working within a defined speciality.
• You will be required to have a Clinical Supervisor in place to supervise your learning in practice. This could be the person who acted as your Designated Prescribing Practitioner during the Independent Prescribing course.
• You have the support of your workplace to complete this unit.

Fees

Go to our fees pages for more information on the cost of the unit for the 2022/23 academic year.

Funded places

We do not currently have funded places for this unit available through the University directly, however many previous students have been able to secure funding for their studies either directly from an employer or through workforce development funding.

We would suggest speaking to your local Advanced Practice lead either within your own organisation or (for primary care) via your Training Hub. If you are based in the South West of England, you can read more about funding opportunities on the Centre for Advancing Practice South West Regional Faculty webpages.

An application link for the January 2023 cohort will be available shortly.

The application deadline will be 20 November 2022.

Download the guidance notes and forms which can be completed in advance of the application link being opened.

Please complete each form individually and upload through application tracker. Emailed forms will not be accepted.

Application process

We will review all applications in line with the selection criteria detailed below. You will be notified of the decision of the University as soon as possible before the start of the course. We reserve the right to close applications early based on demand. In the case of places being over-subscribed we may need to interview applicants and would let you know about arrangements for this as soon as possible.

Please note that all elements of the application must be submitted on time for you to be considered for a place on the course. If the demand for places is greater than the number of places available then the admissions panel will review applications following agreed selection criteria:

• Current University of Bath students applying to take the unit as part of a larger award
• Training environment (description of specialism, plan for completion of mandatory clinical practice hours and identified clinical need/future role)
• Funding secured

Values Based Recruitment

If you are working in or plan to work in the NHS, we follow the NHS Values Based Recruitment Guidance. We strongly believe in the NHS values and will be looking for them in our applicants.

English Language Requirements

If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS score of at least 7 overall with no less than 6.5 in all components or at least 250 (computer-based test) with a score of not less than 5.0 in the TWE or 100 (internet-based test) with not less than 24 in each of the components.

Future dates

The next cohorts are planned to run starting in September 2023 and January 2024. Please get in touch with the team if you would like further details about planned dates for study days.