Post Graduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care

Primary Mental Health Care

Verson: August 2023

Student Programme Handbook

Welcome from the Director of Postgraduate Taught Education

I am delighted to welcome you to the School of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. We are extremely pleased you have chosen the University of Manchester to commence or continue your postgraduate study journey; whether you are progressing straight from your undergraduate studies, seeking to develop your knowledge/skills in your chosen career or, are bravely, taking a completely different direction in life.

In the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom and humanity, we will place you at the centre of a transformational learning process to support you to achieve your individual goals and aspirations. Our challenge to you is to embrace all of the opportunities available to you; be bold, think differently and realise your potential. We want your postgraduate journey with us to be intellectually stretching, rewarding and fun.

We are aware that most of you will need to juggle a number of competing priorities during your postgraduate taught studies. Some of you will already be in full time employment, while others will need to secure part time employment to fund your studies. We know that many of you will have family and caring responsibilities that will have to be prioritised before your own learning. We hope the information detailed in this programme handbook will help you in managing these competing commitments. Whether you are joining us on campus, or studying at a distance, you are an integral part of our School and University, and we are here to support you.

We are extremely proud of our postgraduate student community and alumni who are making a difference, both locally and globally. We look forward to working with you, confident that you too will play a role in transforming the lives of people who use health and social care services, whether during your studies or upon graduation.

I wish you every success in your postgraduate studies here at the University of Manchester.

Mr Andrew Mawdsley
Director of Post Graduate Taught Education
School of Health Sciences

The University’s Vision for the Future:

We will be recognised globally for the excellence of our people, research, learning and innovation, and for the benefits we bring to society and the environment.

The foundation of this vision and strategic plan remains our three core goals of research and discovery, teaching and learning, and social responsibility, which are encapsulated in our motto: knowledge, wisdom and humanity. It builds on our strengths while taking the University in new directions.

Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work

The Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work is recognised for delivering world-class teaching and research across nursing, midwifery, social work and related disciplines. We currently provide undergraduate and postgraduate education to more than 2,000 students in close partnership with the NHS and are among the top ten universities in the world at which to study nursing (QS World University Rankings 2016).

Our research excellence was recognised by the results of REF 2014 and is underpinned by the production of collaborative, high-quality and impactful research which aims to improve health and social care at local, national and international levels.

Further Information

In addition to this handbook you are required to familiarise yourself with the information contained within the A-Z of Student Services and IT Services Handbook. New students are given a copy of the appropriate handbooks at the beginning of their programme of study; alternatively the information is available on our website.

Student Services Centre, Burlington Street or Sackville Street

Tel: +44(0)161 275 5000

A-Z of Student Services

The Student Services Centre can offer all sorts of help and advice about tuition fee assessments or payments, Council Tax, examinations, graduation ceremonies, and all sorts of documents.

The Statutes, Ordinances, and Regulations that are applicable to all students across the University are referred to in the University A-Z of Services and detailed in full within the University Calendar.

Essential advice, information, and guidance for students at The University of Manchester, packed with up-to-the-minute information.

The University website contains a comprehensive and definitive listing of University policies and procedures relevant to both students and members of staff. It covers the full-range of our activities and is continually updated to ensure that you have immediate access to the latest versions of documents as soon as they are approved. It is also equipped with a search engine that enables you to find relevant documents using key words or phrases.

Visit the website: http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk

Information, Advice & Guidance Team

The Information, Advice & Guidance (IAG) team are your first point of contact for any non-academic queries you may have relating to your studies, such as what support is available to you, how to access it, and where to direct any queries which you’re not sure about. The IAG team can be contacted via email at shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk, over the phone at 0161 306 7811, or in person at the student hub which is located on the ground floor of the Jean McFarlane building.

Student Partners Programme and Quality Assurance; http://www.yoursay.manchester.ac.uk/

CONTACT INFORMATION

DIVISION CONTACT DETAILS

The Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work
The University of Manchester
Jean McFarlane Building
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL

Tel 0161 306 0260
Fax 0161 306 7707

Head of Division
Professor Hilary Mairs
Tel 0161 306 7842

Acting Head of Teaching Learning Student Experience
Chris Bamford
Tel 0161 306 7622

ADMINISTRATION MANAGERS

Suzanne Eden – Admissions Manager
Tel 0161 275 2334

Sam Green– Student Support Officer
Tel 0161 306 7717

Chris Bamford – Deputy Head of Student Operations (School of Health Sciences)
Tel 0161 306 7622

Sally Hickson – Deputy Head of Student Operations Teaching and Learning (School of Health Sciences)
Tel 0161 306 7727

David Parry – Postgraduate Programme Support Manager
Tel 0161 275 2583

Division Website – Click Here

THE PROGRAMME TEAM

All staff are located in the Jean McFarlane Building, University of Manchester.

Programme Director
Clare Stephenson
clare.stephenson@manchester.ac.uk

Recruitment Lead
Annie Kite
annie.kite@manchester.ac.uk

Lecturer
Amy Blakemore
amy.blakemore@manchester.ac.uk

Lecturer
Bryony Beetham
bryony.beetham@manchester.ac.uk

Lecturer
Mia Bennion
mia.bennion@manchester.ac.uk

Programme Support
Room G.304
shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk

Assessment Support
Room G.313
shs.assessment@manchester.ac.uk | 0161 306 7720

Admissions Support
Cheryl Johnson | Room G.314
graduate.nursing@manchester.ac.uk | 0161 306 0270

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW AND STRUCTURE

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner training provides the knowledge and professional skills for people to work as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) with people with common mental health problems. The PWP role was originally developed to work within Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services in England, providing assessment and low-intensity interventions, and PWP training programmes accordingly prepare people to work as PWPs in IAPT services. Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to assess and support people with common mental health problems – principally anxiety disorders and depression – in the self-management of their recovery. Interventions are designed to aid clinical improvement and social inclusion, including return to work, meaningful activity or other occupational activities. PWPs do this through the provision of information and support for evidence-based low-intensity psychological treatments, mainly informed by cognitive-behavioural principles, but also include physical exercise and supporting medication adherence. Behaviour change theory and models provide the framework which support an integrated approach to the choice and delivery of the interventions that PWPs provide. Each student is required to undertake all necessary course units and practice requirements in order to successfully complete the award.

LENGTH OF PROGRAMME

The length of the programme is 12 months, part-time and must normally be completed within 5 years of registration.

The key theoretical approach underpinning the PWP role is behaviour change, in particular the integrative behaviour change COM-B model (Michie et al., 2014,2011), which incorporates and builds on previous behaviour change theory and frameworks designed to improve health beliefs and behaviour change. The COM-B model of behaviour change demonstrates that three factors are necessary for any behaviour and that behaviour is influenced or determined by an interaction between capability, motivation and opportunity. The COM-B model aids in the PWP clinical method of information gathering, information giving and shared decision making and its use enhances patient centred assessment and collaborative treatment planning.
The PWP programme consists of three units; Engagement and Assessment of common mental health disorder; Evidence of low-intensity treatment of common mental health problems; Values diversity and context. All units must be completed and passed independently to qualify as a PWP.

UNIT OVERVIEW

Engagement and Assessment of common mental health problems

This unit aims to ‘assess and support people with common mental health problems in the self- management of their recovery. To do so trainees must be able to undertake a range of patient-centred assessments and be able to identify the main areas of concern relevant to the assessment undertaken. Trainees need to have knowledge and competence to be able to apply these in a range of different assessment formats and settings. These different elements or types of assessment include screening/triage assessment; risk assessment; provisional diagnostic assessment; mental health clustering assessment; psychometric assessment (using the IAPT standardised symptoms measures); problem focused assessment; and intervention planning assessment. In all these assessments trainees need to be able to engage patients and establish an appropriate relationship whilst gathering information in a collaborative manner. Trainees must have knowledge of mental health disorders 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. In addition, trainees must have knowledge of behaviour change models and how these can inform choice of goals and interventions.

Evidenced based low intensity treatment of common mental health disorder

This unit aims to, ‘aid clinical improvement through the provision of information and support for evidence-based low-intensity psychological treatments and regularly used pharmacological treatments of common mental health problems. Low-intensity psychological treatments place a greater emphasis on patient self-management and are designed to be less burdensome to people undertaking them than traditional psychological treatments. The overall delivery of these interventions is informed by a behaviour change framework. Examples of interventions include providing support for a range of low-intensity self-help interventions (often with the use of written self-help materials) informed by cognitive-behavioural principles. Support is specifically designed to enable people to optimise their use of self-management recovery information and pharmacological treatments and may be delivered individually or to groups of patients and through face-to-face, telephone, email or other contact methods. PWPs must also be able to manage any change in risk status.’

Values, Diversity and Context

This unit aims to ‘operate at all times from an inclusive values base that promotes recovery and recognises and respects diversity. Trainees are expected to operate in a stepped care, high-volume environment. During training, trainees should carry a reduced caseload, with the number of cases seen depending on their stage in training, building up to a maximum of 60-80 per cent of a qualified PWP’s caseload before completion of the training. Trainees must be able to manage caseloads, operate safely and to high standards and use supervision to aid you clinical decision-making. Trainees need to recognise the limitations to their competence and role and direct people to resources appropriate to their needs, including step-up to high-intensity therapy, when beyond their competence and role. In addition, trainees must focus on social inclusion – including return to work and meaningful activity or other occupational activities, physical activity promotion to address both psychological and/or physical health outcomes – as well as clinical improvement. To do so trainees must have knowledge of a wide range of social and health resources available through statutory and community agencies. Trainees must have a clear understanding of what constitutes the range of high intensity psychological treatments which includes CBT and the other IAPT approved high-intensity therapies and how high-intensity treatments differ from low-intensity working.

This programme abides by the Post Graduate Taught Regulations 2012 of the University of Manchester. Any Specific Programme Regulations stated in this handbook will supersede the University regulations as agreed through the Faculty.

http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/degree-regulations/

http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate-degree-regulations/

All students undertaking the programme must pass all the relevant units in order to be eligible for an award (subject to rules regarding academic compensation and professional qualifications – University of Manchester Manual of Academic Procedures, section 5(d)).

For students funded to undertake the programme through the contract between the University and Health Education England North-West, this funding normally covers all programme fees for a maximum period of three years.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

2023 Curriculum
Primary Mental Health Care	Engagement & Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems (20 credits)	Exit with PGCert
	Evidence-Based Low-Intensity Treatment for Common Mental Health Disorders (20 credits)
	Values, Diversity & Context (20 credits)

PROGRAMME AIMS

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

The learning outcomes of the programme will provide opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities, and attributes in a number of areas. There is a balance between these components that reflects both the practice-based nature of the programme and the academic requirements of Postgraduate Level study. Practice skills are viewed with the same importance as knowledge, intellectual, and transferable skills.

Engagement and Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems unit:

A. Knowledge and understanding	A1. 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. A2. 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. A3. Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and competence in using the COM-B behaviour change model to identify intervention goals and choice of appropriate interventions. A4. 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.
B. Intellectual skills	B1. 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. B2. Demonstrate competence in clinical decision making in terms of choosing the appropriate pathway for a service user after assessment.
C. Practical skills	C1. 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). C2. 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. C3.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. C4. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in accurate risk assessment with patients or others to ensure practitioners can confidently manage this effectively in accordance with NICE Guidance. C5. 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. C6. Demonstrate the ability to set agreed goals for treatment which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART). C7. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in giving evidence-based information about treatment choices and in making shared decisions with patients. C8. 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. C9. Demonstrate competence in understanding the service user’s attitude to a range of mental health treatments including prescribed medication and evidence-based psychological treatments.
D. Transferable skills and personal qualities	D1. 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.

Evidence-Based Low-Intensity Treatment for Common Mental Health Disorders unit:

A. Knowledge and understanding	A1. Demonstrate understanding of and competence in selection of appropriate cases for low intensity treatment, aligned to NICE guidance and the IAPT Manual. For example, people whose primary problem is social anxiety disorder or PTSD should only be offered a high intensity intervention. A2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of, and competence in using the COM-B behaviour change model and strategies in the delivery of low-intensity interventions. A3. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in supporting people with medication for common mental health problems to help them optimise their use of pharmacological treatment and minimise any adverse effects. A4. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding to map core skills into text-based interventions.
B. Intellectual skills	B1. Critically evaluate a range of evidence-based interventions and strategies to assist patients in managing their emotional distress and disturbance.B2. Critically evaluate the role of case management and stepped care approaches to managing common mental health problems in primary care including ongoing risk management appropriate to service protocols.
C. Practical skills	C1. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in developing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance with patients during their treatment programme, including dealing with issues and events that threaten the alliance. C2. Demonstrate competence in planning a collaborative low-intensity psychological treatment programme for common mental health problems, including appropriate frequency of contacts, managing the ending of contact and development of relapse prevention strategies. C3. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of, and competence in, a range of low-intensity, evidence-based guided self-help psychological interventions where these are NICE recommended for anxiety disorders and depression, selecting one or more of these intervention strands delivered in an adequate dose for work with patients, linked to their goals: o Behavioural activation o Graded exposure o Cognitive restructuring (including behavioural experiments) o Worry management o Problem-solving o Promoting good Sleep o Promoting physical activity o Medication support C4. Demonstrate competence in delivering low-intensity interventions using a range of methods including one-to-one treatment (in person, via video consultation, via telephone, interactive text or computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT)) and guided self help groups (in person and via video). C5. Demonstrate competence in selecting and revising mode of delivery, as necessary on an ongoing basis depending on patient choice, suitability, etc.
D. Transferable skills and personal qualities	D1. Demonstrate competence in succinct and accurate note-taking skills

Values, Diversity and Context unit:

A. Knowledge and understanding	A1. Demonstrate knowledge of, and commitment to a non-discriminatory, recovery orientated values base to mental health care and to equal opportunities for all and encourage people’s active participation in every aspect of care and treatment. A2. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of the power issues in professional-patient relationships. A3. Demonstrate an awareness of voluntary, community and statutory organisations in their community that may be helpful to signpost/refer to. A4. Demonstrate a clear understanding of what constitutes high-intensity psychological treatment and how this differs from low-intensity work.
B. Intellectual skills	B1. Demonstrate an appreciation of the PWP’s own level of competence and boundaries of competence and role, and an understanding of how to work within a team and with other agencies with additional specific roles which cannot be fulfilled by the PWP alone.
C. Practical skills	C1. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in, responding to people’s needs sensitively with regard to all aspects of diversity, including working with older people, the use of interpretation services and taking into account any cognitive, physical, or sensory difficulties patients may experience in accessing services. C2. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in using supervision to assist the PWP’s delivery of low-intensity psychological treatment and/or medication support programmes for depression or anxiety disorders. C3. Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in gathering patient-centred information on employment needs, wellbeing and social inclusion and in liaison and signposting to other agencies delivering employment, occupational and other advice and services.
D. Transferable skills and personal qualities	D1. Demonstrate competence in managing a large caseload of people with common mental health problems efficiently and safely.

CURRICULUM CONTENT

All course unit information is published via your MyManchester Student Portal using the CUIP (Course Unit Information Publishing) system. This will include unit outlines, assessment details, learning outcomes, and a link to the reading lists. Click here to access your Student Portal.

PROGRAMME DATES

Welcome Week / Induction / Registration

There will be an introductory lecture at the start of the programme which will orientate you to the programme and to the University, the Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health and the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social work.

For semester dates click here.

For your programme timetable, please check your MyManchester area.

PROGRAMME REGULATIONS AND POLICIES

As a registered student of The University of Manchester, you agree to comply with the rules and regulations under which the University and its students must operate. The principles underpinning these are set out in the University’s Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations, which are listed in the Founding Documents available at: http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate-degree-regulations/.

Postgraduate Taught Degrees at the University of Manchester are based on the National Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). This framework requires students to achieve credit at Postgraduate Certificate Level in order to get an award. This will normally mean passing 60 credits. The way in which you study these credits will be defined later in the Programme Handbook and the Programme Specification.

The University sets standards relating to your performance on every unit but also on your progression through the programme. Your Programme and Course Unit Specifications will set out the requirements for passing the credit on individual units.

What happens if I fail some units?

First of all don’t panic, but the first thing to do is sit down with your Academic Advisor or Programme Director who will take you through your options. There will be a maximum of 2 attempts per assessment.

This is known as ‘referred assessment’ and these reassessments will normally take place in the same academic year as the original assessment. The Examination Board will then make decisions on your progress and advise you accordingly of the decisions and next steps. It should be noted that skills based competency assessments are independent of academic level and must be passed.

If you pass most of your units and only ‘just’ fail some of them, there may be a possibility of the Examination Board compensating this failed credit. This means if your mark was between 30 – 39% at Postgraduate Certificate Level the Examination Board is able to compensate up to a maximum of 15 credits. Your transcript of results will show the actual mark achieved.

Some programmes, particularly those which are externally accredited or linked to professional practice may set a higher pass rate than stated in the regulations. These programme exemptions will be clearly detailed in your handbook.

What happens if I fail my resits?

Upon taking the referred assessment, if you fail again, the Examination Board will make a decision with regards to your progress. The possible options available may, in exceptional circumstances, include repeating the unit or being awarded an exit award once you’ve exhausted all the opportunities to retrieve failed assessment. A maximum of two attempts at an assessment are normally available, unless mitigating circumstances have been accepted.

Referrals may also be compensated; so if you manage to achieve a mark at referral of between 30 – 39% at Postgraduate Certificate Level, this may be compensated providing you haven’t already used your quota of compensatable credit. Compensated referrals will be capped and this is the mark that will show on your transcript of results and be used to calculate your final classification.

How is my award calculated?

To be considered for a Postgraduate Certificate you must have achieved 60 credits at the appropriate level. Don’t worry if you have had a referral or compensation as these still count towards your credit total.

Postgraduate Certificate Programmes are only awarded as a Pass.

When and how are decisions made about my results and my progress?

There are normally three available assessment opportunities: January, May / June and August / September within each academic year. It is expected that all your attempts at referral assessment will take place in the same academic year in which the assessment was first taken. After each assessment period there is an Examination Board.

Members of the Examination Board normally include your Unit Tutors, Programme Director and overseen by an External Examiner from another university. It is the job of the Examination Board to review all the results anonymously and make decisions on the award of credit and who can resit exams / assessment or gain compensation. It is also the role of the Examination Board to decide who cannot continue and will leave the University with an exit award. Some students will narrowly miss the threshold for a classification and so we look at their pattern of marks (Mark Distribution) and may look at their examined work (Mark Review).

What do I do if I disagree with the Examination Board’s decision?

The University has clear and fair procedures which set out the course of action should you wish to appeal against an Examination Board decision or make a complaint. There are a number of grounds on which an appeal may be made, however an appeal which questions the academic or professional judgement of those charged with assessing your academic performance or professional competence will not be permitted. The relevant regulations and forms can be found at:

Academic Appeals, Complaints, Conduct and Discipline

In the first instance, we would urge you to contact your Academic Advisor who will be able to talk you through the decision-making process.

The main elements of the rules and regulations of which you should be aware are summarised in the A-Z of Services.

STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITIES

Annual Registration Process

Student registration is valid for one year from the point of registration, i.e. if you register on 1st September 2022, your registration will expire on 31st August 2023. It is a requirement of the University of Manchester and your responsibility to complete online registration each year via the Student Portal. You will be sent guidance notes prior to each registration period and you must register within four weeks of receiving the notification.

Changes in Personal and / or Contact Details

During the online registration process you will need to confirm / update your personal and / or contact details. If these details change at any time following registration, it is your responsibility to update your details via the Student Portal. Please note that the University will only use the information on the Student Portal, no other source.

Checking Student Emails

When you complete IT registration, you will receive a student email account. From the point of registration onwards, all departments within the University will use the student email address exclusively, not personal or work email addresses.

As a student you are required to check your student emails, via the Student Portal, at least weekly whilst you are active on the programme, as this is where the University will contact you.

Checking Blackboard

The Division uses Blackboard as the central location for information about all student resources. You will be given training on how to access Blackboard in your induction.

As a student you are required to check Blackboard at least weekly, as this is where the Division will post both generic and specific information relating to course units and programmes.

Blackboard Student Community Area

The Blackboard Student Community area has been devised to provide information that is generic to all course units within the programme. Each section has been structured to reflect the student’s journey through the unit / programme:

On Your Programme – includes your Programme Handbook; Attendance, Sickness, Absence, and Interruption information; Academic English Success Programme information; etc.

Student Support & Advice – includes information about the University’s wide range of Student Support Services.

Exams & Assessments – includes the Assessment Schedule and exam information; Extensions and Mitigating Circumstances information; Policies and Regulations; etc.

Introductory Courses

All students are automatically enrolled onto an introductory unit that provides information on health and safety, academic malpractice and academic literacy. Completion instructions for each of these sections are clearly defined within the course. Completion of the academic malpractice and health and safety sections is mandatory for all students. All assessments must be completed as soon as possible after the programme begins, with the academic malpractice assessment completed before the first piece of coursework is submitted. Completion of these assessments is monitored by the School. All students are also strongly advised to complete the academic literacy section.

STUDENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE

STUDENT SUPPORT AND WELLBEING TEAM

The Student Support and Wellbeing Team can support your wellbeing needs through the year. The team is here to support you when you wish to discuss circumstances such as interrupting your studies, financial issues, the submission of details of mitigating circumstances and any personal concerns that are affecting your ability to study and engage fully with your course. It is important to point out that Student Support is not a counselling service; it is a practical support service.

SUPPORT FROM THE UNIVERSITY

As a student at the University of Manchester, you have access to a huge range of support services and resources. This includes, but is not limited to, support relating to your studies, finances, health and wellbeing, settling in and making friends, personal safety and planning for your future beyond University.

STUDENTS’ UNION ADVICE CENTRE

The Students’ Union has advisers who can help with any matter ranging from finances to housing and beyond. The Advice Centre is on the first floor in the Student Union Building, and is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm, term time and vacation. See http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/.

SUPPORT OF CARE EXPERIENCED AND ESTRANGED STUDENTS

The University of Manchester recognises that care experienced students, and those that become estranged from their families often require additional support. This may take the form of, amongst other things, financial support, help with accommodation, provision of quiet study are as and general support. Please contact shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk for further details on how to access support.

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY AND LONG-TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS

If you have a disability, or have learning support needs, we advise that you register with the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS). They can offer a range of services to help you make the most of your University experience. Where appropriate, they will work with you to develop a support plan which will put in place any support you require for exams, from the library or from teaching staff.

Registering with DASS is particularly important for students where ongoing or recurring difficulties may impact their academic performance. The University’s Policy on Mitigating Circumstances (see section 6) does not allow students to make repeated claims for the same condition, because to qualify for mitigation, the circumstance must be ‘unforeseeable’. However, the Mitigating Circumstances Committee can award further mitigation where DASS support your claim; for example, by advising the committee that your condition is associated with ‘flare-ups’ (which are unforeseeable).

You find more information and how to register with DASS here: http://www.dass.manchester.ac.uk/

SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Manchester has a thriving International student community and you will have lots of opportunities to engage with students from all over the world. The International Society (http://www.internationalsociety.org.uk), based on Oxford Road, organises trips, events, activities and community projects which are open to both International and British students. The Language Centre also provides support to International students who have concerns about their English skills (http://www.languagecentre.manchester.ac.uk/).

UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER COUNSELLING SERVICE

The Counselling & Mental Health Service works in partnership with other support services within the university and are here to provide support for you should you feel you need help with your mental health.

The Counselling & Mental Health Service offer a range of workshops, groups, 1-1 appointments and other resources to help you. For more information and to book an appointment click here: Get Help

You can also phone for advice on 0161 275 2864 between 9.00am – 4.30pm (Monday – Friday).

STUDENT SUPPORT AND WELLBEING CONTACT DETAILS

shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk – for information and guidance on mitigating circumstances and extensions, including sending evidence and receiving outcomes of applications.

shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk – for queries related to attendance monitoring.

shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk – for support and signposting to university wellbeing resources, as well as making a wellbeing appointment with an advisor.

shs.dc@manchester.ac.uk – for Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS) enquiries.

PROGRAMME DIRECTOR ROLE AND SUPPORT

The role of the Programme Director is to ensure the smooth running of the programme. This includes chairing the Programme Committee, overseeing the student evaluation process, considering changes to the programme, and ensuring adherence to the University’s guidelines for academic practice.

Your Programme Director will be pleased to meet with you at any time during your period of study, or to take suggestions or comments on any aspect of the programme through the contact details below:

Clare Stephenson, Programme Director

clare.stephenson@manchester.ac.uk

UNIT LEAD ROLE AND SUPPORT

Each unit has a designated lead who is responsible for the management of the teaching and assessment process.

ACADEMIC ADVISORS

Each student is assigned an Academic Advisor at the beginning of their degree. This will be a member of the academic staff in your department who can offer support and advice on academic and pastoral matters, and are key to the School’s student support structure.

You will meet with your Academic Advisor during Welcome Week, and will then have one-to-one meetings throughout the semester to discuss academic progress, steps taken towards career planning, and professional and personal development.

Students are able to access any member of staff for advice in an emergency, and may discuss non-urgent issues with a member of staff of their own choosing.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

Jackson’s Mill, Sackville Street – Tel: 0161 306 5806

Monday – Friday between 9am – 1pm & 2pm – 5pm.

Ongoing support to all students is provided by the Occupational Health Service. The aim of the OHS is to promote the health and well-being of all students and the prevention of illness and injuries at work. This is achieved by ensuring all immunisations are kept up to date, managing mild illnesses at work, giving advice and assistance on all health matters arising from work, and providing crisis counselling where required.

In making decisions with regards to medical fitness for the programme, we will ensure that we comply with relevant legislation, e.g. the Disability Discrimination Act 1998. The Occupational Health Physician and Occupational Health Nurses are all bound by the Code of Professional Conduct as set out by the BMA and NMC and complete confidentiality is maintained at all times.

Further information on the services provided by the Occupational Health Service can be found at their website: http://www.occhealth.manchester.ac.uk/

DIVISION STUDENT SUPPORT OFFICE

The Student Support Office has a full time Student Support Officer and an intern who has recently graduated from the University.

Support is offered for academic or personal issues; preparation for Progress Committees, disciplinary hearings, and appeals; and information on, and referrals to, specialised support within the Division, the University, or outside agencies.

The Student Support Office also facilitates Student Representation and the Peer Mentor Schemes.

To arrange a meeting please contact studentsupport.nursing@manchester.ac.uk.

Telephone: 0161 306 7717 / 7725

Room 3.335B, Jean McFarlane Building

DIVISION STUDENT COUNCIL

The Student Council was established in February 2005 to support student nurses, midwives, and social workers. The council aims to promote the enrichment of the student experience in clinical, academic, social, and personal domains, and promote advocacy of student issues through effective communication between students, staff, hospital trusts, and other related organisations.

To get involved in the Student Council please contact studentsupport.nursing@manchester.ac.uk.

STUDENT REPRESENTATION

Each programme will choose a number of student representatives at the start of each academic year. You will be able to apply for this role, and will be informed of who is chosen so that you can feed back any issues or areas for improvement you may have identified within your programme.

The representatives are invited to the Staff Student Liaison Committee, where they can feedback anything which they have heard from their fellow students. The Programme Team then respond to these, and these responses and any action taken are fed back to staff and students via a newsletter.

Student representation and feedback is vital to the continued development of the Division. Student Representatives are elected at the beginning of the academic year for each programme and each year within the programme. Their role is to represent the views of students on a particular course to the academic staff at various meetings of the Division. This ensures that students have a voice, are participating in developing learning and teaching within the Division, and can exert a measure of control over their own learning experience.

Responsibilities include:

Identifying student issues and needs, and, when necessary, referring them on to the relevant people who can assist them.
Providing another layer of support for new and existing students.
Attending and participating in various meetings held at the University.
Consulting, involving, and reporting to students.
When arranged, attending Student Representative training sessions.
Providing a link between the staff and students at the Division.
Keeping you informed of developments within your programme of study.
Promoting equal opportunities.

Benefits of Being a Student Representative

For your commitment, time, and effort you will reap many benefits and develop transferable skills. These include:

Increased involvement in your educational experience in the Division. It gives other students a feeling of ownership over their education and the reassurance that their views and concerns are being heard within the Division.
Knowing that you are making a positive impact on the lives of present and future students.
The opportunity to meet other students across the Division.
Representation and advocacy skills.
Listening and communication skills.
Meeting skills.
Organisation and time management skills.
Negotiation skills.
A certificate that can go into your Portfolio, from the Division. This would recognise your commitment to the Student Council after six months of being a Student Representative, attending no less than three Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work Staff / Student Liaison Committee meetings.

The Division also benefits, as it is seen to:

Consult with students.
Have the opportunity to improve the quality of its courses and student satisfaction.
Enable students to understand the system and educate others.
Promote an increased sense of belonging to the Division amongst students.
Have an active staff-student dialogue outside of the realms of teaching.

Meetings to Attend

All Student Representatives will be required to regularly attend the previously-mentioned Staff / Student Liaison Committee which discusses cross-programme issues and is held five times per academic year.

Provision has also been made for students to be represented at their Programme Committee, a forum to meet with University staff and Programme Directors to discuss programme-specific academic issues. Programme Committees are responsible for the review procedures of their respective programmes and manages programme development, assessment of individual units, student-related matters, and any other matters relating to the Programme. Each Programme Committee has Student Representatives from each year group.

Provision has also been made for students to be represented at two other main meetings at the Division, these are the Pan-Manchester Placement Group (a forum to meet with Trust-wide Clinical Facilitators and University staff to discuss placement issues) and the Division Board (a meeting for all academic and administrative staff from across the Division to discuss academic issues).

Student Representatives may also be invited to participate in other committees, working groups, workshops, and reviews related to academic programmes.

The Head of the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work is willing to write letters of support for students to facilitate attendance at these meetings, authorising exemption from lectures and clinical areas. However, it can still be difficult for students to find the time to contribute to all of the committees and working parties, and it is understood that, as students, you will not be able to attend all meetings. Therefore, your apologies can be emailed in advance of the meeting, including any issues, ideas / suggestions that can be read to the meeting on your behalf.

Communication

You may have already gathered that due to our varying locations, timetables, and sessions spent at the University, email is the main mode of communication between students and University staff. As a Student Representative it is therefore doubly important that you check your University email account regularly in order to be kept in the loop and to keep the University informed of any contact detail changes.

More information can be found on student representation in the student support pages on Blackboard or by contacting studentsupport.nursing@manchester.ac.uk

MECHANISMS FOR COLLECTING AND REPORTING BACK ON FEEDBACK TO STUDENTS

Every course unit is evaluated via a questionnaire and the gathering of qualitative comments. At the end of each year post-course evaluations are undertaken via questionnaires and group interviews. Where appropriate, these comments are fed back to students once evaluation comments have been collated and any necessary actions taken. This latter process will normally occur in the semester following the evaluation process.

NATIONAL STUDENT SURVEY

In the final year of any undergraduate programme, you will be invited to complete the National Student Survey (NSS). This independently administered survey asks for your feedback on your whole degree, as well as your broader University experience. The results are published to help prospective students make informed decisions about where and what to study. The NSS also provides us with useful data for benchmarking ourselves against other universities.

ROLE OF THE PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

The Programme Committee is responsible for the review procedures of their respective programmes. Reports are reviewed by the Graduate Education Management Committee and include programme development, variety of programme options, assessment of individual units, and any other matter relating to the programme. Each Programme Committee invites Student Representatives from each year group. Student participation is welcomed.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The A-Z of Services provides information and advice on a range of topics including finance, examinations, accommodation and health; it also contains details about the University’s policy for students with additional support needs and its equal opportunity and race equality policy. Please see the University Student Handbook for further details.

CONFIDENTIALITY

By the nature of practice, students will be exposed to confidential information about patients / clients and others. Breaching confidentiality may only be appropriate in exceptional circumstances. Inappropriate breaching of confidentiality is a betrayal of trust, a serious matter and, as such, may lead to disciplinary action by the employer or University.

You are reminded that information you are exposed to may fall into two categories: i) that which is for use within the Public Domain, and is open and accessible; and ii) that which falls within the Private Domain and is confidential. There is also information that is deemed to be in the public’s interest but not necessarily readily available. Care should be taken to ensure that these aspects of information / confidentiality are properly addressed within student work. If you are unclear on this subject, you should seek clarification from your Unit Lead.

You must not give information to the media regarding events which take place in the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work or any of the placement areas. Any enquiries from the media must be directed to the Head of Division or the Senior Officer (if in a clinical placement). If you are requested to make a statement, help and advice should be sought from your Academic Advisor.

Although you are free to publish your own work, you are strongly advised to seek tutorial guidance first, since any work submitted for examination / assessment purposes remains the copyright of the Division.

SHARING OF INFORMATION

The University may share appropriate information relating to your health and/or conduct with external organisations such as your professional employer(s) (for example, relevant NHS Trust Professional and Statutory Regulatory Bodies (PSRB), placement and training providers and/or regulator (such as [Note – ideally this should be tailored for each programme handbook, with the name of the relevant regulator included]). This may occur where concerns in relation to your health and/or conduct arise and the University considers it necessary for them to be disclosed to one or more of the above organisations. The University’s Privacy Notice for Registered Students (which is accessible via this link: http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/data-collection-notice/) includes further information about how the University may use and process your personal data, including the legal basis and conditions which may be relevant to such processing (see section 6 of the Privacy Notice). The University will only disclose special category data (such as data relating to your health) to a third party organisation where one of the additional conditions are satisfied (see section 9 of the Privacy Notice), including where processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.

HEALTH & SAFETY

All students must familiarise themselves with the procedures for dealing with an emergency, including discovery of a fire and fire exit points. Similarly, all students are required to familiarise themselves with the Health and Safety at Work Regulations, extracts of which are posted outside Room G.319 in the Jean McFarlane Building. Anyone requiring First Aid for themselves or for others should contact one of the First Aiders situated in the building. Their names and telephone numbers are posted in common user areas. There are two Health and Safety Advisors for the Division.

A full copy of the University of Manchester Health and Safety Policy can be found at:

http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/healthandsafety/index.htm

The Division and its associated trusts all have NO SMOKING policies which students must strictly adhere to. The University has implemented a total no smoking policy throughout the University.

Looking after yourself and your patients during Ramadan

Policy on Religious Observance:

University Policy
The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has produced guidance for healthcare students on fasting and caring: display.aspx (manchester.ac.uk)

DIGNITY AT WORK AND STUDY FOR STUDENTS

The University seeks to create a study environment which is free of harassment and which protects the dignity of all students irrespective of sexual orientation, racial or ethnic background, religion, or disabled status. It regards sexual, racial, or personal harassment as most serious and requires all students to observe its policy in this area. Personal harassment takes many forms. It is uninvited and unwanted actions which cause offence and / or embarrassment, fear, stress, or tension. It can be an isolated act such as a comment or wilful gesture, or it can take the form of repeated behaviour against a person.

In cases where a complaint of harassment is substantiated, the individual responsible may be subject to disciplinary action under General Regulation XVII (Conduct & Discipline of Students).

The University Policy Statement on Dignity and Work and Study for Students is available in the A-Z of Services. This document contains details of the university resources, policies, and procedures and will be given to all students at registration. If you prefer to access the full University policy online it is located at the following web address:

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=22733

LEARNING RESOURCES

LIBRARY FACILITIES

The University Of Manchester Library

The University of Manchester Library provides you with the resources and support you need throughout your programme. The Main Library houses all of the essential text books, whilst the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons provides a 24/7 learning environment in addition to Study Skills Workshops. The Library also has an extensive collection of eBooks, databases and journals available online.

The My Library tab in My Manchester has quick links to all of the Library’s resources and services available to students.

Getting Started

You will need your student card to access all library sites around campus. Many of our services and resources also require you to confirm that you are a registered student. This authentication can be your student card, the ID number on the card, your Library PIN, the central username and password you use to log on, or a combination of these.

There is a library guide for Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work students giving all of the latest information on resources and learning and research services available. This is a good starting point if you are looking for any library resources or information related to your course.

Each course unit in Blackboard includes an online reading list, so you can quickly check availability and directly access eBooks, digitised chapters, and eJournals or articles.

The Main Library

The Main Library holds the principal collection of health-related books and journals. Textbooks are located on Floor 2 of the Blue Area, together with books in other related subjects. Journals held in print are on Floor 1 of the Green Area in the Clinical Sciences sequence; further relevant periodicals are shelved in other areas of the Main Library. The library search facility will let you know what items are available and where to find them, including eBooks and online journals.

The Main Library offers group study rooms, individual study space options, and computer clusters. Wi-Fi is available throughout the building and a café lounge can be found on the ground floor. The Library has long opening hours and extends these during exam periods. Please check Locations and Opening Hours for full details on opening hours and facilities.

The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons

The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons is a state-of-the-art learning environment with 24/7 opening hours throughout term-time. The Learning Commons has flexible open-learning spaces with multimedia facilities, computer clusters, and 30 bookable group study rooms with whiteboards and media screens.

There is a series of training workshops covering a variety of academic and transferable skills hosted in the training room at the Learning Commons. These workshops include training on revision / study skills, note-taking, and other topics and have been developed by Learning Commons staff in partnership with other teams across the University. Full details of training sessions are available in the My Learning Essentials Calendar.

SOCIAL & WORKING SPACES FOR STUDENTS

The Jean McFarlane Building has a central atrium which provides comfortable and flexible spaces for students to meet or work. Wi-Fi is available in the atrium. Additional flexible working spaces are available on the 2^nd floor where PCs are provided for individual / group work.

IT FACILITIES

UNIVERSITY COMPUTER FACILITIES

The University has one of the largest academic computing facilities in Europe, with a wide range of IT Services for students.

Students at the University have access to a wealth of resources including research support services, PC clusters, email and Internet access, wireless access, Microsoft applications, printing facilities, network document storage, student portal, eLearning environment, and the extensive electronic resources managed by University of Manchester University Library.

As a new student you will be introduced to the University’s IT facilities at your induction. In addition to your Faculty and Division IT provision, you will find IT facilities in areas of high student use, such as University Place (George Kenyon cluster), University of Manchester Library, and the Joule Library. The two libraries also house the IT Service Desks where you can get help and information.

You will find the most up-to-date information about our services on the IT Services website, so throughout this guide you will find web addresses which direct you to more detailed information on the web site: http://bmh-elearning.org/technical-support/.

Packed full of information, the website provides details of the services available to users including useful information about day-to-day help and support and information about protection from the latest viruses, etc. We recommend you visit the ‘Getting Started’ section of the site first.

Further support can be accessed via here.

UNIVERSITY PERSONAL COMPUTER CLUSTERS

The University’s Public PC Clusters are available for any staff or student to use. Operated on behalf of the University by the IT Services division, they are present at various locations on campus and also in some Halls of Residence. Opening times for each cluster will vary but at least one cluster operates 24/7 and two clusters operate 23/5 plus extended opening times at weekends.

Some clusters will be booked for teaching and learning purposes at various times, therefore you are advised to visit the website: http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/our-services/desktop/clusters/ or the Central IT Service Desk for the latest opening times and PC Cluster information.

IT SERVICES AND E-LEARNING

IT Services Support Centre online
Details of what IT support is available and how to access it can be found on the FBMH eLearning Support page.
Login to the Support Centre online to log a request, book an appointment for an IT visit, or search the Knowledge Base.
Telephone: +44 (0)161 306 5544 (or extension 65544). Telephone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In person: Walk-up help and support is available at the Joule Library, Main Library or Alan Gilbert Learning Commons:
Use Support Centre online for support with eLearning, from where you may make a request or search the Knowledge Base.

For IT and eLearning support visit: https://elearning.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/student/technical-support/

Blackboard
Blackboard, the University’s ‘virtual learning environment’, will be used for online teaching.

What is Blackboard?
Blackboard is a web-based system that complements and builds upon traditional learning methods used at The University of Manchester. By using Blackboard you can:

view course materials and learning resources,
communicate with lectures and other students,
collaborate in groups,
get feedback
submit assignments
monitoring your own progress at a time and place of your own convenience.

Training in the use of software
The Faculty eLearning team have produced a short introduction to Blackboard for new students. The recording is hosted in two places: the VLS and on YouTube:

The recording is just over seven minutes long and covers most of the commonly used tools in Blackboard.

STUDY SKILLS

Each student will start their programme with a mix of different skills. We have identified a number of Study Skills that are vital for you to master early in your study, in order to achieve your full potential on the programme. These include Academic Writing, Harvard Referencing, Using IT software, Numeric, and Literature Skills. You will be provided with an introduction to these Study Skills during enrolment.

In addition you can visit the Palgrave publishers’ website as this also contains information regarding Study Skills and is freely available to all students. There are specific section on plagiarism, referencing, and critical thinking skills which can be accessed as audio presentations by clicking onto the MP3 icon button.

If you feel that you may have a learning disability, further assistance may be available; please see your Academic Advisor or the Disability Support Officer at the Jean McFarlane Building.

ONLINE SKILLS TRAINING RESOURCE

The Faculty has developed a skills training resource to support you through your postgraduate taught programme. This online material should supplement the assessed learning material and activities undertaken in your taught programme.

Accessing the online skills resource

You can access Blackboard through the My Manchester portal (http://my.manchester.ac.uk). The skills training resource is available in an academic community space available to all registered PGT students in the Faculty through Blackboard.

If you cannot see these units in your Blackboard please contact your Programme Administrator.

Content

Full details of all these resources can be found in the introduction to each unit. These resources have been designed to give you formative feedback on your progress through them. If you experience any problems and would like to talk to someone please contact your Programme Director. If you have questions about referencing and how it applies to your own work, please contact your Programme Director or dissertation supervisor/module lead.

Research Methods*	This course is spilt into 2 units that cover introductions to study design and dissertation skills. It has a number of online quizzes where you can test your knowledge.
Statistics*	The course provides a valuable foundation for understanding and interpreting biostatistics. It aims to provide you with the fundamentals of quantitative analysis.
Presentation Skills	This short interactive unit is designed to help you to enhance your presentation skills. Regardless of whether you are presenting in public, preparing for conferences, an oral examination or more informal settings this unit will give you the tops tips to improve your delivery.
Qualitative Research Methods*	This unit has been designed to give you an introduction to Qualitative Research.

* NOTE: the material in this online resource is for reference and formative learning purposes only. In some of your taught programme you may be required to undertake assessed course units for Research Methods, Qualitative Research or Statistics. If your programme involves taught units then you should refer to the Blackboard material relating to that course unit. Please contact your Programme Administrator if you are unsure which material relates to your assessed work. You will still be able to refer to the online skills resource in later years.

GUIDANCE FOR PRESENTATION OF TAUGHT MASTERS DISSERTATIONS

The University of Manchester guidance on presentation of taught Masters Dissertations is available at:
Guidance for the presentation of Taught Masters dissertations

The guidance explains the required presentation of the dissertation, and failure to follow the instructions in the guidance may result in the dissertation being rejected by the examiners.

STUDENT PROGRESS AND ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS

The University of Manchester Regulations for Taught Masters Programme

http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/map/teachinglearningassessment/teaching/degreeregulations/

ATTENDANCE MONITORING

Students are expected to attend all scheduled teaching and learning sessions in every year of study, unless alternative arrangements or flexibility in attendance has been agreed for individual students, if unavoidable circumstances such as illness prevents you from attending or if absence has been authorised. This includes both on-campus teaching as well as online/blended, distance or remote learning modes of delivery.

If you are unable to attend a teaching session you should inform the lecturer/instructor in the first instance to catch up on missed learning and for support with teaching materials. For absences of 1-2 days, you do not need to tell the Student Support and Wellbeing Team.

If you expect to miss one or more full weeks of teaching, you must notify the Student Support and Wellbeing team on shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk, as well as your Academic Advisor. Please provide a reason for this to help the team provide appropriate guidance and signposting as required.

If your attendance is deemed to be too low, someone from the Student Support and Wellbeing team will be in touch to check in with you and make sure that you are ok. If the poor attendance continues without a valid reason, your Academic Advisor will be informed. If there is still no improvement in your attendance, you will be asked to a meeting with your Programme Director. This is in line with the university policy on monitoring attendance.

Tier 4 Visa Students

As a part of your visa requirement, your attendance needs to be monitored with regular in-person check ins on campus. You will need to attend the SHS Hub (Ground Floor, Jean McFarland building) twice a week on your assigned days to scan your student ID card.

Admissions and Registration Requirements

Admission to the University and registration on a programme takes place at the start of each academic year of a programme of study. Admission and registration to the programme is subject to each student’s agreement to comply with the University Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations and the payment of any required fees.

The University has a facility to allow you to carry out your academic and financial registration, including the payment of your tuition fees, via the web before you leave home. This is a simple, straightforward process that will only take a few minutes. You will have to complete IT registration and academic registration before you will be allowed to proceed to financial registration. Ideally, you should complete all parts of the registration process before you arrive at the University. There may, however, be reasons why you are unable to complete financial registration online or you may prefer to use an alternative method for the payment of your tuition fees, e.g. via the University’s telephone hotline (+44 (0)161 272 2350) or in person when you arrive. In either case, you are strongly advised to complete your academic registration before you leave home if at all possible.

At the end of the registration process, students receive a University membership card (also known as a library card or swipe card) which lasts for the duration of the programme of study, subject to annual validation and payment of tuition fees.

Central registration is an essential process since it confirms a person’s status as a student of the University of Manchester and ensures that personal and programme details are correctly recorded for University purposes and for statutory returns to the Higher Education Funding Council and other bodies.

Central registration takes place on campus, at the start of the first semester of the academic year (September) and in the Student Services Centre on Burlington Street at other times of the year. Central registration is also available in some Halls of Residence around the campus.

APIMH – Primary Mental Health Care

Year 1 Full Year	Engagement & Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems (20 credits)	The pass mark for a Postgraduate Certificate will be 40%.
	Evidence-Based Low-Intensity Treatment for Common Mental Health Disorders (20 credits)
	Values, Diversity & Context (20 credits)
Exit with PgCert

WORK AND ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

It is expected that all students will attend all taught sessions; however, you are required to attend at least 80% of taught sessions for each programme unit. This regulation applies equally to course units that are delivered online. For e-learning / online course units, the measure will be whether or not you accessed and participated in the course unit within the period it was delivered. If, due to illness or other circumstances, you are unable to attend or engage with online materials you need to inform your placement manager, your Academic Advisor and Attendance (by emailing shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk). If at any time your work or attendance is unsatisfactory, you will be sent notice in writing that, unless there is an improvement, you will be invited to Progress Committee.

Please note that the student’s employer will be copied into emails relating to absence from taught sessions.

Please note that you must submit a medical certificate if you are absent through illness during examinations or for more than one week of the programme. Instances of illness or other extenuating circumstances affecting a student’s performance may be considered at Examination Board meetings (please note that details are not normally disclosed). Students should convey, in writing, their circumstances to the Programme Director as soon as possible, via Programme Support. If you have been absent due to illness for a period of one week you need to complete a self-certification form, which is available from the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard.

It is the duty of the Division and each Programme Examination Board to keep under continuous review the work and attendance of all students within the Division. Student progress is monitored by the Programme Director in consultation with the Graduate Education Management Committee (Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work.)

Each programme of study has specific compulsory requirements for the work and attendance of students. The work and attendance of students is monitored throughout the academic year, and if it is found that any student is not meeting the relevant requirements, he or she will be given an opportunity for improvement. If there is then no improvement, the student may not be permitted to take the examinations relating to their selected academic programme. For a copy of the full policy http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=1895

Academic Appeals (Regulation XIX)

The purpose of the Appeals Procedure is to safeguard the interests of all students. It may be used only when there are adequate grounds for doing so and may not be used simply because you may be dissatisfied with the outcome of your assessment or other decision concerning your academic position or progress.

The appeals process may be used by students who wish to appeal against a decision of a Board of Examiners, or a Progress Committee, or a Graduate Committee or equivalent body which affects a students’ academic status or progress in the University.

The full procedures can be found at:

Academic Appeals (Regulation XIX)

Basic Guide to Academic Appeals

The Faculty contact for Academic Appeals and Student Complaints is

Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk)

CERTIFICATION OF STUDENT ILL HEALTH

You should always consult your GP (or for emergencies the Accident and Emergency Department of a hospital) if your illness is severe, if it persists, or if you are in any doubt about your health. You should also consult your GP if illness keeps you absent from the University for more than 7 days, including weekends.

If you do consult a GP and they consider that you are not fit for attendance at the University, then you should obtain a note from the doctor to that effect or ask them to complete Part III of the University form ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ copies of which are available at local GP surgeries.

You should hand this certificate to Programme Support at the earliest opportunity but within seven days of your return to work / university.

If your condition is not sufficiently serious to cause you to seek medical help, then the University will not require you to supply a doctor’s medical certificate unless you are absent from the University due to illness for more than 7 days (in which case see above). You must however contact Programme Support as soon as possible and self-certify your illness (that is complete and sign the ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form to state that you have been ill) as soon as you are able to attend your department. You should do this if your illness means you are absent from the University for any period up to 7 days or if you are able to attend the University but your illness is affecting your studies.

The following sub-paragraphs explain what you should do if your illness affects your attendance at compulsory classes or if you consider that your performance in your studies / examinations has been impaired.

i) If you are unwell and feel unable to attend the University to take a compulsory class, assessment, or examination then you must seek advice by contacting Programme Support immediately, either in person, by telephone, or by email. This is to ensure that you understand the implications of being absent and the consequences for your academic progress, which might be quite serious. You must do this as soon as possible so that all options can be considered and certainly no later than the day of your compulsory class, assessment, or examination. If you do not do this then you will normally be considered to have been absent from the class without good reason, or to have taken the assessment or examination in which case you will be given a mark of zero. You must also complete and hand in a ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form on your return.

ii) You may be unwell but are able to proceed with an assessment or examination and yet you feel that your performance will have been impaired. If you wish this to be taken into account as an extenuating circumstance, you must inform your Assessments Administrator about this on the day of the assessment or examination and hand in to Programme Support a completed ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form. If you leave this until later it will not normally be possible to take your illness into account when assessing your performance.

iii) If, as a consequence of your illness, you wish to seek an extension to a deadline for submitting assessed coursework, you must complete a ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form and discuss it with your Assessments Administrator. The application for extension must be made BEFORE the deadline and not retrospectively.

iv) You may be under occasional and ongoing medical attention which affects your studies. If so, you should obtain a letter from your physician which should be given to your Assessments Administrator before the end of the January, May / June or August / September examination period, as appropriate, if you wish your condition to be taken into account as an extenuating circumstance.

Further guidance on the effects of absence or under-performance can be found under the section titled: Health and Conduct Committee.

Notes:

Certification of Student Ill Health forms are available in all departments and halls of residence, and a copy of this form can be found in the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard.

Your department will give you guidance on the effect of any absence from your studies or if you consider your illness has affected your studies. If you have repeated episodes of ill health which is affecting your studies, your department may refer you to the Student Health Centre.

If you are found to have been deceitful or dishonest in completing the ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ form you could be liable to disciplinary action under the University’s General Regulation XX: Conduct and Discipline of Students.

The use of the ‘Certification of Student Ill Health’ forms by GPs as described above has been agreed by the Manchester Local Medical Committee. A GP may make a charge for completing the form.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What to do if you are sick for more than seven consecutive days

University self-certification forms only cover up to seven days of continuous illness. If you are ill for longer, you should consult with your GP or other appropriate health professional. In any case, you should consult your GP if your illness is severe, if it persists, or if you are in any doubt about your health.

Repeated bouts of self-certificated short-term illness

The Division and the University has the right to investigate repeated bouts of self-certificated short-term illness. The outcome of such an investigation might include, for example, referral to Occupational Health or to a Progress Committee.

What to do if you are absent through illness

If you are ill / absent during theory (Division) weeks, on the first day of absence you should inform Programme Support of the reason. You can telephone or email to report this illness or you can ask someone else to report it on your behalf.

If you are ill / absent during practice (placements), on the first day of absence you should inform the person in charge of the placement area (or a designated deputy) of your reason. You should also inform Programme Support of your absence and the reason on the same day. You can telephone or email to report this illness or you can ask someone else to report it on your behalf.

What to do if you are ill when an examination or assessment is due

See the examination guidelines covered in this handbook.

What to do after a period of absence through illness

Within seven days following the end of a period of absence through illness, you must submit to Programme Support a University self-certification form (Certification of Student Ill Health) explaining your absence through illness. Part 1 of this form needs to be completed and signed.

If returning from being absent for other reasons you must complete the absence form and hand this in to Programme Support. This will ensure that students are recorded as having returned from sickness / absence.

INTERRUPTIONS FROM THE PROGRAMME

If at any point in your studies you feel that you need to take some time away from your degree, you can interrupt your studies and return once you are ready. You need to be aware of the below implications when considering taking an interruption, so it is best to discuss any queries you may have with the Student Support and Wellbeing Team/Programme Director/Year Tutor/Academic Advisor.

There are a few important things to think about when deciding to interrupt:

Primarily, your wellbeing. If an interruption is the best decision for you, it should benefit your present and future wellbeing and support you completing your degree to the best of your abilities.
Tuition Fees
Accommodation (if living in UoM halls)

Possible changes to course content on return 
Tier 4 students MUST be referred to the Student Immigration Team in SSC to discuss consequences of interruption (3.2 Policy on Interruptions to UG and PGT Programmes of Study)

If you then wish to request an interruption to study, either via email, during a welfare meeting, or following a meeting with an AA, you would need to complete an SHS Interruption Request Form, which can be obtained by contacting the Student Support and Wellbeing team on shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk. It is helpful to know at this stage how long you expect to interrupt for and when you might return.

You need to complete and sign the form, returning it back to the shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk email address with any appropriate supporting evidence. The form will then be sent to the relevant member of academic staff for approval (this may be the Programme Director, Year Tutor or Academic Advisor).

*Please note that students will be contacted by the Student Support and Wellbeing Team prior to their return to study/return from interruption*

Principles for Granting Interruptions to a Postgraduate Taught Programme of Study

1. Background

1.1 It is the expectation of the University that postgraduate taught students pursue their studies on a continuous basis for the stipulated duration of their programme. It is understood, however, that students may encounter personal difficulties or situations which may seriously disrupt their studies.

Students who encounter such difficulties, which may result in prolonged interruption of normal activity, and where it becomes clear that continuation of their studies is not possible, may be granted a temporary interruption to their studies at the discretion of their Division.
In order to ensure that requests for interruption to a programme of study made by students are handled consistently, processed formally, and students treated equally, the procedure detailed below should be implemented. Existing Faculty, School, or Division procedures, that follow the spirit of these guidelines, can also be used.
The decision to approve, either in full or in part, or to reject, an application for a leave of absence would normally be taken by people who are remote from the process of giving advice to students and counselling them on their alternatives. Each Division should identify a group of people of standing and experience.

2. Monitoring

2.1 All applications for interruptions should be made in writing on the appropriate School form with attachments as relevant.

The outcome of the application should be relayed to the student in writing.
Divisions should report to their Faculty quarterly the outcomes of all applications received.

3. Criteria to be applied

3.1 Any application to interrupt a programme must be made before the beginning of the proposed leave of absence with the support of the Programme Director and the PGT Programmes Support Manager. The Programme Director (or equivalent) will be responsible for discussing with students any circumstances that have resulted in the student requesting an interruption to their studies. The application for interruption should be made on the relevant School form with PGT Programmes Support responsible for submitting the request to the group of staff designated by the Division for considering such requests.

3.2 PGT Programmes Support has overall responsibility for handling any administrative arrangements that result from an interruption being approved. They will be required to notify any relevant parties of the student’s interruption and update any systems as required, following the current procedures at that time.

In the case of non-EU students in the UK on a student visa or residence permit, the University is legally required to report to the government any interruption of studies. International students should discuss the consequences of taking an interruption with the International Advice Team in the Student Services Centre.

3.3 Students and Programme Directors should note that retrospective applications for a leave of absence will only be considered in the most exceptional circumstances.

Each request for a leave of absence will be considered on an individual, case-by-case basis, and any decision made will be at the discretion of the University.

3.4 Consideration should also be given as to whether a change of mode of attendance to part-time status may be an appropriate alternative to a leave of absence.

International students in the UK on a student visa are not normally permitted to study part-time and it is essential that they seek impartial immigration advice from the International Advice Team in the Student Services Centre before considering this option.
The duration of the period of absence may have to be determined by the student’s status in the course. For example, if a student interrupts during the taught element of the course, their return may be dictated by the availability of the course units that they have missed. A period of interruption would not normally be for more than a complete year.

3.5 Where a student is granted an interruption to their programme of study for medical reasons, PGT Programmes Support must ensure, prior to re-registration, that the student provides a note from their healthcare professional which states that they are fit to resume their studies.

4. During the interruption

4.1 During the period of interruption, a student’s registration status is ‘Leave of Absence’ (LOA) and no tuition fees are payable. Where tuition fees have already been paid they will be refunded or held over by the University. However, if a student is refunded in one year and they return in another year, they will have to pay the higher rate of fee. If the University holds the money for them, they would not have to pay the higher fee.

4.2 During the leave of absence period, students will not be entitled to supervision or use of any University facilities including swipe cards, library, and computer access.

5. Return from interruption

5.1 Upon return from a period of interruption, students must inform their PGT Programmes Support. Students may be required to register on their return from a leave of absence; this is dependent on their registration cycle and the date of their return to studies.

5.2 Where the leave of absence was permitted for serious medical problems, the student must provide a note from their healthcare professional that states that they are fit to return to studies.

5.3 A student can be withdrawn from the programme if they do not return to their studies at the appointed time or if they do not notify PGT Programmes Support on their return as specified in the interruption letter.

5.4 If a student fails to return and re-register after 30 days of their expected date of return following an interruption, and there has been no response to the Division’s efforts to contact the student, they can be deregistered from the student system.

6. Students’ right to appeal

6.1 If a student’s application for interruption is declined by their Division, the student has a right to appeal against this decision. In this instance, students should be advised to refer to the University’s Academic Appeals regulation: CLICK HERE

Maternity Leave

Provided that their employer is informed and has given signed consent, students on Maternity Leave are able to commence or continue to study on theory-only courses.

Students may interrupt their studies for the purpose of Maternity Leave at any time from 28 weeks of the pregnancy for a maximum period of 12 months during their programme. The period of leave must be taken in one consecutive block.

Adoption Leave – Students who are adopting a child may interrupt their studies for a maximum period of 12 months during their programme. The period of leave must be taken in one consecutive block.

UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS

A candidate who fails to satisfy the Examiners in any assessment of taught units may be permitted a reassessment on one further occasion. The candidate must take the opportunity for reassessment in the next available University examination period.

Where students have passed a reassessment, the minimum pass mark(s) for all Postgraduate Certificate work will be used when calculating the average marks and on any entry on transcripts.

WITHDRAWING FROM THE PROGRAMME

If you decide that you are unable to continue your programme, you can withdraw from your studies. You will need to be aware of the below implications when considering withdrawing from the programme, so we would always advise discussing any queries you may have with the Student Support and Wellbeing Team/Programme Director/Year Tutor/Academic Advisor.

Tuition Fees

Accommodation (if living in UoM halls) 
Future career prospects

If you then wish to withdraw from the programme, either via email, during a welfare meeting, or following a meeting with an AA, you will need to complete a SHS Withdrawal Request Form, which can be obtained by contacting the Student Support and Wellbeing team on shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk

Students need to complete and sign the form, returning it back to the shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk email address. No supporting evidence is required for a request to withdraw. The form will then be sent to the relevant member of academic staff for approval (this may be the Programme Director, Year Tutor or Academic Advisor)

Once the Student Support and Wellbeing Team has received the form which has been approved by the relevant member of staff, a standard confirmation letter will be sent to you confirming the details of the withdrawal.

ASSESSMENT

INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT

This section reflects the assessment regulations of the University of Manchester. The standard of the University’s awards and the students’ confidence in the equity and parity of the assessment of their work depends crucially on the scrupulous conduct of all matters relating to the assessment process.

All programmes of study need to be assessed and in this programme you will be assessed in both theory and practice elements.

The purpose of assessment is to form a judgement on the quality of students’ work, to ascertain and certify levels of achievement, and to enable Examiners to report on the standard of performance reached by students.

Assessments are either formative or summative. Formative work is designed to help you meet the requirements of summative assessments. Summative assessments must be passed in order for an award to be conferred. Failure to pass all summative assessments will affect your progression through the course and may result in discontinuation of your studies.

SUBMISSION OF ASSESSED WORK

When submitting work for summative (formal) assessment students need to ensure they meet the following requirements:

Submit work on the correct date, as failure to do so can result in imposition of severe penalties.
Submit each course unit assignment via online submission through Blackboard. Where online submission is not available an alternative method of submission will be provided.
Students submitting assignments electronically must complete the submission page and when asked to enter the submission title, must enter their University ID number (to be found on the student ID / library / photo card) followed by the course unit code (e.g. Student 123456_NURS12345). Failure to follow this explicit instruction may result in a ‘Failed to Submit’.
When submitting your assignment online, you must include your reference list as part of the same document.
Write the title of the course unit, the course unit code, the name of the Unit Lead, the title of the assignment, the submission date, and the number of words on the front sheet of the assignment document.
Write their University ID number in the top-right hand corner of the front sheet of the assignment and on the top-right hand corner of all pages of the assignment.
Do not write any candidate name on any part of the assignment as the assessment process is supposed to be anonymous.
Submit all assignment work by 12 noon on the submission date. This is an absolute deadline.

Where assessment is via pre-recorded presentation

It is acceptable, without penalty, for you to submit an assignment via pre-recorded presentation within a range that is plus 10% of the set time limit.

If you present an assignment via pre-recorded presentation with a time exceeding the specified time limit+10%, the assignment will be marked but 1% will be deducted from this mark for every minute over the limit.

Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes Scope – CLICK HERE

The policy refers to what is generally regarded as coursework for summative assessment, i.e. work such as essays, project reports, and portfolios that contribute to a final mark. It does not refer to purely formative assessment that does not contribute to a final mark, nor to work that students must attend to complete, such as practical tests and written examinations. It is primarily concerned with deadlines, i.e. the dates and times by which work should be submitted, and with penalties for late submission.

LATE SUBMISSION PENALTY (INCLUDING DISSERTATION)

Work submitted after the deadline without prior approval will be subject to a late penalty in accordance with the University Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes. The penalty applied is 10% of available marks deducted per day/24 hours (from the time of the original or extended deadline), until the assignment is submitted, or no marks remain.

Penalties for late submission relate to 24 hours/calendar days, so include weekends and weekdays, as well as bank holidays and University closure days.

The mark awarded for the piece of work will be reduced by:

10% of the available marks deducted if up to 24 hours (1 day) late
20% of the available marks deducted if up to 48 hours (2 days) late
30% of the available marks deducted if up to 72 hours (3 days) late
40% of the available marks deducted if up to 96 hours (4 days) late
50% of the available marks deducted if up to 120 hours (5 days) late
60% of the available marks deducted if up to 144 hours (6 days) late
70% of the available marks deducted if up to 168 hours (7 days) late
80% of the available marks deducted if up to 192 hours (8 days) late
90% of the available marks deducted if up to 216 hours (9 days) late
100% of the available marks deducted if up to 240 hours (10 days) late

If the assessment is submitted within 10 days of the deadline the assessment should be marked and feedback to the student provided. If this mark before the penalty is applied reaches the appropriate pass mark but the applied penalty results in a fail of the assessment, the student should not be required to resit the assessment as the original mark can be taken as the resit mark. Further information and examples can be found in the Policy and associated Guidance documents.

For work submitted more than 10 days late, it is regarded as a non-submission and need not be marked. In this case a mark of zero will be awarded and normal resit regulations will apply.

The sliding scale should only be applied to first-sit submissions. For all referred (resit) assessment, any late submission will automatically receive a mark of zero.

For further information:

Guidance on Late Submission

Policy on the Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes

PENALTIES FOR ILLEGIBILITY AND EXCEEDING THE WORD LIMIT

A mark of zero will be awarded to illegible scripts.

For every 100 words over the word limit (plus or minus 10%) the student will lose 1% mark. This equates to 10% per 1000 words. The references and appendices should not be included in the word count. All coursework should have a word count on the title page.

The Division’s policy on what is included in the word count for academic theoretical assessments covers any one of the following:

Posters
Essays
Reports
Dissertations
Business Cases
Reflections
Portfolio Documents and any other form of essay-type summative assessment submission, except unseen examination papers

In accordance with the University Policy on Marking:

Each written assignment has a word limit which you must state at the top of your first page. It is acceptable, without penalty, for you to submit an assignment within a range that is plus 10% of this limit. If you present an assignment with a word count exceeding the specified limit+10%, the assignment will be marked but 1% will be deducted from this mark for every 100 words over the limit given. For an original word limit that is 1000 words and an assignment that is marked out of 100. If a submission is made that is 1101 words, then it exceeded the 10% leeway, and is more than 100 words over the original limit and should receive a 1-mark deduction. In accordance with accepted academic practice, when submitting any written assignment for summative assessment, the notion of a word count includes the following without exception:

All titles or headings that form part of the actual text. This does not include the fly page or reference list
All words that form the actual essay
All words forming the titles for figures, tables and boxes, are included but this does not include boxes or tables or figures themselves
All in-text (that is bracketed) references
All directly quoted material

Certain assessments may require different penalties for word limits to be applied. For example, if part of the requirement for the assessment is conciseness of presentation of facts and arguments. In such cases it may be that no 10% leeway is allowed, and penalties applied may be stricter than described above. In such cases the rules for word count limits and the penalties to be applied will be clearly stated in the assessment brief and in the submission details for that assessment.

PENALTY FOR FAILING TO INCLUDE REFERENCE LIST / BIBLIOGRAPHY

A mark of 0% will be given to a piece of work submitted without a reference list.

ACADEMIC MALPRACTICE, INCLUDING PLAGIARISM, COLLUSION, FABRICATION, OR FALSIFICATION OF RESULTS

Guidance on Plagiarism and Other Forms of Academic Malpractice

As a student, you are expected to cooperate in the learning process throughout your programme of study by completing assignments of various kinds that are the product of your own study or research. For most students this does not present a problem, but occasionally, whether unwittingly or otherwise, a student may commit what is known as plagiarism or some other form of academic malpractice when carrying out an assignment. This may come about because students have been used to different conventions in their prior educational experience or through general ignorance of what is expected of them.

This guidance is designed to help you understand what we regard as academic malpractice and hence to help you to avoid committing it. You should read it carefully, because academic malpractice is regarded as a serious offence and students found to have committed it will be penalised.

Academic malpractice is any activity – intentional or otherwise – that is likely to undermine the integrity essential to scholarship and research. Academic malpractice includes plagiarism, collusion, fabrication or falsification of results and anything else intended by those committing it to achieve credit that they do not properly deserve. In addition to the advice that follows, your Division will give you advice on how to avoid academic malpractice in the context of your discipline. It will also design assessments so as to help you avoid the temptation to commit academic malpractice. Finally, you should take note that work you submit may be screened electronically to check against other material on the web and in other submitted work.

Information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it can be found: click here

The University Library has produced online resources to help students in avoiding plagiarism and academic malpractice: click here

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is presenting the ideas, work or words of other people without proper, clear and unambiguous acknowledgement. It also includes self-plagiarism (which occurs where, for example, you submit work that you have presented for assessment on a previous occasion), and the submission of material from essay banks (even if the authors of such material appear to be giving you permission to use it in this way). Obviously, the most blatant example of plagiarism would be to copy another student’s work. Hence it is essential to make clear in your assignments the distinction between:

the ideas and work of other people that you may have quite legitimately exploited and developed, and
the ideas or material that you have personally contributed.

To assist you, here is the library’s e –learning essentials guide.

COLLUSION

Collusion occurs when a student or students collaborate with another student or students, as an individual or group to gain a mark or grade to which they are not entitled. Students who allow another student to copy their work or who make their work available to another student are also committing collusion and both the copier and the provider of the work are liable to be penalised.

FABRICATION / FALSIFICATION

Fabrication or falsification of data or results by individual students or groups of students is the presentation or inclusion in a piece of work of figures or data which have been made up or altered and which have no basis in verifiable sources; this may or may not involve other instances of academic malpractice.

If you commit any form of academic malpractice, teaching staff will not be able to assess your individual abilities objectively or accurately. Any short-term gain you might have hoped to achieve will be cancelled out by the loss of proper feedback you might have received, and in the long run such behaviour is likely to damage your overall intellectual development, to say nothing of your self-esteem. You are the one who loses.

TurnitinUK

The University uses electronic systems for the purposes of detecting plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice and for marking. Such systems include TurnitinUK, the plagiarism detection service used by the University.

As part of the formative and/or summative assessment process, you may be asked to submit electronic versions of your work to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University (this requirement may be in addition to a requirement to submit a paper copy of your work). If you are asked to do this, you must do so within the required timescales.

The School also reserves the right to submit work handed in by you for formative or summative assessment to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University.

Please note that when work is submitted to the relevant electronic systems, it may be copied and then stored in a database to allow appropriate checks to be made.

THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

We urge students to be cautious when using a chatbot or AI tool within their learning. Chatbots and AI tools can be useful, but there are a number of risks associated with using them. Please ensure that you are aware of what is permissible use of AI for each assignment. You can utilise AI to generate ideas, key themes, and plan your assessment but not to write your assessment. Do not use AI to generate text, or partial text for use in your assessment unless the assignment brief explicitly states that this is permitted, otherwise use will be deemed academic malpractice. This is academic malpractice because the words and ideas generated are not your own and not an accurate reflection of your learning. Further to this, the words and ideas generated by the chatbot or AI tool may make use of other, human authors’ ideas without referencing them, which is plagiarism. Where a chatbot or other form of AI has been used, make sure you acknowledge that use. Information on how to cite can be found here: https://manchester-uk.libanswers.com/teaching-and-learning/faq/264824 Some units, for example those on AI and technology, permit the use of AI. However, they require you to sign a code of conduct which must be adhered to. Make sure you understand and follow these codes. If you are unclear on what is permissible, speak to the unit lead.

REFERENCING – THE HARVARD SYSTEM

Accurate referencing of all written work is essential as it enables readers to (i) assess the accuracy of the writer’s interpretation of source material; (ii) check the writer’s integrity; and (iii) easily seek out material that may be of interest to their own studies. All assignments completed for this programme of study are required to have a reference list.

Though there are many referencing/bibliographical systems around, the Harvard system is the system adopted by many of the prestigious social work and social science journals. More importantly, it is the system, which the Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work has adopted.

This means that it is the only system, which is acceptable for any work submitted by students within the Division. Please see the Library’s Referencing Guide.

For more information see the Division’s policy on Plagiarism and Academic Malpractice including the potential Fitness to Practice implications for students who hold a registration with a professional body.

MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES AND EXTENSIONS

MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES

Sometimes, factors beyond your control may interfere with your ability to attend to your academic studies. The University’s mitigating circumstances procedures exist to try to mitigate against the impact that this could have on your grades.

The full mitigating circumstances policy and guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://www.studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/study-support/mitigating-circumstances/.

We strongly recommend that you seek advice from a member of the Wellbeing team before submitting any claim for mitigating circumstances. You can contact them via shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk or shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk

Grounds for mitigation

Grounds for mitigation are unforeseeable or unpreventable circumstances that could have, or did have, a significant adverse effect on your academic performance.

Possible mitigating circumstances include:

significant illness or injury
the death or critical/significant illness of a close family member/dependant
significant family crises or major financial problems leading to acute stress

absence for public service e.g., jury service

Circumstances that will not normally be regarded as grounds for mitigation include:

holidays, moving house and events that were planned or could reasonably have been expected
assessments that are scheduled close together

misreading the timetable or misunderstanding the requirements for assessments
inadequate planning and time management
consequences of paid employment
exam stress or panic attacks not diagnosed as illness or supported by medical evidence
disruption in an examination room during the course of an assessment which has not been recorded by the invigilators

Applying for mitigation

You should inform us if you experience difficulties that may negatively affect your performance on assessed work. You can inform us of such difficulties by submitting an online Mitigating Circumstances Form. The form must be completed by you. It will ask you to provide details of your difficult circumstances and to list the assessments affected. It is important that you list each separate assessment, giving details of the course unit and the nature of the assessment (e.g. PSYC10711 Essay or PSYC10100 Week 4 Quiz). Your form should also be supported with evidence, which is independent and time-specific (for example, a doctor’s note which confirms that you were ill and indicates the period affected). Our Student Support and Wellbeing team can advise you on the information required on the form.

You should inform us of mitigating circumstances as soon as you become aware that they might affect your performance. Typically, mitigating circumstances must be submitted prior to the assessment taking place. In exceptional circumstances, where it is not possible to inform us in advance, you should submit your Mitigating Circumstances application as soon as possible after deadline or scheduled examination, supported by a credible and compelling explanation of why your claim could not be submitted in advance.

Please note, not informing the University of circumstances due to personal feelings, e.g., shame, embarrassment and pride, or having concerns over the confidential treatment of requests for mitigation, are not considered to be credible and compelling explanations as to why the circumstances could not be made known or shown by these deadlines. If the details of the mitigating circumstances are considered to be highly confidential, you can discuss with the wellbeing team shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk the best way to submit an application. The committee handle all requests for mitigation with sensitivity and due regard for confidentiality.

How mitigation is considered and applied

Evidence for personal and medical mitigating circumstances is considered by a mitigating circumstances committee. It is this committee’s role to determine whether there is evidence of mitigating circumstances, whether those circumstances could have had an effect on your performance, and the likely impact. The committee will consider all submissions and, where there is evidence that circumstances have been serious enough to have an effect on one or more elements of assessment, the committee will make recommendations to the exam board.

The exam board, at the recommendation of the mitigating circumstances committee, can take a limited number of actions to apply mitigation. In most cases, acceptance of the mitigation will involve revoking any late submission penalties or allowing for the missed or failed coursework/exam to be taken again as a first sit.

A claim for mitigating circumstances may be turned down for several reasons:

The circumstances detailed by the student are not regarded as grounds for mitigation under the Policy on Mitigating Circumstances
The supporting evidence does not cover the relevant period
The supporting evidence is not supplied by an appropriate (independent) source

The supporting evidence is deemed insufficient to support the student’s claim of the seriousness of impact on their assessment performance
The wording of the evidence supplied does not support the student’s claim e.g. the material does not provide a medical diagnosis
No evidence is provided, and the student has not given any explanation as to the reasons why nor indicated when evidence could be available
The evidence relates to a chronic condition which the student is already in receipt of support from the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS). This does not include instances where the student has an acute flare up of a pre-existing condition which may be accepted if properly evidenced and confirmed by DASS
The deadline for submitting mitigating circumstances has been missed, without a credible and compelling reason

The claim relates to an ongoing condition or circumstance previously used to claim mitigation where the Panel, on the earlier occasion, instructed the student that this mitigation could not be used again and may have instructed the student to access support from the Disability Advisory and Support Service

Policy on Mitigating Circumstances

http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/map/teachinglearningassessment/assessment/sectionc-reachingdecisionsfromassessment/policyonmitigatingcircumstances/

EXTENSIONS

If you experience difficulties that will prevent you from submitting assessed coursework on time, you can request an extension of up to one week. You need to provide a credible reason for your extension, in line with the extension policy, but you do not need to submit evidence to support your request.

Please think carefully about whether one-week is enough time to submit and how this will impact the rest of your workload before requesting an extension.

To apply for an extension, you will need to complete this form:

https://www.qualtrics.manchester.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_56LcBQhsaZ6Agsu

Extensions should be applied for by 15:00pm on the day of your original assessment submission date. Any applications after this time will not be considered and you will need to apply for mitigating circumstances.

If mitigating circumstances prevent you from submitting an extension request in advance, or mean that you miss the extended deadline that has been awarded, you should submit mitigating circumstances following the procedures outlined in the mitigating circumstances procedure. Please note, such requests for mitigation will only be considered where students provide a clear justification (including evidence) for failing to follow the normal extension request procedure.

Some DASS students are entitled to an automatic one-week extension, which does not need to be applied for. If you are a DASS student with this automatic extension and require longer than one-week, please complete the form above by 15:00pm on the day of your DASS submission date.

If you are on a clinical programme and your reason for an extension or mitigating circumstances may impact on your placement, your academic team will be made aware so that they can review your fitness to practice.

For all programmes, if you apply for repeated extensions your Academic Advisor will be made aware so that they can support you appropriately. If this exceeds four extensions in one semester, your Programme Director will also be informed.

MARKING PROCESSES

All work has to be assessed by at least one Internal Examiner.
A selection of work is scrutinised by the External Examiner (Please Note: all work can be made available for the External Examiner if required).
All examiners receive a copy of the Assessment Schedule for the programme in September of each academic year. The schedule provides information on:
The name of the person allocated as the first and second Internal Examiners for each of the course units;
Submission dates – this is the date when first markers will be sent the work for scrutiny;
Second Marker date – this is the date when the Second Marker should be sent the scripts for second marking;
The date when the work will be sent to the External Examiner; and
Dates of the Examination Boards.

Please note that the Assessment Schedule, containing dates and deadlines, is provided on the Exams & Assessments section of the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard, so that the assessed work can be presented at the Examination Boards identified on the schedule.

All Examiners receive a copy of the marking criteria. This provides a guide as to how work should be graded, please see the Exams & Assessments section of the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard for a copy of this document.

Marking Units: All marks for credit-bearing assessment must be given as percentages.
Double Marking: The University has a policy for marking, details of which are found in the Manual of Academic Procedures located at http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/map/teachinglearningassessment/assessment/sectionb-thepracticeofassessment/policyonmarking/. In the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, we operate a system of moderation, whereby all scripts are marked by one person and a sample of the scripts are marked by a second person. The exception to this is NURS60046, the Dissertation Course Unit, which is double-marked. Double-marking is where every text is marked independently by two markers.
Resolution of Marks: Programme Committees have procedures whereby differences in marks can be resolved internally by the two markers or by the use of a third marker. In exceptional cases, the External Examiner may be asked to adjudicate and award an agreed mark.
Anonymous Marking: The University has a policy of anonymous marking and anonymity of students at Examination Boards. It is appreciated that some types of assessment employed on Taught Masters Programmes cannot be undertaken anonymously, but Programme Management Teams and Examination Boards follow this policy wherever possible. The Board of Examiners, in consultation with the External Examiner will examine the assessment methods for a programme, and where they are unable to comply with the policy an application must be made to the Graduate Division to ratify any deviation.

FEEDBACK / RETURN OF MARKS

You will be provided with dates for submission of your assignments, practice documents, and examinations by the Unit Lead on commencing the unit.

You will normally receive provisional feedback, based on the Internal Marker’s comments, four to six weeks after submission. This feedback is provisional and subject to confirmation of / by the External Examiner and ratification by the Examination Board. This information will either be posted or emailed to you at your University student account, or uploaded to the Division’s online results system for you to access through Blackboard.

Following External Examiners’ approval and ratification, you will receive the final feedback by post or email to your University student account.
Any student who has failed will be notified in writing of the resubmission date following the ratification of results by the Examination Board.
Any student having failed a part or all of the assessment process for the second time, will automatically be referred to the Progress Committee.
Results cannot be given over the telephone and no tutor / lecturer is permitted to divulge results to you or others.
Tutors / lecturers are the only people who are entitled, on request, to remove examination scripts from the relevant Examination Office. The scripts need to be signed in and signed out by a tutor / lecturer.

Notes

Working days are Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, excluding Bank Holidays.

RE-ASSESSMENTS

A student who fails to satisfy the Examiners in any assessment of taught units may be permitted to resubmit the assessment or retake the examination on one further occasion, up to a maximum of half the taught credits. The student will take this opportunity during the next available University examination period or within a period as published in the Programme Handbook.

Full copies of PGT regulations are available at http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/tlso/map/teachinglearningassessment/teaching/degreeregulations/.

RESIT FEE CHARGES

All students needing to undertake a resit assessment at second attempt may be charged a fee. The full policy and details of fees will be posted on Blackboard prior to the first submission period.

There is no compensation in units with more than 1 summative assessment in Primary Mental Health Care. For more information please see the unit specification.

RATIFICATION OF RESULTS AT AN EXAMINATION BOARD

At designated points in the academic year, each assessment, including practice, is considered by the Board of Examiners, which consists of lecturers, including markers and moderators, External Examiners, and representatives from the clinical practice areas. The meetings are chaired by the Dean (or nominee). No mark or grade is finalised until it has been considered by this committee. Students normally receive marks and grades before they have been returned from the External Examiner and before a meeting of the Board of Examiners; therefore, students should be aware that marks could change after consideration by the Board of Examiners. Any change of marks is exceedingly rare and if it does occur, all the students involved will be informed immediately. If the mark has been changed from a pass grade to a fail grade, and if the student is eligible for a further attempt, an appropriate date for resubmission of the assessment will be given.

EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

External Examiners are individuals from another institution or organisation who monitor the assessment processes of the University to ensure fairness and academic standards. They ensure that assessment and examination procedures have been fairly and properly implemented and that decisions have been made after appropriate deliberation. They also ensure that standards of awards and levels of student performance are at least comparable with those in equivalent higher education institutions.

External Examiners’ reports relating to this programme will be shared with student representatives at the Staff Student Liaison Committee (SSLC)/programme committee/other appropriate forum (specify), where details of any actions carried out by the programme team/School in response to the External Examiners’ comments will be discussed. Students should contact their student representatives if they require any further information about External Examiners’ reports or the process for considering them.

External Examiner for Primary Mental Health Care

Name: Joel Owen
Name of Current Institution: University of East Anglia
Position at Current Institution: Programme Director

Please note that it is inappropriate for students to make direct contact with the External Examiner under any circumstances, in particular with regards to a student’s individual performance in assessments. Other appropriate mechanisms are available for students, including the University’s appeals or complaints procedures and the UMSU Advice Centre. In cases where a student does contact the External Examiner directly, the External Examiner has been requested not to respond to direct queries. Instead, the External Examiner should report the matter to their Division contact who will then contact the student to remind them of the other methods available for students. If students have any queries concerning this, they should contact their Examinations & Assessments Office.

RETAKING A WHOLE PROGRAMME

Students may, in exceptional circumstances, and with prior permission of the Faculty, be allowed to retake the entire programme. In such circumstances, students may re-register only if all outstanding fees have been paid. Fees are payable for the new period of registration.

CHARGES FOR EXTENSIONS TO LENGTH OF PROGRAMME

Students who go beyond the standard programme length and for whom we stop getting funding, will be charged extension tuition fees.

Additional fees will be charged based on the proportion of the Bench Mark Price (as set by SHA) effective at the date when the extension is required.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACADEMIC AWARDS

GRADUATION

A person who has passed the certificate examination shall be deemed to be a graduate of the University from the date of the meeting of Senate at which the relevant examination result was confirmed. Candidates who so wish may be presented for conferment of the certificate at the appropriate ceremony following confirmation of the result.

The names that are printed on the certificate will be the student’s name as recorded in the University student record system and which is printed each year on the registration form. It is important, therefore, for students to check the registration form to ensure that their names are correctly recorded. The name printed on the certificate cannot subsequently be amended without valid proof of the correct name (i.e. birth certificate, passport, etc.) and this service may incur a charge.

Students eligible for graduation are encouraged to check the online student system normally 6 – 8 weeks prior to their ceremony taking place to register their attendance at the ceremony and to request tickets for family / friends.

http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/selfservice/graduation/

ACADEMIC APPEALS, COMPLAINTS, CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE

ACADEMIC APPEALS

Students have a right of appeal against a final decision of an Examination Board, or a progress committee, or a graduate committee or equivalent body which affects their academic status or progress in the University.
Students thinking of appealing should first discuss the matter informally with an appropriate member of staff, in order to better understand the reason for the result or decision.
Should you wish to proceed to a formal appeal, this must be submitted within the timeframe outlined in the Academic Appeals Procedure to the Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team, Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).
The Academic Appeals Procedure (Regulation XIX) and associated documents, including the form on which formal appeals should be submitted, can be found at www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic

STUDENT COMPLAINTS

The University’s Student Complaints Procedure (Regulation XVIII) and associated documents, including a complaints form, can be found at www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic
The University has separate procedures to address complaints of bullying, harassment, discrimination and/or victimisation – see https://www.reportandsupport.manchester.ac.uk/
Students thinking of submitting a formal complaint should, in most instances, attempt informal resolution first (see the procedure). Formal complaints should be submitted on the relevant form to Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team, Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: fbmhappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).

CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS

General University information on the conduct and discipline of students can be found at www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/conductanddisciplineofstudents/
Faculty policies for students on communication, social networking. and drugs and alcohol can be found at:
- http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29039 (Drugs and Alcohol)
- http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29040 (Social Networking)
Information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it can be found at http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/guidance-to-students-on-plagiarism-and-other-forms-of-academic-malpractice/
In accordance with the Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes, ‘All typed summative assessment, including dissertations, should be submitted online and subjected to plagiarism detection software, where appropriate’.

BEHAVIOUR AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

Students are expected to behave in a professional manner when on University premises. Any student demonstrating inappropriate behaviour may be asked to leave the premises. The student may be referred to the Occupational Health Service or to the Progress Committee.

Students are expected to behave in a professional manner when on placement. Any student demonstrating inappropriate behaviour may fail their placement report, may be asked to leave the placement, and will be reported to the University.

Inappropriate behaviours include being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, being rude or aggressive to fellow students or staff, smoking in restricted areas, or putting students’ or staff members’ health and safety at risk.

REGULATION XVII – CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS – www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/conductanddisciplineofstudents/

SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES

The Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health have produced a document that provides advice and guidance for healthcare students about the benefits and potential dangers of social networking and suggests ways in which their personal and professional interests, and those of others, can be protected while in the online environment.

Guidance on Social Networking for Healthcare Students

What is the purpose of this document?

This document provides advice and guidance for healthcare students about the benefits and potential dangers of social networking and suggests ways in which their personal and professional interests, and those of others, can be protected while in the online environment.

What are social networking sites used for?

Social networking is a popular online activity: millions of people of all ages and backgrounds use social networking sites every day, Online social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace are used:

To keep in touch with friends, both in words and through sharing music, video and other types of files (YouTube is also used for sharing videos, and Flickr for sharing images, online).
For educational and professional benefit, through sharing information about the latest developments in treatments and practice, problem-solving, encouraging participation, and community building.
To forge new relationships based on common interests.
To make their views and opinions known.
To take part in discussions on virtually any subject.

People often interact with social networking sites over long periods of time and, occasionally, excessive activity of this nature may have detrimental effects on their work or study.

What is the social networking environment?

It is important to remember that social networking sites are public and therefore, in theory, accessible to anybody. In many cases, ownership of the material posted on them belongs to the site, not the person who posted it, and so sites such as Facebook are free to use it in any way they see fit. Material posted online remains there permanently, if not as part of an active page then as part of easily-accessible ‘cached’, i.e. historical versions

Who visits social networking sites, and why?

Anybody can visit social networking sites and gain access to the information that is uploaded to them. These people include:

Your intended audience, i.e. your friends, colleagues and others, to share information and to keep in touch.
Potential employers, who are, increasingly, using social networking sites to gather information about people who have applied for positions within their organisations.
Criminals, including sexual predators who could use information about you to compromise your safety or wellbeing, and fraudsters, who could steal information about you and impersonate you online, to your potential cost.
The police, as part of investigations into illegal activities.
Professional healthcare bodies such as the General Dental Council, General Medical Council, General Pharmaceutical Council, Health Professions Council, and Nursing & Midwifery Council, who may access information directly or be asked to investigate material referred on to them by other people.
Patients, clients and other service users, who may be looking for healthcare information in general, or for your views and comments in particular. Your professional relationship with your patients, and your career, could be compromised at any time by indiscriminate posting of details about patients or inappropriate information about yourself.

What precautions should be taken when social networking?

The same ethics, morals and penalties apply to online social networking as to any other activity. This is particularly true for heaIthcare students and professionals, who are expected by the University of Manchester, their professional bodies, and by the public generally, to meet the same standards of behaviour both in and out of their professional settings. Healthcare students from Divisions in the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences should therefore conduct themselves appropriately online, and take reasonable precautions to ensure that the information they upload cannot be used in a way that could place them, or others, at a disadvantage, either personally or professionally, now or at any time in the future.

The following pointers may be helpful:

Do everything that you can to limit access to your posts to those for whom they are intended. Change security settings if possible to restrict unwanted access.
Consider the language and terminology that you use when you are online and make sure that it is appropriate.
Avoid posting personal information such as phone numbers or personal addresses, of you or anybody else, since these may fall into the hands of criminals.
Use your common sense. If you feel that a post, a picture, or a video that you are about to upload might have repercussions for you later, or might not be in good taste (e.g. it relates to sexual activity or inappropriate behaviour, or it expresses inappropriate views), then simply do not post it. Once it is online it is there for good.
Make sure you are thinking clearly before you go online. If, for any reason such as the effects of medication, stress or inebriation, your judgement might temporarily be impaired, you may be tempted to post something that you otherwise would not.
Do not post material that might be considered offensive and/or derogatory, that could cause somebody else to feel bullied, harassed, or that could harm somebody’s reputation. If you have a grievance about an individual related to your programme, follow it up through the recognised channels in the Division, Faculty and/or the wider University.
Avoid posting confidential information about patients, clients and service users that could violate professional codes of conduct.
It is imperative that if you post anything about somebody else, including any images of them, it is done with their knowledge and consent. It might seem inoffensive to post images of friends, relatives, staff or other colleagues, but it might easily cause offence that you had not intended or could not have foreseen.
Try to make sure that the people to whom you give access to your information use it sensibly, and also that they themselves do not upload potentially incriminating material about you, which can be just as damaging.
Avoid joining any groups that could be seen as discriminatory or judgemental in nature.

Are there any related policies and guidance in the University?

The University’s Conduct and Discipline of Students (Regulation XVII) document states that a student may be liable to disciplinary action in respect of conduct which, amongst others:

“involves violent, indecent, disorderly, threatening or offensive behaviour or language (whether expressed orally or in writing, including electronically) whilst on University premises or engaged in any University activity” and “involves distributing or publishing a poster, notice, sign or any publication which is offensive, intimidating, threatening, indecent or illegal, including the broadcasting and electronic distribution of such material”.

Regulation XVII also states that:

“the conduct covered (above) shall constitute misconduct if it took place on University property or premises, or elsewhere if the student was involved in a University activity, was representing the University, was present at that place by virtue of his or her status as a student of the University or if the conduct raises questions about the fitness of the student on a programme leading directly to a professional qualification or calling to be admitted to and practise that profession or calling.”

The University of Manchester’s Dignity at Work and Study Policies and Procedures give information about the nature and consequences of acts of misconduct while social networking, such as discrimination, bullying and harassment^[2], and the penalties that they may incur. These policies should be read in conjunction with this guidance. The University’s Dignity at Work Procedure for Students states:

“Any cases of harassment, discrimination and bullying will be taken very seriously by the University and, where necessary the appropriate procedure will be used to investigate complaints. Similar arrangements will be used in dealing with complaints made by members of staff or by visitors to the University.”

“Cases of proven harassment, discrimination or bullying may be treated as a disciplinary offence where it is not possible to reach a compromise or resolution. Some cases of harassment, discrimination or bullying if proven could result in dismissal for staff members or expulsion for students.”

In addition, the University’s A-Z of Student Services states that:

“The University expects its members to treat one another with respect. There are established procedures to use if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the University’s facilities and services, and you are encouraged to use these procedures to bring such matters to the University’s attention. Inappropriate or defamatory comments about either the University or its members in any media (print, broadcast, electronic) contravene the University’s regulations and offenders may be liable to disciplinary action.”

What do the Professional Bodies say?

Professional body codes and guidance also explore the potential consequences of social networking activity:

General Dental Council: ‘Standards for Dental Professionals’

Paragraph 4.2, ‘Protect the confidentiality of patients’ information’:

“(You must) not post any information or comments about patients on social networking or blogging sites. If you use professional social media to discuss anonymised cases for the purpose of discussing best practice you must be careful that the patient or patients cannot be identified. “

Paragraph 9.1, ‘Be trustworthy’:

“(You must) ensure that your conduct, both at work and in your personal life, justifies patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in the dental profession”.

General Medical Council: ‘Good Medical Practice’

Paragraphs 65 to 69, ‘Act with Honesty and Integrity!

“You must make sure that your conduct at all times justifies your patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in the profession”.

“When communicating publicly, including speaking to or writing in the media, you must maintain patient confidentiality. You should remember when using social media that communications intended for friends or family may become more widely available.”

Nursing and Midwifery Council: ‘Your Code of Conduct applies to your Personal Life’

“Nurses, midwives and nursing associates may put their registration at risk, and students may jeopardise their ability to join our register, if they act in any way that is unprofessional or unlawful on social media”.

What conclusions can be drawn from all of this?

If the way you conduct yourself online breaks laws, or goes against the codes of practice set down by your professional healthcare body, then you risk the same penalties as you would in any other setting. These include referral to the Faculty Fitness to Practise Committee and potential damage to your career, fines, and even imprisonment.

HEALTH AND CONDUCT COMMITTEE

Functions of the NMSW Health and Conduct Committee

The overall function of the NMSW Health and Conduct Committee (NMSW H&CC) is to consider matters concerning a student’s conduct and health as directed by both the University of Manchester regulations and policies; for example, attendance, academic malpractice, plagiarism, conduct, and discipline – both inside and outside the campus of the University of Manchester.

The Committee does this by monitoring students’ health, conduct, and discipline issues (including attendance) and determines the consequences and course of action for students in the following scenarios:

Where a report of unprofessional behaviour or unsatisfactory conduct has been received (this may include plagiarism);
Where reports of unsatisfactory attendance have been received;
Where a student’s general health is of concern.

Regulation XX: Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students

The full terms of reference for Health and Conduct Committee can be found in the Postgraduate Student Community area on Blackboard.

Harassment is unwanted conduct that may create the effect (intentionally or unintentionally) of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment which interferes with an individual’s learning, working, or social environment or induces stress, anxiety, or sickness on the part of the harassed person.

Discrimination takes place when an individual or a group of people is treated less favourably than others because of their race, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, status as a civil partner, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other factors unrelated to their ability or potential.

Bullying can be defined as repeated or persistent actions, criticism, or personal abuse, either in public or private, which (intentionally or unintentionally) humiliates, denigrates, undermines, intimidates, or injures the recipient. It should, in particular, be borne in mind that much bullying occurs in the context of a power imbalance between victims and alleged perpetrators.