Postgraduate Certificate in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice
The University of Manchester
School of Health Sciences
Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work Division
Programme Information
2024/25 Academic Year
Version: August 2024
CONTACT INFORMATION
Academic Staff
Anna Beddow
Programme Director
Tel: 0161 2757767
Email: anna.beddow@manchester.ac.uk
Mark Cooper
Lecturer
Tel: 0161 2753931
Email: mark.cooper-2@manchester.ac.uk
Andrew Holt
Lecturer
Tel: 0161 2753939
Email: andrew.holt@manchester.ac.uk
Administrator
Vicki Sargeant
SHS Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Administrator (Programmes and Curriculum)
Email: shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk
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 ranked as the 7th best university in the world at which to study nursing (QS World University Rankings 2023).
Our research excellence was recognised by the results of REF 2021 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.
This handbook is to be read in conjunction with the SHS Student Handbook.
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Welcome to the Postgraduate Certificate in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice, we hope that you very much enjoy the time on the programme and we are here to support you in any way that we can.
Postgraduate Certificate in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice
The Postgraduate Certificate in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice comprises of 4, 15 credit compulsory units, a practice placement and a portfolio. The portfolio is the evidence of competence. It is marked as a pass or fail and is zero credit rated. In order to pass the Practice portfolio, students must meet all the requirements and competencies outlined in the Practice Learning Handbook and be deemed competent by their Practice Educator. Once all 4 course units, and the practice portfolio have been passed the student then will be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice is approved by Social Work England. This is the qualification which enables you to be eligible to be approved by a local authority as an AMHP.
Overall Understanding of the Programme
To become an effective Approved Mental Health Professional it is necessary to have a high level of knowledge and understanding about mental health problems. It is also necessary to be knowledgeable about the kinds of treatments that are available, how these are delivered to service users, and what their effects and outcomes are likely to be. It is essential that you are able to make complex decisions that are legally literate and place human rights at the centre of your practice. It is essential that you are able to identify and challenge discrimination in the course of carrying out your role as an AMHP.
The Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) is the final decision maker in a process that can ultimately lead to the detention of a person in hospital and for that person to be given treatment for against their wishes. International convention and legal precedent demand that such far-reaching powers should be counter-balanced by appropriate legal safeguards to ensure the individual’s human rights are respected.
In deciding whether to make an application for detention, the AMHP has to balance a person’s autonomy and rights to freedom from interference by the state against the identified risks arising from their current condition.
The teaching on the Certificate is devoted to these vitally important issues, and is backed up by supervised practice within the employing agencies. The Approved Mental Health Professional must be able to work well with professionals from other disciplines, and our programme is committed to promoting the highest standards of multi-disciplinary practice. The multi-disciplinary approach permeates all our teaching and is an explicit feature of each of the programme’s teaching units.
Degree Regulations
Further information can be found within the SHS handbook here.
The following guidance should be read in conjunction with the regulations policy document.
Criteria for Awards
Award Postgraduate Certificate
To obtain a Postgraduate Certificate in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice the student must have accrued 60 Credits.
As specified in the exemptions, the awards of Postgraduate Certificate degrees are based upon credit accumulation using a pass mark of 50% for which there is no classification other than pass/fail.
Exit Awards
Exit awards are available for students who do not satisfy the criteria for the programme they are registered on or who need to exit the programme early due to unforeseen circumstances.
- If the Student successfully completes all of the 4 units (accruing 60 Credits), but not the Practice Portfolio, the student can exit with a Postgraduate Certificate in Critical Approaches to Mental Health Theory. This certificate does not enable you to be approved as an AMHP.
- To be considered for a PG Certificate Approved Mental Health Professional Practice (60 credits; exit) students must have accrued 60 credits across the programme and pass the Practice Portfolio.
Please note the pass mark for course units making up the Postgraduate Certificate exit awards is 50%.
Compensation
Compensated credit is not permitted on the Postgraduate Certificate (Approved Mental Health Professional Practice and Critical Approaches to Mental Health Theory). This means that you have to pass all of the taught units. The pass mark is 50%, except for the practice portfolio where it is pass or fail.
Reassessment
Where the overall unit mark is below the pass mark (50%) reassessment may be taken.
Students may be referred in up to half of the total taught credits. The combined total number of credits referred cannot exceed half the taught credits.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
The Units
More details on each module, can be found on our website:
The delivery of the teaching is currently predominantly face to face, on campus.
Practice Learning for the Postgraduate Certificate in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice
See The Practice Learning Handbook for details.
Further details can also be found on our website for the Practice Portfolio (AMHP).
STUDENT PROGRESS AND ASSESSMENT
Personal Details
It is important that the Students ensure that the Programme is provided with up-to-date home and work addresses. It is also the responsibility of the Student to notify other relevant University offices of any change of address.
Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students
The teaching day is 9.30am – 4.30pm with breaks throughout.
You are required to attend all of the taught element of the course and to actively engage with your academic advisor, 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.
Students who have a less than 80% attendance for their lectures (i.e. they have missed more than 1 day) can be refused the opportunity to complete the assessment.
If you are encountering issues or difficulties the sooner that we know the sooner we can address them. Please get in touch with your academic advisor or with Anna Beddow the programme director and we will work together to find a solution.
Attendance at all placement days is mandatory. Any days not attended must be replaced to achieve the threshold of fifty days. If the student is absent from placement this must be reported to both the academic advisor and the placement. This will be checked at mid placement stage.
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.
Management of Assessments
Assessed work will be marked anonymously therefore don’t forget to include your student number within your assignment and within the uploading title. See appendix 1 for additional information regarding the grading structure.
Only ONE document can be uploaded for submission therefore students MUST ensure they submit the correct one, as substitutes will NOT be allowed.
For any student who has cited throughout their summative assessment submission but failed to provide a reference list, the assessment will be marked, following which a 10% reduction will be applied by the marker. A comment will be provided by the marker, in the feedback, noting the lack of a reference list.
Pre-recorded Presentation Assessments
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.
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.
External Examiners
The External Examiners for this Programme are:
Name: Aga Buckley
Institution: Kingston University London
Position: Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Social Care
Name: Kelly Alexander
Institution: University of Brighton
Position: Senior Lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Science
STUDENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE
HOW WE WILL SUPPORT YOU
As a programme team we know that undertaking AMHP training can be a challenge and can be stressful at times.
We have developed skills and expertise specific to your training and so are happy to offer individual support for you to complete the programme not only competently but happily also.
We work to an open door policy be that the actual doors to our offices or our virtual doors, and we want you to be in touch with us when the need arises and we will respond as quickly as possible.
We will offer you a minimum of two tutorials for each semester, but please don’t feel you have to wait for scheduled meetings to be in touch. Email, phone, teams, zoom and of course face to face meetings are all options.
Study Days
It is recommended that students are given adequate study time and be offered appropriate supervision and guidance throughout the programme. Students are permitted 2 Study Days per unit, as per the Employment Support Form, signed by the student and their employer.
Graduation
Further information can be found within the SHS handbook here.
Due to submission deadlines of final works for the majority of students, records will be presented at the September / November Board of Examiners and students will be invited to join the December Graduation Ceremony in Manchester.
Student Feedback
We aim to take feedback both formally and informally in a variety of ways to improve the student experience. We will discuss this more fully in induction.
A full list of student services can also be found at: A-Z of Student Services
Please be aware that it is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the academic policies, procedures and guidelines governing the University of Manchester’s postgraduate taught courses.
PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT
Further information can be found within the SHS handbook here.
The Programme Director is Anna Beddow and she has the day-to-day responsibility for the management and administration of the Programme. The Staff involved in the functioning of the Programme meet regularly for Staff Group meetings, and all staff and students are encouraged to contribute suggestions and comments at any time in the Programme.
The Programme Management Committee
The Programme Management Committee will be composed of the Programme Director, members of Academic Staff from the course and representatives of Health and Social Service agencies who are funding Students on the Programme. The Committee aims to have input from service users and carers and students. . The Programme Management Committee is responsible for:
- Overall management of the Programme
- Reviewing the Programme Structure, Curriculum Content, Professional Practice and Teaching Methods
- Monitoring, maintaining and enhancing standards of the Programme. Ensuring that the Programme is responsive to any changing internal or external requirements
- Maintaining effective partnership with employers in the organisation and delivery of the Programme
- Establishing and overseeing the Programme Examination Board.
- Receiving, considering and responding to feedback from: Students, External Examiners, Employers and Service Users and Carers
- Day-to-day management of Student affairs and contacts
- The External Examiner’s Report will be discussed at the Programme Management Committee. The Committee meets twice per annum, with extra meets as appropriate.
The Professional Practice (Agency Coordinators)
All funding agencies will be asked to nominate a member of staff with responsibility for Mental Health training to be a member of the coordinators group. This group is chaired by the Programme Director. Whilst each employing agency is responsible for the Professional Practice arrangements for their own students/employees, the coordinators group reviews common arrangements and concerns.
Standards and consistency between employers in Professional Practice placements
Ensuring that Employers understand and implement the requirements for Professional Practice.
The Coordinators group normally meets three times per annum.
Confidentiality of Students
For those students training as AMHPs, and who are seconded to this by their Agency and with their Agency practice support, there must be an open dialogue between University, Agency and Student. The dialogue must be transparent and issues of concern shared with all parties on a need to know basis.
APPENDIX
Appendix 1 – Postgraduate Marking
The aim is to complete your marking within 15 working days. The marks are posted on TurnitinUK. However, the marks have to be ratified by an Academic Board. All assignments are marked once. All fails, those above 70% and all borderlines plus 10% of the rest are double marked.
Marking is anonymous
The External Examiner sees all fails, firsts, plus 10% of all the assignments marked.
| BAND | MARKING CRITERIA |
| 90%-100% | EXCELLENT (allows award of Distinction)
Exceptional work, nearly or wholly faultless for that expected at Masters level. |
| 80%-89% | EXCELLENT (allows award of Distinction)
Work of excellent quality throughout. |
| 70%-79% | EXCELLENT (allows award of Distinction)
Work of very high to excellent quality showing originality, high accuracy, thorough understanding, critical appraisal, and very good presentation. Shows a wide and thorough understanding of the material studied and the relevant literature and the ability to apply the theory and methods learned to solve unfamiliar problems. |
| 60%-69% | GOOD PASS
Work of good to high quality showing evidence of understanding of a broad range of topics, good accuracy, good structure and presentation, and relevant conclusions. Shows a good knowledge of the material studied and the relevant literature and some ability to tackle unfamiliar problems. |
| 50%-59% | PASS
Work shows a clear grasp of relevant facts and issues and reveals an attempt to create a coherent whole. It comprises reasonably clear and attainable objectives, adequate reading and some originality. |
| 40%-49% | FAIL , POTENTIALLY COMPENSATABLE
Work shows a satisfactory understanding of the important programme material and basic knowledge of the relevant literature but with little or no originality and limited accuracy. Shows adequate presentation skills with clear but limited objectives, and does not always reach a conclusion. |
| 30%-39% | FAIL,
Work shows some understanding of the main elements of the programme material and some knowledge of the relevant literature. Shows a limited level of accuracy with little analysis of data or attempt to discuss its significance. |
| 20%-29% | FAIL
Little relevant material presented. Unclear or unsubstantiated arguments with very poor accuracy and understanding. |
| 0-19% | CLEAR FAIL
Work of very poor quality containing little or no relevant information. |