revalidated programme
Overview of new course structure and practice learning

A combined programme that aims to develop practitioners to meet the current and future health and social care needs of individuals with a learning disability, while still maintaining a Generic Social Work focus.
2

BA (Hons) Applied Nursing (Learning Disability) and
Generic Social Work
The planned programme meets the requirements of the two professional bodies:
• General Social Care Council (GSCC)
• Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Development of the programme followed consultation with service users (‘Partners in
Learning’), practitioners, students and academic staff from nursing and social work.

• A radical decision
• Integration throughout
• Re-consideration of practice learning
• Location of social work practice learning
• Inter professional education (IPE) integrated and underpins developing content of the joint programme

Services have increasingly been provided by joint agencies ( social services, health services, voluntary services and private enterprise.
• To produce practitioners who will work effectively and in partnership with people with a learning disability, their family, friends and service providers.
• Places the person with a learning disability/service users at the centre of all pertinent themes and will be core teachers and facilitators. Their experiences will be central to enlightening the students to issues that are important to them.
• This course draws on both social and health perspectives to build the depth and breadth of knowledge and skills required to enhance the lifestyles of people with a learning disability.

GSCC
• 200 days of assessed social work practice and at least
• 200 days (1, 200 hours) of structured academic learning.
NMC
4600 hours
Requirements 50%
Theory –
50%Practice
• Theory 2300 hours
• Practice 2300 hours
6

Social Work
•
•
The National
Occupational
Standards for Social
Work (Topss UK
Partnership 2002)
Standards of
Proficiency for preregistration nursing
Education (NMC
2004)
Key roles – Units elements and performance criteria
• Outcomes for progression to
Branch
• Standards of proficiency leading to registration

All social workers will learn and be assessed on:
• Law and Policy
• Partnership working
• Communication skills
• Assessment Planning Intervention and Review
(APIR)
• Human Growth and Development
• Mental Health and Disability.

• Care, Compassion and Communication
• Organisational aspects of Care
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Nutrition and Fluid Management
• Medicines Management

Level Four Modules
• Using Knowledge and Evidence to Support Study and Practice 10
• Introduction to Interprofessional Practice 10
• Foundations of Proficiency in Practice (PLE 1) 15
• Foundations of Proficiency in Practice (PLE 2) 15
• Foundation Studies for Health and Social Care 30
• Foundation Sciences for Health and social care 30

Level Five Modules
• Developments in Learning Disability Practice 30
• Practical application of the law for health and social care practice 10
• Developing Proficiency in Practice Placement Learning Experience
(3) 20
• Developing Proficiency in Practice Placement Learning
Experience(4) 30
• Using and Evaluating Evidence to Inform Practice 10
• Developing Collaborative Practice
20

Level Six Modules
• Generating and Evaluating Evidence for Practice 30
• Organisation and Service Delivery 20
• Practical application of the law for health and social care practice
(2) 10
• Achieving Proficiency in Practice. Practice Learning
Experience 5 40
• Capable Collaborative Worker 20

BA(Hons)Applied Nursing(Learning Disability and
Generic Social Work
Year 1 Level 4
CFP (Nursing) and Generic
Social Work)
Semester 1
• IPE (Evidence) (10)
Year 2 Level 5
LD Branch and Generic Social
Work))
Semester 1
• IPE (Evidence) (10)
Semester 2
• IPE (Collaboration) (10)
Semester 2
• IPE (Collaboration) (20)
Semester 1 & 2
•
Readiness to Practice and
Safeguarding(Learning
Disability) (10)
• Foundations of Proficiency in
Practice PLE(1)((10)
• Foundations of Proficiency in
Practice PLE(2)((20)
• Foundation Studies for
Health and Social Care (30)
•
Foundation Sciences for
Health and Social care (30)
Certificate in Supportive
Care(Learning Disability)
Semester 1& 2
•
Developing Proficiency in Practice
PLE3(20)
• Developing Proficiency in Practice
PLE4(30)
•
Developments in Learning
Disability Practice(30)
• Practical Application of the Law(1)
(10)
Diploma in Supportive Care
(Learning Disability)
Year 3 Level 6
LD Branch & Generic Social
Work)
• Achieving Proficiency in
Practice PLE5(40)
•
Organisations and Service
Delivery (20)
• Practical Application of the
Law(2) (10)
•
IPE (Evidence) (20)
•
IPE (Collaboration) (30)
BA ( Hons ) Applied Nursing and
Social Work
13

Year 1
 PLE 1 - 40 days social work /320 hours nursing.
Experiential Placement .

PLE2 - 400 hours nursing placement.
Year 2
 PLE 3 - 60 days social work/480 hours nursing
Generic Social Work experience
 PLE 4 - 320 hours nursing practice.
Complex Needs.
Year 3
 PLE 5 - 100 days Social work/800 hours nursing practice. Integrated placement.

Learning is based on exploring ‘holistic’ care for service users and their families.
Aim - To gain an understanding of the perspective of the person with a learning disability & of life as they experience it, rather than the perspective of a profession or agency.
• The students will gain competence in key roles/units for social work & nursing outcomes e.g. communication.
15

The 2 nd placement of year one will focus predominantly on achieving outcomes for nursing and requires a more health focused/nursing placement.
16

The 1st placement requires a generic social work placement where the student gains experience with a client group different to learning disability.
The social work key roles/units are mapped to nursing standards of proficiency and transferable skills demonstrated.
17

• The 2 nd placement requires a learning disability heath/nursing focus. The aim is for the student to develop their experience in working with people with more complex needs, this may be for e.g. people with profound multiple disabilities,those identified as having challenging needs or mental health needs.
18

The aim is to consolidate joint practitioner skills in nursing & social work and develop leadership, management skills and autonomous practice.
There is one integrated placement whereby the students develop their knowledge & skills to achieve social work key roles/units and nursing standards of proficiency/essential skills.
19

Learning disability branch of nursing mentor / practice teacher (overseeing mentor)
(due regard)
(specialist skills)
Confirmation of additional skills (Due regard)
Interpretation
Social Care
Worker (SW)
(Specialist placement supervisor additional specialist skills)
[DIFFERENT
PROFESSION]
CONFIRMATION OF OVERALL
PROFICIENCY
(with due regard) of student
JKC/NC/09 20

Mandatory content / hours meet all GSCC
Benchmarks, NMC Standards and QAA
Benchmarks.
21

• National Occupational Standards for Social
Work (GSCC)
• Standards of Proficiency for pre-registration nursing Education (NMC 2004)
• Essential Skills Clusters (ESCs) for Nursing
• Department of Health Core Requirements
(2002) for Social Work
• NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher
Education Social work and nursing subject benchmark statements also mapped
Social work Subject
Benchmark
Statements (2008)
Benchmark Statement for Health Care programmes/nursing
Phase 1 (2001)
Nursing and
Midwifery Council
(NMC)

– The Traffic Light System
– Partnership Working
– Personal Tutor system
– The Placement Team
– Practice Learning Alliance
– The Link Lecturer
– Lead Link Lecturer
– Mentors/sign off mentors, Practice Assessors
– Learning Environment Managers
– Disability Support