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Training programme to meet the medical needs of adults with a learning disability

Health Education England (HEE) commissioned the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) to undertake the development of a training programme to meet the medical needs of adults with a learning disability. The training programme has been developed and will be delivered with the input of experts by experience. Successful completion of two 30 credit modules will result in a post graduate certificate in Medical Practice in Adult Learning Disability through Edge Hill University.

Funded places are still available – closing date extended to Friday 15 December.

Who is this for?

The PG Cert has been designed for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals working at a senior level and caring for people with a learning disability within their role to add to their skillset and to address a number of cross-cutting themes that will enable practitioners to provide high quality, person-centred care for adults with a learning disability.

Successful completion of the modules aims to enable learners to champion good care and provide clinical leadership in their workplace setting(s); for example, enabling practitioners to work as a Physician/Practitioner role with a special interest Learning Disability.

Funded places will be allocated on a first come first served basis and to aid in ensuring a geographical spread of learners.

How will learners study?

This is a university certificate level training programme consisting of two modules of 30 credits each and takes 15 months to complete. The first module is clinical and workplace based and assessed in the workplace. The second module is academic and assessed by writing up a service development or audit. Participation requires attendance at teaching sessions, extensive reading, clinical experience with assessment and regular input to a learning electronic portfolio.

Applicants must identify a clinical tutor to support them through the training programme. Their role will be to guide the learner to find local learning experiences and enable achievement of the learning outcomes. The clinical tutor will need to meet with the learner at least three times during the first six month module and will be responsible for writing a final report outlining the learner’s overall progress and confirming whether the learner has completed the requirements.

How will learners be assessed?

To demonstrate achievement of the module learning outcomes learners will have to complete two assessments.

The first assessment requires the submission of a portfolio of evidence of meeting the requirements of an assessment decision aid. This will require learners to undertake a minimum of three mini-CEX, three case-based discussions (CBD), multisource feedback including patient/carer feedback and reflections.

You will also be required to submit four critical reflections of personal professional development episodes linked to key patient-doctor interactions, including one reflection based upon patient and carer feedback.

Study dates and venues

Induction day and tutorial 1 (in person at the Spine):

  • Monday 5 February 9:30am – 12:30pm, 1–4pm

Tutorials (online):

  • Tutorial 2: Tuesday 5 March, 1-4pm
  • Tutorial 3: Tuesday 16 April, 1-4pm
  • Tutorial 4: Tuesday 14 May, 1-4pm
  • Tutorial 5: Tuesday 11 June, 1-4pm
  • Tutorial 6: Tuesday 9 July, 1-4pm

How to apply

Application for this module is via Edge Hill University. Applicants should download and complete the form provided below and then upload this document as part of their Edge Hill application.

Applications close at 4pm on Friday 15 December 2023. Find out more and apply now.

If you have any questions please contact credential@rcp.ac.uk

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time commitment?

The first module assumes approximately 300 hours of learning divided between self-study, observation, participation with relevant clinical teams, taught sessions, workplace-based learning and assessments. This will be completed over a period of six months. The module starts in February and there will be an initial full day induction session in person at the RCP Spine building in Liverpool on Monday 5 February 2024. This induction day will include the first tutorial; the remaining tutorials (5 x 3hr tutorials) will be delivered online.

The second module will begin in September 2024 and will require you to identify an area of need in the care delivered to people with a learning disability and or autism and develop a project around your identified area of need and provide recommendations for practice improvement. There will be online tutorials to support you.