PGCert Primary Mental Health Care

Welcome to the Engagement and Assessment of patients with common mental health problems (E&A unit). This unit aims to equip you to 'assess and support people with common mental health problems in the self- management of their recovery. To do so you 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. You need to have knowledge and competence to be able to apply these in a range of different assessment formats and settings. 

You will develop your knowledge of the evidence-based therapeutic options available for common mental health disorders and learn to communicate this knowledge in a clear and unambiguous way so that people can make informed treatment choices, within and beyond NHS Talking Therapies services. In addition, you will develop your knowledge of the COM-B behaviour change model and how this can inform choice of goals and interventions. This unit will, therefore, equip you with a good understanding of the incidence, prevalence and presentation of common mental health problems and evidence-based treatment choices. Skills teaching will develop your core ‘common factors’ competencies of active listening, engagement, alliance building, patient- centred information gathering, information giving and shared decision making. You will need to understand the benefits to patients of the NHS Talking Therapies metrics and be able to use the NHS Talking Therapies national outcomes monitoring system (which includes session-by-session symptom measures). We have structured this unit in a way that we think will help your academic and clinical development in a systematic and constructive way.

This unit, in addition to the 'Evidence-based Low-intensity Treatment for Common Mental Health Disorders' and the 'Values, Diversity and Context' units must all be completed successfully to qualify as a PWP.

• To develop knowledge and competence in undertaking a range of patient centred assessments to identify the main areas of concern relevant to the assessment undertaken.  
• To develop the ability to engage patients and establish an appropriate relationship whilst gathering information in a collaborative manner 
• To develop 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. 
• To develop knowledge of a behaviour change framework to inform shared planning and decision making with a patient. 

Skills based competencies will be learnt through a combination of clinical simulation in small groups working intensively under close supervision with peer and tutor feedback and supervised practice through supervised direct contact with patients in the workplace. Knowledge will be learnt through a combination of lectures, seminars, discussion groups, guided reading and independent study. Self-directed study will include review of video library and web-based resources with examples of assessment sessions and clinical demonstrations of specific techniques.

• 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.
• 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.
• Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and competence in using the COM-B behaviour change model to identify intervention goals and choice of appropriate interventions. 
• 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.

• 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. 
• Demonstrate competence in clinical decision making in terms of choosing the appropriate pathway for a service user after assessment.

• 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).
• 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. 
• 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.
• 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. 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. 
• Demonstrate the ability to set agreed goals for treatment which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART). 
• Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in giving evidence-based information about treatment choices and in making shared decisions with patients. 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. 
• Demonstrate competence in understanding the service user's attitude to a range of mental health treatments including prescribed medication and evidence-based psychological treatments.

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.

Standardised role play-problem focussed assessment pass/refer

Written Assignment- Essay 100%

Practice Assessment Document Pass/refer

From the outset you will continuously receive verbal and written feedback from peers and staff working on the programme as you develop the knowledge and skills required to deliver an assessment which incorporates all the key clinical components.  

Individual tutorials are scheduled where further feedback can be received and discussed with your Academic Advisor.  The tutorial is an important opportunity to review your progress with the training to inform information shared with your employing/host service.

Books / Journals Bennett-Levy, J., 2006. Therapist skills: A cognitive model of their acquisition and refinement. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 34(1), pp.57-78. Jasper, M., Rosser, M. and Mooney, G. (2013) Professional Development, Reflection and Decision-Making in Nursing and Healthcare. UK; John Wiley & Sons Ltd. eISBN-13: 9781118303269 Kellett, S., Simmonds-Buckley, M., Limon, E., Hague, J., Hughes, L., Stride, C. and Millings, A., 2020. Defining the assessment and treatment competencies to deliver low-intensity cognitive behavior therapy: A multi-center validation study. Behavior Therapy. Kim, H.S., 1999. Critical reflective inquiry for knowledge development in nursing practice. Journal of advanced nursing, 29(5), pp.1205-1212. Langberg, E.M., Dyhr, L. and Davidsen, A.S., (2019). Development of the concept of patient-centredness–A systematic review. Patient education and counselling. Mead, N. & Bower, P. (2002) Patient Centred Consultations & outcomes in primary care: a review of the literatur

PWP accreditation British Psychological Society https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologists/accreditation/education-providers PWP review https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/research/clinical-educational-and-health-psychology/research-groups/core/psychological-wellbeing Five Areas Approach http://www.fiveareas.com/about-the-five-areas-approach/ IAPT workbooks and resources by CEDAR (University of Exeter) https://cedar.exeter.ac.uk/iapt/iaptinterventions/ IAPT Low Intensity resources by UEA (University of East Anglia): https://www.uea.ac.uk/medicine/departments/psychological-sciences/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-training/iapt-and-cbt-resources/iapt-low-intensity-cbt-training-and-resources Guided Self-Help Booklets by TalkPlus: https://www.talkplus.org.uk/guidedselfhelp