BSc Speech and Language Therapy / Course details

This course unit runs across both semesters of the third and final year of study. The unit includes six weeks of block clinical placement learning in the final six weeks of semester two. Final placement learning therefore commences following the completion of all other course units.

The course unit will prepare students for the supervised clinical practice required during their third and final block clinical placement and will provide students with the knowledge and skills to fulfil the role and responsibilities of a newly qualified speech and language therapist. Students will further develop an awareness of their practice in context through clinical placement learning.

The unit aims to:

• Enable students to demonstrate the roles and responsibilities for effective practice as a speech and language therapist and to prepare them for the workplace on qualification.
• Enable students to employ enhanced communication and emerging leadership skills.
• To enable students to consolidate what they have learnt, both academically and clinically, and for this to inform thinking regarding the reality of practice as a speech & language therapist.
• Ensure students are embedding professional standards as defined by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) into their professional and clinical practice.
• Ensure students compile evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) in their Professional Clinical Portfolio.

Students will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• Apply appropriate clinical skills and critical evaluation to identify the best care at each stage of the client journey, recognising differences from the standard approach. This may involve concepts of co-morbidity and multiple care pathways and packages of care.
• Critically evaluate and apply a range of therapy approaches which have been shown to be effective through rigorous research to form evidence-based practice.
• Critically evaluate and routinely apply recognised frameworks to evaluate the client's baseline needs and outcome of therapy in relation to speech, language and communication disorders and dysphagia. These may include the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (World Health Organisation, 2001), Therapy Outcome Measures (Enderby, 2006) or Care Aims (Malcomess, 2005).
• Demonstrate an awareness of legal and professional responsibilities when working in the NHS, supporting vulnerable people as an autonomous healthcare professional with emerging leadership responsibilities.
• Demonstrate awareness of the contemporary issues affecting speech and language therapy, including expectations of transformational leadership, and have clear expectations of an SLT service employer in terms of service delivery, clinical support and continuing professional development.

Intellectual skills

• Identify and evaluate evidence relating to client care using recognised sources such as the What Works? database and applying methods and approaches to clinical practice.
• Demonstrate social and cultural awareness, adapting their clinical practice to accommodate differences and needs of others.
• Profile the client's speech, language and communication skills and/or dysphagia, relating this to diagnosis, prognosis and appropriate support and therapy.
• Relate the client's profile and needs to the team around the child or adult and parent(s)/carers in a format suitable to the person's level of understanding and demonstrating strong clinical leadership skills.
• Use reflective practice to constantly improve their own clinical and leadership skills and collect evidence of this in a Professional Clinical Portfolio.

Practical skills

• Use knowledge of normative data, a range of supportive techniques and evidence-based therapy to identify, plan care and select appropriate treatments for clients with speech, language and communication disorders and/or dysphagia.
• Use a range of communication styles and / or modalities to interact, support and intervene with clients, their carers and the wider team of professionals, showing leadership.
• Compare, contrast and apply evidence-based therapeutic approaches in real clinical contexts, taking into consideration resources and the needs of the client and carers.
• Understand and apply the concept of optimal treatment intensity to ensure the best outcomes for the client.
• Use concise and accurate written language skills to present clinical information in the format of a report which is accessible for professional and lay audiences.
• Apply professional standards for a speech and language therapist, including conduct, ethics and performance to prepare the student for the work place.
• Care planning, including the ability to discuss appropriate therapy aims with the client and incorporate evidence-based practice.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

• Prepare and deliver an oral presentation to effectively communicate information, analysis and reasoning.
• To accurately demonstrate their skills and knowledge in a personal statement and effectively prepare for job interviews.
• Demonstrate ability to exercise professional autonomy and accountability as emerging leaders in sound healthcare practice.

Learning and teaching processes will include UoM SLT simulation clinics facilitated by clinical educators, and tutor led lectures and placement preparation/de-briefs, direct clinical experience with practice educator supervision and directed and self-directed individual independent learning.

Independent learning will include completion of documentation for an online Professional Clinical Portfolio and online leadership materials.

1. Maintenance of a Professional Clinical Portfolio including: reflective documents, clinical skills development activities, student-Practice Educator mid-placement review and end of placement report (including Practice Educator assessment of the student’s clinical competencies*) (30%)
2. Client case presentation and viva (1000 word case summary, 45 minutes presentation, 70%)

NB: Practice Educator assessment of 'COMPETENT' in all areas must be achieved as a requirement for the awarding of course unit credits. No compensable fail mark will be available for this course unit.

Practice educator written feedback on clinical skills will be provided in the form of student-practice educator mid-placement review and end of placement report.

Individual, detailed tutor written feedback will be provided on Professional Clinical Portfolios including personal statements.

A mark and individual, detailed tutor written feedback will be provided and following the client case presentation examination and viva.

Throughout the unit, verbal practice educator and clinical educator/ facilitator feedback will be provided. During UoM SLT simulation clinics students will have opportunity to discuss their clinical reasoning with peers and their clinical educator/ facilitator and actively reflect on their learning.

Communication Trust (2015). What Works? Communication Trust. Available at: http://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/whatworks

Health and Care Professions Council (2010). Guidance on conduct and ethics for students. London: Health and Care Professions Council. Available at: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10002C16Guidanceonconductandethicsforstudents.pdf

Health and Care Professions Council (2010). Standards of proficiency - Speech and language therapists. London: Health and Care Professions Council. Available at: http://www.hcpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10000529Standards_of_Proficiency_SLTs.pdf

University of Manchester (2015) Code of professional conduct and fitness to practise for healthcare students. Manchester: University of Manchester. Available at: http://www.psych-sci.manchester.ac.uk/sltsp/guidance/CodeOfPractice.doc

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (Forthcoming). Communicating Quality Live. Professional standards for speech and language therapist. London: Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. Available at: www.rcslt.org 

World Health Organisation (2001) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Available at: http://www.who.int/classifications/icf/en/