This programme provides
professionals working in the field of
Health Protection and Patient Safety
with the key knowledge and skills
required in order to be able to function
effectively. It offers core generic
components as well as options designed
to enable participants to tailor the
programme to their own specific needs.
Getting Ahead of the Curve published in
2002 set out the government's strategy
for combating infectious diseases and
managing health protection through the
Health Protection Agency. Getting Ahead
of the Curve proposed an infectious
diseases strategy to combat the present
and possible future threats to health
from infections. The report also
included a wider health protection focus
on non-infectious environmental hazards.
This master’s level programme has been
developed accordingly to reflect this
new orientation to health protection and
patient safety.
The programme is delivered primarily by
the staff and associates of the Richard
Wells Research Centre. Infection
prevention and control remains a key
government priority and the Richard
Wells Research Centre is a significant
contributor to the underpinning research
programme and national initiatives to
provide appropriate education programmes
for different groups of staff within the
National Health Service (NHS) and
private sector. In addition to
developing and maintaining the national
evidence-based infection prevention
guidelines, the RWR is the only
nurse-led research centre that
undertakes systematic reviews in this
area. The Centre currently hosts the
Department of Health national healthcare
associated infection research network
and, as such, is the key player in
developing the national research agenda.
The programme is
delivered over two years; comprises a
mix of six core and two optional Level
7, 20-credit (except where indicated)
modules and consists of three parts:
Year 1
1. Pg Cert in
Health Protection and Patient Safety (60
credits)
Core modules:
- Epidemiology and Biostatics (1)
- Social and Policy Implications of
Health Protection and Patient Safety
plus one of the
optional modules:
- T he Prevention and Management of
Infection Transmission
- Sexual Health
- Modern Plagues.
2. Pg Dip in Health Protection
and Patient Safety (60 credits)
Core modules:
- Epidemiology and Biostatics (2)
- Improving Patient and Population
Safety
plus one of the following optional modules:
- Modern Plagues
- Service Design and Improvement
(30 credits).
Year 2
3. MSc in
Health Protection and Patient Safety (60
credits)
Core modules:
- Negotiated Work-based Learning
- Dissertation (40 credits)
These two final modules give you the
opportunity to focus on a specific
aspect of particular relevance to you.
For more
detail on the modules click here
Entry criteria
You will need:
- a first degree or equivalent professional
qualification.
- to be currently working in a health
protection/patient safety related role, and
- normally have minimum of two years full
time professional experience.
If you do not have a first degree or
equivalent, you are still encouraged to
apply. In such cases, you are required to:
- complete a questionnaire which maps
your experience to SEEC Level 6 learning
outcomes and;
- present evidence, e.g., an essay,
report, publication to demonstrate your
potential for studying at Masters level,
again mapped against level 6 criteria.
Competence in written and spoken English is
a pre-requisite for entrance and an IELTS
(International and English Language Testing
System) score of 6.5 or equivalent is the
minimum standard required.
Entry skills
You will be used to working with a
significant level of autonomy; often within
multidisciplinary teams and will have
developed effective, appropriate
interpersonal and problem solving skills
related to your role. Upon entering the
programme you will have achieved competence
in the academic skills associated with first
degree level work, including the ability to
critically reflect on your own professional
role.
Teaching methods
The programme uses a ‘blended’ mode of
delivery which combines both face to face
teaching and learning with online e-learning
strategies. This approach has been adopted
because it reduces the need to take time out
of busy work schedules to attend
face-to-face sessions but still allows for
face-to-face interaction where educationally
indicated. It also gives participants
opportunities to meet other health
protection professionals.
Regardless of the mode of delivery, a wide
range of teaching methods is used including:
- lectures
- workshops
- discussion
- independent study/activity.
Learning materials
You will be given a Programme Handbook at
the start of the programme and all of the
modules use the Blackboard Virtual Learning
Environment to provide resources such as
module study guides, timetables, session
handouts and a means of communication with
module leaders and peers. Some modules
additionally use Blackboard to deliver
online learning activities. Access to an
internet-ready computer is therefore an
essential prerequisite for the programme.
Work experience available
You should be working in an area related to
infection prevention or health protection.
Student support
You will be offered tutorial support
throughout the programme as required. There
are also various other services available to
TVU students such as the counselling service
and the special needs support which you will
be able to access if you wish. Further
information on these services will be
provided at the start of the programme.
Coursework
Each module in the programme will have an
assessment which will test your achievement
of the learning outcomes. There are a
variety of assessments and they have been
designed to enable you to relate the
programme content to your professional role
and to foster useful transferable skills.
Assessments include:
- folders of evidence
- interpretation of data sets
- designing epidemiological studies
- critical evaluation
- situational analysis
- exploration of specific issues
- reflection on practice
- policy review
- report writing
- production of a dissertation.
Career progression
This programme will provide you with the
professional skills associated with roles
such as:
- Director of Infection Prevention and
Control
- Consultant Nurse
- Service Manager
- Patient Safety Advisor
- Risk Manager
- Teaching and Research
- Specialist Practitioner.
