Primary Care MSc (University of Wolverhampton)

Module aims:
This module focuses on developing advanced skills in managing difficult conversations, fostering interprofessional teamwork, and utilising digital communication tools to improve patient outcomes and health literacy. This module aims to enhance students' proficiency in effective communication, patient-centred consultations, and collaborative practices within primary care.

Module content:

• Effective communication models
• Patient-centred consultations (Patient-centred clinical methods)
• Managing difficult conversations
• Collaborative care and interprofessional teams
• Health literacy and patient education
• Digital communication and telehealth

Module outcomes:

1. Critically evaluate and synthesise evidence-based communication models to effectively manage patient-centred consultations and enhance patient outcomes in complex clinical scenarios.
2. Analyse and interpret diverse sources of information to develop innovative solutions for enhancing health literacy and patient education, leveraging digital communication and telehealth technologies.

Module aims:
This module covers community and public health initiatives, vaccination and immunisation programmes, child protection and strategies to reduce health disparities. This module aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement effective health promotion strategies, disease prevention methods, and safeguarding practices in primary care.

Module content:

• Health promotion strategies
• Disease prevention methods
• Community and public health initiatives
• Vaccination and immunisation programmes
• Child protection and safeguarding
• Reducing health disparities

Module outcomes:

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of health promotion strategies, disease prevention methods, and vaccination programmes, integrating current public health initiatives to improve community health outcomes and reduce health disparities.
2. Critically apply advanced knowledge and skills to design and implement safeguarding measures, ensuring effective child protection and the promotion of health equity in primary care settings through interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement.

Module aims:
This module explores acute presentations, trauma and injury management, acute mental health crises, infectious diseases, urgent care, minor procedures, and disaster preparedness and response. The module emphasises rapid assessment, critical decision-making, and coordinated response to improve patient outcomes in urgent and emergency scenarios.

Module content:

• Acute presentations in primary care
• Trauma and injury management
• Acute mental health crises
• Infectious diseases and outbreak management
• Urgent care and minor procedures
• Disaster preparedness and response

Module outcomes:

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the diagnosis, management, and treatment of acute presentations in primary care, including trauma, infectious diseases, and acute mental health crises, utilising the latest evidence and guidelines to inform practice.
2. Critically apply advanced problem-solving strategies and practical skills to manage urgent care situations and minor procedures, effectively coordinating disaster preparedness and response efforts to ensure patient safety and optimal outcomes in emergency scenarios.

Module aims:
This module explores chronic conditions prevalent in primary care, including cardiovascular diseases, respiratory conditions, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, multi-morbidity, and polypharmacy. It also addresses strategies for palliative and end-of-life care. The module focuses on evidence-based practices, patient-centred care, and the integration of multidisciplinary approaches to improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients with chronic conditions.

Module content:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Respiratory conditions
• Diabetes management
• Chronic kidney disease
• Multi-morbidity and polypharmacy
• Palliative and end-of-life care

Module outcomes:

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of major chronic conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, respiratory conditions, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, incorporating current evidence and guidelines to optimise patient outcomes.
2. Critically evaluate and synthesise current research and evidence-based practices to develop and implement effective management strategies for patients with multi-morbidity and polypharmacy, ensuring personalised and holistic approaches to chronic disease management.

Module aims:
This module emphasises the importance of addressing social determinants of health and promoting health equity. Students explore strategies to deliver compassionate and effective care to vulnerable groups, ensuring equitable access to healthcare and improving overall health outcomes.

Module content:

• Geriatric care and frailty
• Care for homeless and vulnerable populations
• Migrant and refugee health
• Child health, adolescent health, women's health
• Occupational health
• Addressing social determinants of health & strategies to promote health equity

Module outcomes:

1. Critically evaluate the evidence and guidance relating to the diagnosis, investigation, and management of health conditions affecting special populations, integrating a comprehensive understanding of social determinants of health to promote equity in primary care settings.
2. Synthesise interdisciplinary knowledge to formulate holistic strategies to promote inclusive environments and support vulnerable and special populations, demonstrating effective communication and leadership skills in primary care practices.

Module aims:
This module provides a comprehensive understanding of medical ethics and legal issues, practice management, and leadership. Students engage in continuous professional development, fostering a commitment to lifelong learning. They will also explore research and evidence-based practice to inform clinical decisions and innovations in primary care, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and healthcare delivery.

Module content:

• Patient safety and quality improvement
• Medical ethics and legal issues
• Practice management and leadership
• Continuous professional development
• Research and evidence-based practice
• Innovations in primary care

Module outcomes:

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of knowledge, current problems, and new insights in the assessment and implementation of quality improvement strategies in primary care settings, integrating a global health perspective with factors affecting patient safety.
2. Critically apply advanced problem-solving strategies and methodologies to design and implement evidence-based management practices, ensuring continuous professional development and effective leadership within primary care teams.

Aims of the module:

Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal-
To help students recognise, understand, interpret and apply methods used in healthcare research and critically appraise the various methodologies specific to research in the subject area.

Professional Project-
To develop students’ ability to critically appraise specific areas of clinical, research and/or organisational practice and develop skills in independent research, study and writing for publication.

Content summary:

Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal-

• Terminology used in epidemiology and research studies such as prevalence, incidence, sensitivity, specificity, false positive and false negatives.
• Interpreting graphical representation of epidemiological and statistical data such as Kaplan-Meier curves, forest plots and meta-analyses.
• Calculations used in the assessment of research data such as relative risk, absolute risk and number needed to treat. Statistical tests and their applications including t-tests, ANOVA and chi-square.
• Qualitative research methods.

Fundamentals of evidence-based practice and its application into the clinical setting.

• Principles of health economics, audit and quality improvement/assurance systems.
• Establishing patient registers and the value of disease-specific registers.
• Research into educational principles for both healthcare practitioner and patient.

Professional Project

This module will depend on the creation of a piece of work based upon a specific clinically related project relevant to the student’s practice. This project may comprise:

• Literature review and appraisal of the evidence.
• Audit of practice including organisational or clinical.
• Review and implementation of evidence-based practice.
• Qualitative or quantitative research (formal research involving human subjects is not anticipated).
• Case(s)-based and quality of service review with critical appraisal.
• Case report, review of literature and organisational assessment.