Course Catalogue

This programme will equip learners with the core capabilities to deliver contemporary, holistic, and complex patient
centred care to patients, carers, families, and the wider community. It will meet the academic rigour of LJMU, the
NMC standards pertaining to specialist community, district nursing practice and the quality assurance agency.

In partnership with practice and community stakeholders, the programme aims to provide a contemporary approach to the development of the specialist community public health nurse (SPQ District Nurse, who will be fit for practice, fit for purpose, fit for award and fit for professional standing. The programme conforms to the academic rigour and requirements of:

• IfATE (2022) Apprenticeship Standards for community nurse specialist practitioner https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/community-nurse-specialist-practitioner-nmc-2022-v1-0
• NMC (2022) Standards of proficiency for community nursing specialist practice qualifications (SPQ) https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/standards/post-reg-standards/nmc_standards_of_proficiency_for_community_nursing_spqs.pdf
• NMC (2023) Standards framework for nursing and midwifery education (NMC Part 1) https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/standards/2023-pre-reg-standards/new-vi/standards-framework-for-nursing-and-midwifery-education.pdf
• NMC (2019) Standards for student supervision and assessment (NMC Part 2) https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/standards/2023-pre-reg-standards/new-vi/standards-for-student-supervision-and-assessment.pdf
• NMC (2023) Standards for post registration nursing programmes (NMC Part 3) https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/standards/2023-pre-reg-standards/new-vi/standards-for-post-registration-programmes.pdf
• NMC (2023) Standards for prescribing programmes (NMC Part 3) https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/standards/2023-pre-reg-standards/new-vi/standards-for-prescribing-programmes.pdf
• RPS (2023) Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Competency Framework for All Prescribers https://www.rpharms.com/Portals/0/RPS%20document%20library/Open%20access/Professional%20standards/Prescribing%20competency%20framework/prescribing-competency-framework.pdf

Tripartite reviews

Over the course of the programme, apprentice learners will have four tripartite reviews. Tripartite reviews are an opportunity to check progression of achievement of the knowledge, skills and behaviours, that apprentices are on target with their proficiencies and assessments and whether the apprentice requires any additional pastoral or academic support.

Tripartite reviews are also an opportunity to set targets and review grades and ensure apprentices have the opportunity to discuss safeguarding, British values and Prevent.

Safeguarding , Prevent and British Values

Programme induction will introduce safeguarding, prevent and British values to apprentice learners and will ensure apprentices know how to raise concerns and stay safe online, in the workplace and at university. All apprentice learners at LJMU will be required to complete three mandatory modules on safeguarding, prevent and British values. Apprentice learners will also be provided with an Apprentice Guide to Safeguarding which will be available on their virtual learning environment (VLE).

End Point Assessment (EPA)

The EPA period should only start, and the EPA be arranged, once the employer and NMC Approved Education Institution are satisfied that the apprentice is consistently working at, or above, the level set out in the occupational standard and all of the pre-requisite gateway requirements for EPA have been met. It is expected that the gateway will be reached on completion of the final qualification module and before the AEI’s examination board. Prior to commencement, apprentices will have their numeracy and literacy skills assessed by the NMC Approved Education Institution to ensure the apprentice has the necessary skills at a minimum of Level 2 to meet the requirements of the programme (please note that level 2 certification of Maths and English is a prerequisite of admission onto the programme). The EPA period is expected to last a maximum of 1 month beginning when the apprentice has passed the EPA gateway. The EPA will determine the overall apprenticeship standard and grades of: • fail • pass This apprenticeship has a fully integrated EPA. The EPA will use the assessment arrangements in use for other entry routes into this occupation and will be completed simultaneously, as outlined in this end-point assessment plan. Alignment of the integrated EPA is permitted because the following criteria are met:

1. Parliament has prescribed that the occupation (profession) must be regulated and a statutory regulator has undisputed control of access to the occupation.
2. The fully integrated EPA meets the requirements of an apprenticeship.

Active Blended Learning, defined as learning which is characterised by students having both cognitive and social presence in the learning environment (LJMU Active Blended Learning Guidance) has been recognised within the SPQ programme. This will be facilitated through a combination of face-to-face, online live sessions, directed, and independent learning methods. The theoretical learning and teaching delivery model for the programme will be based on a proportion of each module notional teaching hours allocated to face to face/online live, directed and independent learning.

Assessment methods throughout the programme include written essays, oral presentations, OSCEs, exams, professional conversation, and business plan production as well as feedback via the PAD document from practice assessors and supervisors.

The 54 week programme is divided to 40% theory and 60% practice. Thus learning opportunities are supported within practice by the assessor/supervisor in order for the student to attain their NMC (2022) specialist practice proficiencies. This is support by the regular NMC required tripartite meetings which are held at least 4 times during the programme. The tripartite meeting also support the end point assessment and one of the roles of the external is to verify this.