Higher Specialist Work in Mental Health Services (PGCert)

This stage consists of the following module:

• Preparing for Approved Mental Health Professional Practice (20 credits)

There are five taught days between April and July plus support from a Practice Mentor Assessor within the agency. Assessed work is completed in the context of your normal workplace and is submitted at the end of September.

Stage 2 consists of:

• Values, Assessment and Communication in Approved Mental Health Professional Practice (20 credits)
• The Legislative Framework and Approved Mental Health Professional Practice (20 credits)
• The Context of Approved Mental Health Professional Practice: Models and Perspectives (20 credits)

It takes place over a 21 week period (incorporating two weeks of annual leave) when candidates undertake a 42 day placement (within their employing authority but usually away from their normal workplace). During this period they will attend 24 taught days and have a further 10 days available after returning to their normal workplace after placement to complete any outstanding assessed work for those modules. 

Successful completion of Stage 2 qualifies you for the award of the Qualifying Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Specialist Work in Mental Health Services (Approved Mental Health Professional) and makes you eligible for appointment as an AMHP. 

Stage 3 consists of the following module:

• Mentoring and Assessing the Work of Other Mental Health Professionals (20 credits)

This module enables candidates to demonstrate competence in assisting other qualified Mental Health professionals to develop their practice through supervision, mentorship and assessment. 

This module is run over a period of 6-13 months depending on the needs of both the Stage 3 candidate and the Stage 2 candidate they are supporting. It has five taught days in total through the period plus support from a Practice Mentor Assessor within the agency.

Assessment on all modules is by assessment of practice competence as detailed below. 

Successful completion of Stage 1 and Stage 2 qualifies candidates for the award of the Qualifying Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Specialist Work in Mental Health Services (Approved Mental Health Professional) and makes you eligible for appointment as an AMHP.

Successful completion of Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 enables candidates to apply for the MA Advanced Practice in Higher Specialist Work in Mental Health Services (Approved Mental Health Professional).

Assessment of Practice Competence                                                                                         

All assessment within the programme involves assessment of work-based performance. Initial Assessment is by a Practice Mentor Assessor and the work is subsequently verified by assessment by two independent members of the Verification and Assessment Panel of the Partnership. Members of this panel also serve on the Board of Examiners for Post-Qualifying Programmes in the Department of Social Work and Social Care at the University of Birmingham. Training and Development Staff, Practice Mentor Assessors and Carers and Service Managers are all represented on both the Panel and the Board of Examiners. 

Practice Mentor Assessors must be registered practitioners in social work, nursing or occupational therapy or chartered psychologists with qualified AMHP experience. Ideally, they will also be either qualified Practice Educators or have undertaken Stage 3 of the Programme. Practice Mentor Assessors wishing to undertake either Stage 3 of the AMHP Programme or Practice Education (Stage 1 or 2) may apply to do so whilst supervising and assessing their AMHP candidate.

At the core of the training is the modules taken on Stage 2 (AMHP Qualifying Training). Each is assessed by consideration of a portfolio based upon analyses of a minimum of three assessments for compulsory detention, within which they have taken a significant role. At least one of these case analyses must be supported by a report of direct observation of their practice and all three by a critical reflection of their own overall practice and a Practice Mentor Assessor’s report on their achievement of the competences associated with each module.

The assessment of each of these three modules is based upon demonstration of the 35 units of competence within The Mental Health (Approved Mental Health Professionals) (Approval) (England) Regulations 2008 which were laid before Parliament on 7th May 2008. 

Over the years a teaching team has been developed which has extensive experience of teaching on AMHP and other mental health programmes throughout the country, which is involved in research and service innovation within the area, multi-disciplinary in its professional background and includes a number of currently practising AMHPs. The team includes University of Birmingham academics and Visiting Lecturers with expertise in core areas of the training.

Core contributors to the programme include: 

Alison Smith (Course Director) is a registered social work practitioner with considerable AMHP practice and training experience. She is co-ordinator, core tutor and contributor to various sessions including those on civil liberties, social models of mental health, the history of mental health intervention and legislation. 

Surj Sall-Dullat (registered social work practitioner and practising AMHP with considerable AMHP training experience) is both an academic tutor on the programme and a contributor to various sessions across Stages 1, 2 & 3 of the programme.

Sarah Redmond, Andy Seys, Parbinder Johal and Rob Manchester (all registered social work practitioners and AMHPs with considerable training experience) are contributors to sessions on practice skill development and value exploration. 

Bob Plumb (former Mental Health Act Commissioner and experienced AMHP Trainer) is the principal contributor on legislation.

Alex Hamilton (Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist) is the principal contributor on psychiatry. 

Graham Stokes (Consultant Clinical Psychologist) is the principal contributor on mental health and older people. 

Ric Bowl (Honorary Associate Professor) is a social work academic with a particular interest in models of risk assessment in the context of MHA assessments and is a contributor to Stage 2 of the programme. With extensive experience of co-ordination, delivery and support for candidates, Ric also offers ad-hoc tutorial support.  

Catherine El-Houdaigui and Sara Ryan are amongst the experts by experience who have contributed to aspects of the programme. 

Applicants require at least 2 years post-qualifying experience in the mental health sector.

Applicants for Stage 1 of the programme must hold a recognised professional qualification in social work, nursing, occupational therapy or psychology. They must be a registered social worker, nurse, occupational therapist or chartered psychologist and be nominated by a local authority, NHS Trust or other employer. 

Applicants need to demonstrate that they are already working at the level of responsibility and with the level of complexity appropriate for entry onto AMHP qualifying training. 

All candidates will receive support from both a Practice Mentor Assessor and from their Training and Development Officer. A learning agreement underpins that support. They will also receive all the support provided to Registered Students by the University of Birmingham as set out in the Student Charter 

Any special needs arising from disabilities, dyslexia etc. will be identified at application and arrangements between the University and agencies will be made for meeting those needs as appropriate. 

Entry to Stage 2 (AMHP Qualifying Training) will be contingent upon successful completion of Stage 1 and the employing authority’s agreement to provide suitable opportunities to demonstrate the required competences.  Completion of Stage 1 is designed to ensure that only those suitable and with appropriate mental health experience commence AMHP training.