Overview
Individuals with co existing mental health and substance misuse problems have complex care needs that require a high degree of specialist knowledge and skill. Prognoses and outcomes for service users are statistically more serious with higher rates of relapse, hospital readmission and suicide than those with single diagnoses. In the Policy Implementation Guide for Dual Diagnosis (DOH, 2002) it was recommended that the prime responsibility for care falls with mental health services with additional support from specialist agencies. This sought to overcome a long history of individuals caught between mental health and substance misuse providers, with neither accepting responsibility for care.
Whilst greater clarity of guidelines have led to improvements professionals in health and social care often experience a lack of confidence in working with this group. There is a need to respond effectively to the challenges of engagement, risk assessment and providing meaningful intervention.
Content and Modules
Level 6 (Undergraduate)
Pre-requisites: Prospective students may be Registered Nurses, Social Care Practitioners or Allied Health Professionals but must be working in a setting where they are required to support the needs of this client group.
Excluded Combinations: This module cannot be studied again at a different academic level.
The aim of this module is to provide health and social care professionals with the knowledge and skills required within a capability framework (DOH, 2004; CSiP, 2006) to respond effectively to the needs of service users and carers.
Aims
This module aims to:
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Critically analyse the complex relationship between substance misuse and mental health problems.
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Enhance skills and competencies in collaborative, partnership working in order to improve service user outcomes.
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Develop and apply specialist skills within a capability framework incorporating assessment, engagement, planning and therapeutic intervention for this group.
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Critically reflect on one’s own practice and evolving values.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the module students will be able to:
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Critically analyse key policy and research evidence that informs and underpins practice.
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Utilise comprehensive integrated assessment skills in the spheres of mental health and wellbeing, physical health, substance misuse, social circumstances and risk.
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Critically consider the factors that may impact upon engagement and implement appropriate strategies to enhance this.
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Critically analyse and implement specific therapeutic interventions that enhance motivation to change and address the underlying bio psychosocial factors that may maintain behaviour.
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Utilise knowledge to plan and deliver focused high quality health promotion and education for service users and carers.
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Collaborate effectively with service users, carers and a range of agencies in order to deliver seamless care.
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Critically reflect on one’s own practice, seek supervision and identify future learning needs.
Summative Assessment
Assignment (100% weighting)
A case report which critically analyses the care provided for a service user who experiences co existing mental health and substance misuse problems. At the heart of the case report should be a focus on one of the following areas:
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A specific therapeutic intervention.
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Specific strategies or frameworks utilized to enhance engagement.
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The application of health education and health promotion strategies.
You must have been directly involved in the service user’s care.
The case report will follow a clear framework on which students will be given guidance at commencement of the module. Word count: 4000 words.
Level 7 (Postgraduate)
Pre-requisites: Prospective students may be Registered Nurses, Social Care. Practitioners or Allied Health Professionals but must be working in a setting where they are required to support the needs of this client group.
Excluded Combinations: This module cannot be studied again at a different academic level.
The aim of this module is to provide health and social care professionals with the knowledge and skills required within a capability framework (DOH, 2004; CSiP, 2006) to respond effectively to the needs of service users and carers.
Aims
This module aims to:
-
To critically analyse the complex relationship between substance misuse and mental health problems.
-
To engage and communicate effectively in collaborative, partnership working in order to improve service user outcomes.
-
To develop and apply high level skills according to a capability framework incorporating assessment, engagement, planning and therapeutic intervention for this group.
-
To engage in high level reflection on one’s own practice and evolving values.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the module students will be able to:
-
Synthesise key policy and research evidence that informs and underpins practice.
-
Utilise high level integrated assessment skills in the spheres of mental health and wellbeing, physical health, substance misuse, social circumstances and risk.
-
Critically evaluate the factors that may impact upon engagement and implement appropriate strategies to enhance this.
-
Critically analyse, implement, and evaluate evidence based interventions that enhance motivation to change and address the underlying bio psychosocial factors that may maintain behaviour.
-
Utilise specialist knowledge to plan and deliver focused high quality health promotion and education for service users and carers.
-
Collaborate effectively with service users, carers and a range of agencies demonstrating high level decision making and reasoning skills.
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Critically reflect and evaluate on one’s own practice, seek supervision and identify future learning needs.
Summative Assessment
Assignment (100% weighting)
A case report which critically evaluates the care provided for a service user who experiences co-existing mental health and substance misuse problems. At the heart of the case report should be a focus on two of the following areas:
-
A specific therapeutic intervention.
-
Specific strategies or frameworks utilized to enhance engagement.
-
The application of health education and health promotion strategies.
You must have been directly involved in the service user’s care.
The case report will follow a clear framework on which students will be given guidance at commencement of the module. Word count: 4000 words.