First Contact Practitioner in Primary Care (MSK) Placement

Course overview

This unit will enable learners to develop the skills to work in a First Contact Practitioner role within primary care (Musculoskeletal). Learners will develop within a primary care setting effective consultation and diagnostic skills, and the ability to deliver safe and effective personalised care in a multi-professional and organisational context.

This unit is recognised by the Centre for Advancing Practice as meeting the FCP Roadmap Stage 2 requirements.

Credits: 20 credits at level 7

This course is intended for

Experienced physiotherapists with musculoskeletal experience and caseload working in primary care.

What you need to know

  • Course fee
    £1056
  • Location
    Brooks building
  • Award

    20 credits at Level 7

"My NHS Trust chose Manchester Met as the University to study my CPD course with and I can see why. The resources are brilliant and there is so much help if you need it. I have developed more confidence in myself and my own ability."

Kate Postill
CPD Student

Course information

The course content will be contemporary, responsive to current policy and practice developments and meet HEE requirements for First Contact Practitioners in Primary Care. The course will include topics such as:

  • Musculoskeletal assessment, differential diagnosis safety netting, referring to the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT).
  • Communication and consultation skills (including online consultations).
  • Personalised care, social prescribing, public health approaches and applying ‘All Our Health’ in practice. 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this Course Unit students will:

  1. Demonstrate comprehensive advanced examination, management and clinical reasoning skills with complex cases presenting with undifferentiated undiagnosed musculoskeletal disorders in primary care that are critically underpinned by evidence.
  2. Demonstrate and critically discuss the advanced use of interpersonal and communication skills with all parties in relation to patient assessment and management in the context of primary care across a variety of media.
  3. Demonstrate high level, complex decision making and problem-solving skills in challenging and unpredictable circumstances.
  4. Demonstrate a critical and systematic understanding into public health approaches, including safeguarding vulnerable groups.
  5. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the risks associated with complex case management in primary care and patient safety. 

Duration

Five months

Assessment

Patient assessment (50% of unit mark)

Consisting of a 20 minute patient assessment and a 20 minute viva voce exploring the student’s clinical reasoning, differential diagnosis, management and onward referral.

Case-based discussion (50% of unit mark)

Consisting of a 30- minute structured critical discussion of a pre-selected case exploring the student’s clinical reasoning, capability, critical thinking and professional judgement in the case’s management.

Portfolio (pass/fail)

The portfolio consists of work-based learning and assessment as outlined in the FCP (MSK) Road map. 

Case based discussion and oral assessment to take place in July/August 2024.

Subnmission of portfolio 1st week of September 2024 

Entry requirements

Applicants must have completed Stage 1 of the ‘First Contact Practitioners and Advanced Practitioners in Primary Care: (Musculoskeletal) A Road Map to Practice’ either by completing a taught Master’s level unit mapped against the Roadmap e.g First Contact Practice and Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice or the Health Education England Portfolio Route. It is expected that the physiotherapist would have typically accrued at least four years of post-qualification experience upon applying for the unit.

All applicants are required to obtain and be supervised by a suitable clinical supervisor e.g. GP, Advanced Practitioner or Health Education England-recognised clinical supervisor for the duration of the course. 

Course Fees

The standard course fee is £1056.

Course fees

The standard course fee is £800 for 2023/24 entry.

The standard course fee is £1056 for 2024/25 entry i.e. from September 2024.

Self-funded Applications

Employer-sponsored Applications

Health Education England

How to apply

We want to make our applications process as easy as possible. Please see the below list of application and funding options available for this course.

directapplications@mmu.ac.uk  

Self-funded Applications

If you plan to fund your own studies, please follow the instructions below:

Programme or Modular? 

With MMU, you can choose to take units either modularly or as part of a programme of study. 

Modular study allows you to take one-off units and collect academic credits that you may, where allowable, count towards a future academic award, either at MMU or another university. 

Programme-based study means you pursue a particular award and study units applicable to that award. You can read about MMU's programmes of study in our prospectus. 

Application Form

Once you have decided whether to apply for a programme or modular study, complete and return an MMU Application Form.

HE Co-operative Application

All applications for prescribing courses require an additional application form available to complete at http://www.hecooperative.co.uk/ . You should download and complete this form and return it to MMU Admissions via email (directapplications@mmu.ac.uk).

Receipt of Applications 

Once MMU has received both your MMU and HE Co-operative applications, your details will be passed to the academic lead for consideration.

We will notify you of the outcome of your application as soon as possible.

Enrolment

If your application has been successful, you will receive an invitation to enroll. At this stage you will be able to choose how you will pay your fees - a number of payment options are available.

All applicants will require a recent (within 3 years of commencing the course) DBS check at enhanced disclosure level to meet professional body requirements. This must be shown at registration. Additional documentation relating to the DBS check must also be completed; this will be sent to all successful applicants.

Health Education England

Students based in the North West will have their course fees paid by Health Education North West, and, from October 2014, will receive a bursary of £200 on commencement and £300 at the mid-point of the programme. 

Please note that due to the current focus on return to practice, this process may change over the coming months. Some Trusts are recruiting for posts speciallly via a return to practice course and will have a separate recruitment process. However, all students will be required to apply to the University using the process below.

Application Form 

To apply for the Return to Practice Course, please complete both: 

  • An MMU Application Form 
  • Return to Practice Application Form. 

Please return your forms by email to directapplications@mmu.ac.uk.

References

Please provide 2 references in support of your application for the course using the docReturn to Practice reference form. Guidance on providing references can be found within the RTP Applicant Information Pack.

Please note: applications will not be considered until both application forms and 2 completed reference forms have been received. 

Receipt of Applications

Once Manchester Metropolitan University has received both your applications, your details will be passed to the academic lead for consideration.

We will notify you of the outcome of your application as soon as possible. 

Enrolment 

If your application has been successful, you will receive an invitation to enrol. At this stage you will be able to choose how you will pay your fees - a number of payment options are available.

Employer-sponsored Applications

If your employer has agreed to fund your studies, please follow the process below to apply.

1) Programme or Modular?

With MMU, you can choose to take units either modularly or as part of a programme of study.

Modular study allows you to take one-off units and collect academic credits that you may, where allowable, count towards a future academic award, either at MMU or another university.

Programme-based study means you pursue a particular award and study units applicable to that award. You can read about MMU's programmes of study in our prospectus.

2) Application Form

Once you have decided whether to apply for a programme or modular study, complete and return an MMU Application Form. You do not need to state at this stage who will fund the course, but you may wish to confirm with your sponsor that they still intend to fund you.

On receipt, your application will be passed to the academic course leader for consideration. MMU will notify you of the outcome as soon as possible.

3) Enrolment

If your application has been successful, you will receive an invitation to enrol. At this stage you will need to present confirmation of your funding. This should take the form of a funding letter from your sponsor, printed on company headed letter paper. The confirmation should include your details, the course(s) for which your sponsor will fund you, the dates of the courses and the full fee amount that will be sponsored. The letter should be signed by an authorised signatory.

Need Assistance?

Apply Now

Before you apply for this course:

  • Have you identified the correct funding route?
  • Have you reviewed the entry requirements above?
  • Are you satisfied that you meet all of the criteria?
  • Have you discussed any queries you have with our CPD team?

Please remember that if you would like your fees to be covered by a sponsor, they have to confirm the amount they're willing to contribute.

You are now ready to download the application form. Please complete and submit as per the instructions on the form.

Download application form