PgDip Surgical Care Practitioner (Abdominal, Pelvic and General Surgery)

• Develop professional experience and specialist knowledge, through our blend of academic and practical teaching, delivered by a team involved in the education and practice development of the Surgical Care Practitioner role at national level for over 15 years.
• Benefit from eight weeks of taught theory and 28 weeks of direct clinical practice (per year).
  
• Expand your practical skills to undertake complex surgical procedures, manage patients intra-operatively and be responsible for pre-operative and post-operative outpatient clinics.
  
• Benefit from a combination of academic, theoretical and practical teaching, giving you the necessary clinical skills to meet national industry standards. We have strong links with existing practitioners, and visiting lecturers include current practising qualified Surgical Care Practitioners and Consultant Surgeons.
  
• Consider innovative approaches to care delivery and enhance the surgical patient experience.
  
• Cultivate a precise and meticulous work ethic, delivering an effective, safe and efficient service to patients.
• Work both autonomously and as part of a multi-profession team.
  
• Secure the experience you need to excel in unpredictable and highly pressurised clinical environments.
• Use your initiative to solve complex problems and deliver high quality patient care. Past students have enabled new service provision, such as satellite clinics for pre and/or postoperative assessment, and student initiated audits have generated new processes and cost savings for employing organisations.
• Royal College of Surgeons accredited programme.

Please note that when you enrol on this programme, you always enrol to study the postgraduate diploma but we offer two exit awards: PgCert and PgDip.

• Year 1

• You’ll develop further specialist knowledge and skills, enabling greater participation and leadership in surgical patient care. You'll also learn the principles of data collection and analysis, demonstrating clinical reasoning and judgement.

  Assessment in practice is ongoing throughout the programme with specified competencies to be achieved within operating theatres, clinics and ward areas. Assessment in theory is patient and service focused to enable development of condition/patient specific knowledge as well as service enhancement.

  Award postgraduate certificate – to achieve a postgraduate certificate, you will need to earn 60 credits. Please refer to the below programme specification for further information on modules to be studied.

  Please note: the named exit award at postgraduate certificate level is Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) Surgical Care Practitioner.
  

  Core modules

  • APP745 Research Methodology and Application

    This module develops an understanding of research designs and methods, enables the critically appraisal of evidence and research and introduces the principles of data collection and analysis. This module is delivered via a distance learning approach.

  • SCP701 Core Competencies for Surgical Care Practice

    Trainees will demonstrate mastery of skills, knowledge and competence to safely perform the core role of Surgical Care Practitioner, including specific complex skills, clinical reasoning and judgement. Reflexivity and engagement in research supporting practice are integral to the module.

• Final year

• You’ll develop further specialist knowledge and skills enabling greater participation and leadership in surgical patient care. Most organisations offer mid-Band 6 during training, and Band 7 on qualification (PgDip). Many continue to participate in service delivery innovation, with high-level patient interaction and decision-making.

  Award postgraduate diploma – to achieve a postgraduate diploma, you will have first completed the PgCert and need to earn an additional 60 credits (to give 120 credits in total). Please refer to the below programme specification for further information on modules to be studied.

  On completion of PgDip, you have the option to enrol onto the MSc Surgical Care Practitioner (Abdominal, Pelvic and General Surgery).
  

  Core modules

  • APP710 Advanced Assessment for Clinical Practice

    "This module will enable experienced practitioners to undertake a systematic and structured history taking assessment alongside a physical examination in order to integrate advanced assessment findings into clinical decision making. Emphasis will be on developing an understanding of systems and patho-physiology when seeing and managing patients with undiagnosed and undifferentiated presentations across healthcare settings."

  • SCP704 Surgical Care Specialist Practice (Abdominal, Pelvic and General Surgery)

    This specialist module is for SCPs practicing within Abdominal, Pelvic and General Surgery (APGS) specialisms. It enables comprehensive acquisition of the knowledge and underpinning evidence that supports pathological, clinical, and practical mastery of the surgical techniques of the identified specialism within APGS practice, enabling the trainee to achieve advanced level specialist practice in their chosen field.

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest programme structure and may be subject to change:

PGDipMSc SCP programme specification 5829

To apply for this programme, you'll need:

• evidence of employment as a Surgical Care Practitioner Trainee within a UK Healthcare organisation
  
• a named consultant surgeon who will be your clinical supervisor
• a current and live registration with either the Nursing and Midwifery Council (Part 1 or 2) or the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• evidence of level 6 education or equivalent
  
• three years post qualifying experience within a theatres/surgical speciality
  
• a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check (previously CRB)
  
• a satisfactory occupational health clearance.

UK/EU

You will normally have a relevant honours degree (e.g. BSc (Hons) at 2:2 or above); a European first cycle equivalent; or an equivalent professional qualification. Other qualifications accompanied by substantial experience in an appropriate field may also be considered. Non-standard applications will be considered on a case by case basis.

If English is not your first language, you must also provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English in accordance with the University’s Admissions Code of Practice i.e. IELTS minimum of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each part.

International

Unfortunately we are unable to take international students on this programme as you must be in an employed position as a trainee surgical care practitioner.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for postgraduate taught programmes. Tell me more about scholarships and bursaries.

When to apply

Applications for this programme should be made by the end of July in the academic year that you wish to commence studying. Please check the closing date and apply as early as possible as our programmes are popular.

Apply for this programme

Applications should be made by using the relevant PDF or Word application form.

Postgraduate application form DOC – A DOC application form for postgraduate students to print, fill in and mail to University

Postgraduate application form PDF – A PDF application form for postgraduate students to print, fill in and mail to University

Printed application forms are also available and can be obtained from the Professional Development Unit. Please send your completed application form to the address or email listed below:

Professional Development Unit
4th floor, Rolle Building
Plymouth University
Drake Circus
Plymouth PL4 8AA

Email: pduadmissions@plymouth.ac.uk

Tel: +44 1752 586951

What happens after I apply?

You will normally receive a decision on your application within four weeks of us receiving your application. You may be asked to provide additional information, to take part in an interview or you will be sent a decision by letter or email.

If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by the University of Plymouth, please visit our Disability Services website.

Please note that when you enrol on this programme, you always enrol to study the postgraduate diploma but we offer two exit awards: PgCert and PgDip.