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“At the University of Bolton, we take great pride in providing a quality, supportive learning environment for our students.” Professor George E Holmes DL | President & Vice Chancellor
“...tutors are very supportive and you’re not just a student ID number, at this university you are an individual with a name.” Ellisse Vernon | BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
PgDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting) with Integrated Nurse Prescribing
Are you seeking to train as a health visitor and build the knowledge and skills to achieve your career ambitions? The University of Bolton's PgDip SCPHN (Health Visiting) programme is NMC-approved and delivered by our expert academic team working in partnership with a number of local practice organisations.
Key information
Award:
PgDip
Mode of Study:
Full-time
Duration:
12 months
Location:
University of Bolton
Start date:
To be confirmed
Course Details
The PgDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) (Health Visiting) course from the University of Bolton is designed to provide you with a comprehensive overview of the health visiting profession, with the aim of equipping you with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to succeed in your career. Our programme was the first in the country to be accredited by the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, which recognises programmes that focus on supporting all families to develop close and loving relationships with their newborns and to understand the importance of this for their baby's development. We also provide training in the Solihull Parenting Approach, which supports practitioners in promoting emotional health and wellbeing in children and families.
Studying a course curriculum developed in line with the professional standards of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), you'll cover subjects like leading health promotion practice, collaborative working for health improvement, safeguarding children, young people and families, early intervention, critical evaluation for evidence-based practice and V100. You'll also have the opportunity to get hands-on and build your practical skills in partnership with our practice learning partners.
On successful completion of this course, you'll be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting) and have your name registered on part 3 of the NMC's professional register.
Highlights
We've successfully delivered healthcare programmes for decades, and our health visiting course has a longstanding, excellent reputation.
Our dedicated academic team has a wealth of experience working in NHS settings and is engaging in relevant research, bringing their expertise and passion for service excellence to their teaching.
Our students have the opportunity to benefit from supportive learning opportunities in partnership with our practice learning partners.
Key Features
This course is designed to take account of the changing healthcare climate with a curriculum that combines flexible learning with the knowledge and insight to respond to industry developments.
Our teaching team has many years of experience working in healthcare and NHS settings, particularly in the fields of childcare law, public health and safeguarding.
The course curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure that contemporary theories are adopted.
We offer a supportive learning environment, including small group lessons, one-to-one sessions, and access to IT facilities and WiFi across campus.
Professional recognition
The University of Bolton's PgDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting) programme is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
After successful completion of the course, you'll have your name registered on part 3 of the NMC's professional register.
Partner organisations sponsor places on this course. Our partner NHS Trusts usually advertise available health visitor training opportunities in-house. They may also advertise them on the NHS Jobs website at https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/. Please contact the programme leader for details of the application procedure. You can find their contact details in the Programme Contacts section of this page.
You must have an active entry on Part 1 or Part 2 of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Professional Register (or have applied for the same).
You'll also need at least 120 credit points at Level HE4, 120 credit points at Level HE5, and 120 credit points at Level HE6, or RP(E)L equivalent (see explanation below). Academic credits (RPL) should normally be for recent studies in the areas of nursing and health studies, or the behavioural or social sciences. For instance, you may have an honours degree.
You'll be required to produce satisfactory professional and academic references and pass occupational health screening.
You'll also be required to successfully complete an online numeracy test achieving the pass mark of 80%, unless you already have a current NMC recorded prescribing qualification. This numeracy assessment will be undertaken with support from a representative from your sponsoring organisation, who will provide the university with confirmation of completion. You'll also be required to complete a self-declaration regarding your completion of this pre-course assessment.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council also requires self-declaration of good health and good character for the programme.
RP(E)L information – Prior learning and experience and learning are considered when deciding on any advanced standing to which you may be entitled. This may be based on qualifications you've already gained (Recognition of Prior Learning – RPL), or it may be based on making a claim for significant work experience (Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning – APEL). The process of granting you appropriate advanced standing will be overseen by the programme lead for this course and an RP(E)L panel. When making a claim for RPL against a relevant academic module, you'll be required to produce evidence in your professional portfolio that demonstrates how your prior learning relates to your impending role as a specialist community public health nurse.
RP(E)L for exemptions from modules in this course – NMC Standards permit no more than a third of a programme to be credited on the basis of prior learning. Any applications for accreditation of prior learning will be considered prior to admission, on an individual basis, by the RPL panel. Claims need to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes in theory and practice as defined by PgDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing module specifications.
This course involves regulated activity, so you must gain an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) before starting your studies. Charges are payable to cover the cost of the DBS Enhanced Disclosure application and annual registration with the online (Normally, your sponsoring organisation will organise this.) Update Service.
You’ll be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
This PgDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing course is designed to prepare practitioners for registration with the NMC as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Health Visitor). If you're a nurse or midwife and wish to further develop your career through working with children, young people, families and communities to improve health, it should be of interest to you.
Health visiting consists of developing, leading and managing activities that aim to promote health and social well-being, prevent health breakdown and improve ill health through working with individuals, families and communities. Health visitors seek to help individuals and families take control of their lives and protect vulnerable members of society by promoting social inclusion and reducing inequalities.
The course aims to help you gain a wide range of skills and supporting knowledge, including leadership, communication, enquiry, advocacy, critical reflection and analysis skills. We'll support you as you learn how to think, read and write critically about contemporary issues in order to become a flexible, autonomous and highly skilled practitioner.
What can I do with this qualification?
This course is designed to support the development of future health visitors. As a successful graduate, you'll have your name registered on part 3 of the NMC's professional register.
Health visitors are employed mainly by the NHS. Health visitors undertake home visits and see children, young people and families in clinic settings. The role may also involve organising and attending clinics and sessions in community and children's centres.
Universities and other academic institutions employ experienced health visitors to work as lecturers or tutors. Some health visitors decide to go into clinical academic research, which is a fast-growing career pathway for healthcare workers. Types of clinical research programmes include master's in clinical research, clinical doctoral research fellowships and clinical lectureships.
On successfully completing the PgDip, you'll be eligible to progress to the MSc Community Public Health Nursing (Top-up), which comprises a 60-credit research dissertation module.
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some possibilities include:
Children and families social work
Teaching and education
Research
School nursing
Voluntary sector
Health promotion
Health service management
Community development
Counselling
Mental health
Probation
Course fees
Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £8,315 for the academic year 2023/24.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year:
EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status.
If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement.
Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the
normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in
March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
For details of how to apply for this course, please choose your status from the options below:
This programme is only open to applicants from the institutions or organisations that are listed in the entry requirements.
Please contact the programme leader for details of the application procedure. You can find their name, email address and
phone number in the Programme Contacts section of this page.
This programme is only open to applicants from the institutions or organisations that are listed in the entry requirements.
Please contact the programme leader for details of the application procedure. You can find their name, email address and
phone number in the Programme Contacts section of this page.
This programme is only open to applicants from the institutions or organisations that are listed in the entry requirements.
Please contact the programme leader for details of the application procedure. You can find their name, email address and
phone number in the Programme Contacts section of this page.
In keeping with the NMC's Standards for Proficiency, this course is split equally in terms of theoretical and practical learning. We'll expect you to attend timetabled lectures, where we'll explore concepts and principles through presentations, discussions and group work. We'll help you build on this core content in workshops and studio sessions. You'll also need to complete self-directed learning, such as background reading and preparation for lessons. Our virtual learning environment is another tool you can use to your full advantage, with resources available 24/7.
You'll also attend seminars, where you'll have the opportunity to engage in group discussions and debates. Occasionally, we may ask you to lead the discussion or prepare a presentation. Group and one-to-one tutorials may also be arranged. These sessions can be used to discuss your development and any issues you may have.
Several assessment strategies will be used to measure your progress and ensure you're meeting the expected learning outcomes. These techniques include essays, practice-based assessments, portfolio entries, observed structured clinical examinations (OCSEs), time-constrained examinations, and a viva voce. At the beginning of the course, you'll be given access to a module handbook where you can find out more about the assessments specific to each module.
We use a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
Community Nurse Prescribing (V100)
Critical Evaluation for Evidence Based Practice
Exploring Public Health
Professional Practice (Public Health Nursing)
Early Intervention for Working with Children, Young People and Families
Safeguarding Children, Young People and Families
Assessment methods
Level
Assesment method
Level one
Coursework 8%, Written exams 17%
Level two
Coursework 42%, Practical exams 25%, Written exams 8%
Learning activities
Level
Learning activity
Level one
Guided independent study 5%, Placement/study abroad 8%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 5%
Level two
Guided independent study 20%, Placement/study abroad 42%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 20%
Disclaimer
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
