Teaching

Curriculum Design

The Programme's required learning outcomes are grouped into four areas: Knowledge and Understanding; Transferable skills; Subject Specific skills; and Professional skills see Appendix 11. The overall aim of the Sheffield DClinPsy curriculum reflects these learning outcomes, and supports trainees to understand the application of psychological theory and science to the promotion and improvement of mental health and well-being. Consistent with community psychology principles the curriculum aims to incorporate a deep appreciation of social and ecological perspectives. It also aims to promote respect and representation of all community members and their divergent perspectives. Finally, the teaching strives to foster an understanding of the function of power in our society and its implications for psychologically informed working.

The curriculum is structured to support learning and skills development in relation to the following three domains: direct clinical work; indirect and organisational work; research and service evaluation. Each of the three domains run through the three years of training, to varying degrees of emphasis in accordance with the level of training and placement structure. Such that, in year 1 the intended learning outcomes primarily focus on working with adults, mostly via direct clinical work; in year 2, the intended learning outcomes extend to indirect working at the systems and organisational level, developing this work with children, families and people with a learning disability; and in year 3 intended learning outcomes include working with more complex issues, and extension and consolidation of learning and skills achieved in years 1 and 2. In this way, the curriculum is designed to be developmental; the second years builds on skills and knowledge gained in the first year, and the third year similarly builds on first and second year teaching.

Further details on the curriculum and teaching related information can be found on the Curriculum Website, here: https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/dclinpsycurriculum20-21/home 

Teaching Administration

The curriculum co-ordinator is responsible for overseeing the content of the curriculum. The timetable administrator, Sharon Keighley, is responsible for managing teaching arrangements and for maintenance of online information/materials and can be contacted on dclinpsy@sheffield.ac.uk or 0114 2226570.

The curriculum is responsive to HCPC and BPS accreditation criteria, developments in the evidence-base, local clinical expertise and need, and feedback on teaching. The integration and coherence of the timetables is realised by appropriate links between external speakers and Programme team members. Specialist topic areas, that represent local service structures, are nested within the themes. These specialisms allow programme team members to liaise with appropriate advisors within the NHS (see Table 2). Each specialism represented in the timetable has a designated programme link from the programme team. The team member maintains links with relevant Faculties and Specialist Interest Groups where appropriate, ensures appropriate coverage and advises the curriculum co-ordinator on appropriate external speakers.

NHS Advisors

To ensure the curriculum reflects current best practice and service developments, NHS advisors drawn from services, specialities, Faculties and SIGs are invited to sit on the Curriculum Sub-Committee (CSC). Specifically these advisors aid in the setting of teaching objectives and planning teaching content. They advise on identifying speakers and allocating teaching hours. NHS advisors also provide an additional link to local Faculties/SIGs where appropriate.

How the timetable is organised

Timetable content relating to clinical specialisms is reviewed by relevant Programme Team Links in consultation with NHS Advisors, Special Interest Groups, Faculties and Teachers. Proposed alterations and updates to timetable content are reviewed each year at the beginning of the Spring Semester, and reported at the June meeting of the Curriculum Sub-Committee. Changes to the timetable will also be made as a consequence of trainee feedback. Provisional timetables, together with a programme of dates, are then circulated to Programme staff. Changes to the timetable are co-ordinated by the Curriculum Administrator. A final timetable is circulated to trainees and supervisors by the start of the semester.

Programme feedback from trainees and speakers

The aims of the feedback system are:

• To enable Programme team members and teachers to adjust the teaching programme appropriately, bearing in mind responses to structure, teaching style, organisation and presentation of content etc.

• To facilitate a more formal feedback process for trainees enabling them to highlight their perception of strengths and weaknesses of the teaching programme with the potential for making good any significant deficits or repetitions.

The feedback process is a mandatory part of the programme:

• It is a professional responsibility and courtesy to provide feedback to the speakers/teachers who have committed time to the DClinPsy training programme, many require the feedback for their own CPD.

• Trainees are required to complete electronic feedback forms within 1 week of the teaching session. Trainees are emailed a link to an online survey immediately after each teaching session. A reminder email is sent after 3 days.

• Trainees are reminded to keep in mind the aims of the feedback i.e. for comments to be constructive and helpful to the process of adjustment.

• The completed feedback data is collated and reviewed by the programme team link. After review, the feedback is sent to the speaker. If for any reason feedback is not sent to the speaker, then the programme team link or curriculum co-ordinator will contact the speaker to discuss the feedback.

• The programme retains an electronic copy of all feedback.

Trainees feedback is anonymous. However, if concern is raised with regards to inappropriate or unprofessional (directly offensive or derogatory comments that raise concerns), then the programme team may decide to trace the feedback of individual trainees. This situation is extremely rare, and trainees are encouraged to make honest and constructive feedback. All feedback will always remain anonymous to speakers.

The feedback and teaching content are reviewed by the programme team links and curriculum co-ordinator to ensure that the teaching is of a standard in line with University quality assurance. Where consistent issues are identified with any one specific teaching session (consistent feedback over three consecutive years; or an urgent issue raised within one year), the curriculum co-ordinator will liaise directly with the speaker regarding this feedback and their contribution to the programme curriculum. This may also involve a direct observation of this teaching session. Further support within teaching would be provided to the speaker where any specific needs were identified.

Feedback about the overall teaching programme, gaps and overlaps etc is obtained by year tutors within the year group meeting at the end of each semester and by the CSC representatives for the year group. This information is fed back to the CSC to allow any relevant action to be taken.

External teachers are also invited to complete feedback on the planning and co-ordination of their input with the programme team link or curriculum co-ordinator, and the adequacy of the background information and facilities required for their teaching. They are also asked about the interaction with the trainees, and whether they are happy to teach subsequent years. This feedback is collated to allow general themes to be identified and where appropriate acted on.

These formal policies will enable staff to know and act upon any areas where the quality of teaching is in doubt. In addition, the member of staff who is responsible for a specialist area of teaching will hold review meetings at least every three years with all people involved in teaching this topic to update and consider new teaching methods etc.

Year Meetings

Purpose

Year meetings serve two main functions. Firstly, they are a regularly scheduled opportunity for all trainees to give feedback to staff about the programme and raise any issues of concern in an informal atmosphere. Secondly, they provide an opportunity for staff to give information about any changes being contemplated, to raise any of their concerns and to ask for trainee comments on specific issues. The aim is to facilitate open, effective and constructive communication. Issues raised by trainees in this forum will subsequently be discussed by the programme team and any decisions fed back either prior to or at the next year meeting.

Frequency of meetings

Two meetings are scheduled each year, one in each semester. Members of the staff year team will be present at these meetings throughout the programme for each group of trainees. Any other member of the programme team may also attend (given sufficient notice and taking account of other commitments) if there are specific issues, which require their input.

Organisation of the meetings

Over the last year we have trialled a different structure to the meeting, working primarily in small groups. Towards the end of the meeting the small groups feedback any relevant discussions they have had in their small groups and normally a trainee offers to make brief action notes that staff report back on. Whilst items for discussion can be submitted to the chair in advance, time is also allocated at the beginning of the meeting for trainees and staff to agree an agenda. A copy of word processed minutes should be emailed to the Unit Administrator within 7 days of the meeting and these will be circulated to the Programme Team. The functions of the chairperson are to summarise the discussion and keep the meeting to time.

Clinical Psychology Seminars

A programme of seminars is organised throughout the year normally on a Monday or Tuesday at 1.30- 2.30pm or 4.00- 5.00pm. University staff and NHS psychologists from local services are also invited. All trainees and programme staff are encouraged to suggest names of speakers and appropriate topics (suggestions to Sharon Keighley). Seminars form a standard part of the teaching programme and as such attendance is mandatory for trainees on a teaching day. Other trainees are also encouraged to attend of a seminar falls on their study day or with agreement of their supervisor on a placement day. Further details of forthcoming seminars are available on the CAPU website: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/clinicalpsychology/research/seminars