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HOMELESS AND INCLUSION HEALTH NURSING

COMMUNITY SPECIALIST PRACTITIONER IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

MSc

Accredited by University College Birmingham

Award

MSc

Course Level

7

Duration

18 months FT / PT options available

Placement

50% theory / 50% practice-based

Entry

September

Fees

View Fees

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Advance your nursing career with a focus on homelessness and inclusivity through our Homeless and Inclusion Health Nursing MSc. Designed for UK Registered Nurses, this specialised programme equips you with the advanced knowledge and clinical skills to provide compassionate care and support to vulnerable populations experiencing homelessness and social exclusion.

On completion, these can be used in different settings, including within the community, private, voluntary, and independent health and social care services. As community specialist practice roles are diverse, there are also optional modules to suit your personal and professional ambitions, including the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing Qualification, which is recordable on the NMC register so you can work as an independent and supplementary prescriber in your community specialist role.

Integrating theory and practice with direct input and teaching from experienced colleagues in clinical settings, this course will enable you to deliver safe and effective specialist practice to patients and clients and give you the confidence to make higher level clinical decisions, drive consistent developments and advancements in clinical healthcare, and see through strategic or operational change. 

The course (for UK registered nurses only) can be studied as a full-time or part-time self-funded MSc or as a Level 7 apprenticeship. Successful completion of the programme will enable annotation of the 'Specialist Practice Qualification' onto the NMC register. You will also receive certification from the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) as the course is mapped to the QNI Field Specific SPQ Standards (Homeless and Inclusion Health Nursing), aligned to the 4 pillars of Advanced Practice (HEE, 2017).

Why should I choose this course?

  • INDUSTRY APPROVED – This programme has been developed with experts working in the field of homeless and inclusion health, users of service and carers and students to ensure the curriculum is evidence-based and reflects current health and social care priorities
  • ACCREDITATION AND ENDORSEMENT – The programme will be approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and endorsed by the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) in line with NMC standards and proficiencies and the homeless and inclusion nursing field specific standards required by the QNI. Find out more about NMC standards of proficiency
  • ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS – You can choose to study the V300 Independent and Supplementary Prescribing Qualification, the Mental Health First Aid two-day course and receive Associate Fellow status with Advance HE through studying a range of innovative modules that can support your personal and professional development

Our facilities

As a Homeless and Inclusion Health Nursing MSc student at University College Birmingham, you will have access to our Health Skills and Simulation Suite, featuring a purpose-built simulated clinical environment to help you practise your physical health skills and enhance your practical training. Our 360° immersive video room provides access to 200 interactive health and social care backgrounds, while we also have virtual reality software.

Course breakdown

* Registered Nurses who will not be registered prescribers can choose three optional modules, excluding the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing Module. Registered Nurses who can prescribe in their role will need to complete the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing Module (to complete the V300 qualification), plus two additional optional modules.

  • Year 1
  • Year 2

Core Modules

Developing Community Specialist Practice

This module provides an immersive exploration of the multifaceted role of the Community Specialist Practitioner working across a range of health and social care settings, including homeless and inclusion health. Throughout this module, you will delve into key components such as self-awareness, professional nurse advocacy, leadership principles, teaching and learning, service improvement and evidence-based care, fostering autonomy and embracing digital technology for effective collaboration. Leadership strategies and impactful decision-making will be discussed, teaching you how to cultivate a positive learning culture in your workplace. You will strategically measure collaborative impact, engage in autonomous care management, and initiate evidence-based interventions. You will embrace the intricacies of quality improvement theory and design and take the lead on transformative changes in practice. You will complete and share a health profile analysis to engage in contemporary and evidence-based research. This module will equip yourself with the skills to influence healthcare strategies, navigate policy landscapes, and co-create services for improved care outcomes. On this enriching pathway towards becoming a proficient Community Specialist Practitioner, you will learn how to make a lasting impact on health and social care across diverse community settings.

Advanced Clinal Assessment and Diagnosis Skills

This module will prepare you to demonstrate proficiency in clinical assessment of your users of service/client/patient group to complement and enhance your existing practice so that you can perform at the Community Specialist Practitioner level. This will include taking an in-depth, comprehensive history, conducting an appropriate physical examination and using clinical reasoning skills to formulate and refine relevant differential diagnoses and make prescribing decisions. Demonstration and supervised practice for physical examination and head-to-toe assessment will be provided. Although there will be an emphasis on clinical indications, the assessment will also consider mental and emotional health and social circumstances that warrant further assessment and/or onward appropriate referral to agencies/services. The module will introduce health literacy, mental health, and neurodiversity considerations to be made in the assessment process in recognition of the importance of using a holistic approach to all patient care.

Advancing Specialist Practice through Leadership

This module focuses on developing your knowledge, skills and behaviours required to support effective leadership and change management within your field of community specialist practice. You will be required to engage in discussion on a variety of contemporary, complex and challenging scenarios, which require critical thinking and decision-making skills. By studying leadership and strategic management theories, you will be able to develop a service improve initiative which you can apply at personal, team, organisational and inter-organisational levels.

Plus two or three* options from:

Independent and Supplementary Prescribing

As an Independent/Supplementary (V300) prescriber in training, you will complete 24 study sessions of scheduled learning and teaching, which combine attendance for face-to-face, in-class work with more flexible, directed and self-directed study supported by e-learning approaches. Supervised learning in practice time is an integral part of this programme and is scheduled to run concurrently with theoretical learning throughout the programme. You will complete 90 hours of practice-based learning to complete the NMC Standards of Proficiency. With increasing demand to provide safe, appropriate, and cost-effective learning, the programme is available in blended and distance learning. The content is replicated, whether taught via blended learning (campus-based) or distance learning, to ensure parity. Therefore, you will be supported in applying and integrating your existing and developing professional knowledge and understanding within your field of clinical practice, thus providing an educational experience that seeks to facilitate your current clinical practice and support your future development.

Principles of Public Health

This module will expose you to the core foundations and principles within public health practice, drawing from a range of disciplines, including social, behavioural, and physical sciences. Throughout this module, you will build a foundational understanding of the public health area. The module introduces the core theories linked to health and fitness, which cover health promotion, determinants of health, and contemporary challenges that exist in the field. One key area is the role of social justice in public health and how this may impact individuals from different communities, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Ultimately, this module will allow you to gain knowledge of public health systems at various levels, including local, national, and international bodies, which will then inform your work across other modules allowing you to be better equipped moving forward.

Homeless and Inclusion Health

Within this module, you will delve deeply into the intricate dimensions of homelessness, ranging from its diverse categories to the demographics most impacted. You will explore the profound toll of homelessness on health and well-being, addressing chronic illness, malnutrition, and food insecurity. Throughout the module, you will develop advanced skills to address practical challenges within the homeless community, including immunisation, sexual health, and personal hygiene. You will enhance your understanding of trauma-informed practice by analysing government policies and societal perceptions that shape the homelessness landscape, with a focus on confronting stigma and fostering empathy. Engaging deeply with the mental health challenges and feelings of hopelessness often associated with homelessness, you will navigate the complex interplay between homelessness and the criminal justice system, rehabilitation services, and modern-day exploitation. By embracing principles of social justice and anti-oppressive practice, you will empower advocacy for marginalised populations, advancing your ability to manage care for homeless individuals. Join us as we embark on a journey of understanding and action, striving to create a more inclusive and compassionate society.

Addictions and Substance Misuse

In this module you will learn about addiction, the dimensions of addiction, ranging from different types of gambling to physical and behavioural categories of addiction, including compulsive, impulsive, and anxious addicts. You will critically examine widely recognised models and theoretical concepts of addiction, shedding light on substance misuse government policies, epidemiological considerations, and national treatment guidance. With a focus on practical implications, you will explore substance misuse prevention and treatment strategies, withdrawal management, and follow-up community care. We also consider the intersection between substance misuse and the criminal justice system including criminal exploitation issues such as county lines and child exploitation. Throughout this module, students will gain insights into the role of Community Specialist Practitioners in advocating for individuals with substance misuse issues, conducting therapeutic assessments, trauma informed care, and implementing psychosocial interventions. Join us as we navigate through the complexities of addiction, recovery, and holistic care provision in the context of contemporary societal challenges across a lifespan.

Complex Case Management of Long-Term Health Conditions including Frailty

This module will consider the complex case management requirements of Community Specialist Practitioners working with individuals who present with a diverse range of long-term health conditions, including frailty. Using case studies, there will be an analysis of the range of factors that impact on leadership and management decision making including political, financial, spiritual, religious, physiological, psychological and social factors. Assessments for frailty and inter-agency working will be explored, as well as hospital admission avoidance and end-of-life care planning. Information from clinical experts, service-users, the evidence-base and reflections on clinical practice experiences will support critical discussion.

Critical Issues in Mental Health and Learning Disability across Lifespan

Mental Health: As a Community Specialist Practitioner, an important part of your role will be to support those with complex mental health needs within the community setting. To do this, you are required to use leadership, critical thinking and communication skills to flexibly adapt your clinical practice to changing presentations, situations, case load management and care-coordination. This includes ensuring practice is consistent with human rights and mental health legislation. Working alongside users of service and carers / families you will provide psychosocial interventions and psychoeducation to staff, service users and carers. This module will provide you the theory required to maintain mental health and promote wellbeing through the recognition of population and public health working across the health and social care system to reduce restrictive practices, promote choice and provide an alternative to inpatient care. Learning Disability: As a Community Specialist Practitioner in Health and Social Care, you will be working with people who have a learning disability and part of your role is to improve their wellbeing and social inclusion. You will also offer help and support to their family and carers by reducing barriers to independence and supporting the person to live a fulfilling life enabling them to improve and/or maintain their physical and mental health. You may also help people to learn skills needed to find work. This can be significant in helping them to lead a more independent and healthy life where they can relate to others on equal terms. To prepare you for your role, this module will recognise nurses working at an advanced level of practice ensuring that you can ‘close the loop’ on referrals made on behalf of the person you are representing and enable you to contribute to policies and practice relating to learning disability.

Supporting Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

This introductory module is for individuals in relevant professional areas who may be new to teaching and/or supporting learning, or who have a limited teaching portfolio. By studying the principles of teaching, learning and assessment relevant to your professional role, you will be prepared to demonstrate specific aspects of effective teaching, learning support methods and student learning. Through peer support and feedback, observation and feedback, action planning, reflection, and group work, you will be able to evaluate your practice as a teacher and identify professional development requirements to apply to teaching and learning in your area of specialist practice. On successful completion of this module, you will be able to apply for Associate Fellow with Advance HE.

Core Module

Transforming Specialist Practice through Research and Service Improvement (Dissertation/ Service Improvement project)

In this module, which spans 6-12 months, depending on your mode of study - full-time/part-time, you will plan, carry out and evaluate an original research project/ service improvement project with a community health or social care focus. Here, you will work independently under the guidance of a supervisor on a topic area of your choice, where you will be required to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the research and service improvement processes. This will involve applying research skills developed in this module into your practice, by undertaking appropriate research methodologies, data collection procedures and analysis of results. Throughout this module, critical evaluation of ethical, theoretical and methodological issues will be required to ensure an ethically appropriate study is undertaken. You will be required to submit a research proposal or service improvement proposal, consisting of a clear rationale for your project, a clear understanding and awareness of potential ethical issues for a primary study, and how the study will be undertaken. From this, you will then engage in participant recruitment, data collection and write-up of the project. Alternatively, secondary research may be undertaken, where you will also submit a research proposal detailing the theoretical framework, rationale, and detail or explanation of how the study or service improvement may be undertaken, using a service improvement methodology such as ‘PDSA’.

The modules listed above for this course are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up to date and informed by industry as well as the latest teaching methods. On occasion, we may need to make unexpected changes to modules – if this occurs, we will contact all offer holders as soon as possible.

Entry requirements

Academic

  • Applicants should have an honours degree (2:2 or above) in a health-related degree.
  • Non-standard entry applicants will be considered on their merits. You may be offered a place on the course if you have prior learning and/or equivalent experience. Please see the Recognition of Prior Learning section below for alternative entry routes onto the degree.
  • NMC Pin:  

    • Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as an Adult Nurse (must provide NMC PIN on application)

    GCSE: 

    • GCSE English GCSEs at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent)
    • GCSE Maths GCSEs at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent)  

Evidence of achieved qualification must be submitted to nursing@ucb.ac.uk 

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

All self-funding students must also complete an EnhancedDisclosure and Barring Service (DBS)check. The University will coordinate and fund the completion of the DBS check. Further information is available regarding the DBS check – the requirements prior to entry onto the course can be foundhere and a summary of the documents required for the application process can be foundhere. 

Employers of apprentices must confirm within their supporting reference, that their employee has a current enhanced DBS (dated within 3 years). 

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Students who already hold a recognised qualification in any one of the other Specialist Practitioner options at degree level (Level 6) may apply for admission to this programme at Level 7 (MSc), providing they satisfy the necessary entry criteria.  

Note: 120 credits will need to be studied to ‘top-up’ to this Level 7 SPQ over 12 months, with Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for the other 60 credits.  

RPL will also be considered if students have already completed the V300 Independent and Supplementary Prescribing module at Level 7 or 6, or V100 Community Formulary Prescribing programme.  

RPL will be considered for modules and programmes already studied at Level 7 (MSc level). 

An e-portfolio of evidence will be considered for equivalent qualifications and/or experience if students/apprentices do not hold a full BSc degree. Each application will be reviewed individually. 

Pre-course health and immunisation requirements

Self-funding students must complete aPre-course Health Questionnaireand meet theImmunisation Requirements 

Apprentice employers must confirm the apprentice’s fitness to practice and health status on the employer’s reference. 

Interview

The programme team will use the entrance criteria, as well as your personal statement, reference and work experience information to shortlist candidates for interview. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an online interview, and you will be assessed on your motivation and understanding of the role of a Community Specialist Practitioner and your motivation and preparedness to study at master's level. 

Reference - apprenticeship only

Working as a Registered Nurse (any field of practice) in a community practice setting, with a reference from your employer detailing they are supporting your studies for this specific programme, with a suitably-qualified named practice assessor in your workplace who is an SPQ (Specialist Practitioner) or has the knowledge, skills and experience in community specialist practice to be your practice assessor. 

Full-time/ part-time student only

If you are not working in a suitable employment setting and entering the programme as a self-funding full-time or part-time MSc student, please clarify this on your application form and provide a reference from a prior employer or character reference. You need to be a Registered Nurse (any field of practice), so you will need to provide your NMC Pin within your application form. You must complete a 12-month part-time placement as part of this programme.  

Additional

If your degree is not related and you do not have relevant managerial work experience, please contact Admissions so that we can discuss your application on an individual basis before you apply. 

If you have any questions, please complete our enquiry form:  

Enquiry form

Key information

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Students will experience various teaching methods and settings including:

  • Lectures and seminars
  • Practical skills sessions
  • Practical-based learning opportunities
  • Workshops
  • Small group teaching and discussion groups
  • Tutorials
  • Individual and group presentations
  • Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) - electronic resources to facilitate face-to-face learning
  • Weekly Graduate Advantage sessions

With the guidance of a Personal Tutor, you will set out a professional development plan (PDP) at the start of the programme, which will be reviewed throughout the course. The PDP helps to integrate your personal areas of advancement with the existing requirements of the knowledge and skills framework. It also serves as evidence of your expanded skill set in order to boost your future employability.

You will be supported throughout your course by the Programme Lead and Module Leaders. An exciting variety of learning approaches are utilised in the course, which can be tailored to your preferred learning styles.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. 

Assessments

Each module will be assessed using a diverse range of assessment methods, including:

  • Reflective assignment
  • Poster presentation
  • Health profile anaylsis
  • Professional discussion
  • Video/audio presentation
  • Service improvement project proposal, infographic and verbal presentation

Practice Assessment:

Students and apprentices will be required to demonstrate achievement of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards of Proficiency nmc_standards_of_proficiency_for_community_nursing_spqs.pdf.

These NMC proficiencies are mapped to the Field Specific Standards for Homeless and Inclusion Health Nursing (Queen’s Nursing Institute). This ensures the knowledge, skills and behaviours achieved through completion of the Specialist Practitioner Programme align closely with the role of community nurses, working at an advanced, specialist level, across diverse working environments.

Practice requirements are assessed through two assessments:

·       Practice Assessment Document (knowledge, skills and behaviours)

·       Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy 2021-2024.

Timetable

We understand that you need to balance study with work, so wherever possible your lessons will be timetabled into 2 days a week for full-time over 2 years and 1 day a week for part-time study over 3 years.

Tuition fees for home students

If you are a home student enrolling on a postgraduate degree course at University College Birmingham in 2024/2025, the tuition fee for full-time study will be £9,350 per year. For part-time study, the fee will be £4,675 per year.

In 2025/2026, the tuition fee for [Band 1] courses for full-time study will be £9,500 per year. For part-time study, the fee will be £4,750 per year.

View tuition fees for home students

Tuition fees for international students

If you are an international student (or have been fee assessed as an international fee payer) and enrolling on a full-time postgraduate degree course in 2024/2025, the fee for the academic year will be £15,000. If you complete a placement year, there will be an administration fee of £500 for a full year or £250 for a half-year placement.

In 2025/2026, the tuition fee for [Band 1] courses will be £17,000 for the academic year.

View fees for international students

Unibuddy Community - meet other students on your course

Starting university is an exciting time, but we understand that it can sometimes feel a little daunting. To support you, you will be invited to join our Unibuddy Community, where you can meet other students who have applied for the same course at University College Birmingham, before you start studying here.

As soon as you have been made an offer, you will be sent an invitation email to complete your registration and join the Unibuddy Community. For more information, check out our Unibuddy Community page.

Percentage
50%

of graduate employers say relevant experience is essential to getting a job with them

Work placements

Self-funding students:

You will be provided a placement across the duration of the course where you will be supported by practice supervisors and a named practice assessor. who will assess your standards of proficiency throughout the programme, alongside an academic assessor at the University. To ensure you meet all the standards of proficiency and broaden your experience and exposure to other health and social care professionals, there will be opportunities for planned ‘spoke’ or pathway days/weeks during the year.

Work alongside experts in your sector

A snapshot of some of the employers we have worked with:

  • Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI)
  • Pathway (Healthcare for Homeless People)
  • Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
  • NHS England (Workforce, Training and Education Directorate)
  • Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
  • Birmingham and Solihull NHS Training Hub
  • Integrated Care Boards (Birmingham and Solihull, Black Country, Stoke and Stafford, Coventry and Warwickshire)
  • Social Care Nursing Advisory Council
  • Care Homes Network and forum
"Year 1 hones your autonomous skills by integrating evidenced-based leadership principles into your practice and theory, prepares you for clinical assessment, elevating your practice with harmonious consideration of therapeutic and clinical interventions, and focuses on cultivating knowledge and skills for advanced leadership within your community specialist practice setting. Year 2 centres on the dissertation, enabling you to plan, carry out and evaluate an original research project. Expect a psychologically safe learning environment on your journey toward professional growth, underpinned by academic excellence in a salutogenic approach."

Malaika Eparh Programme Lead

Career opportunities

The example roles and salaries below are intended as a guide only.

Community specialist practitioner

Average Salary: £36,370

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