School of Life and Health Sciences

This module aims to explore the role of the physiotherapist in health, physical activity, and primary care. Students will explore the role of physiotherapists in primary care, this will build on content in previous modules that focused on scope of practice and emerging roles within the profession. Students will gain an understanding of the wider determinants of health acknowledging the impact of social, economic, and environmental factors on health and well-being. Students will develop a detailed understanding of exercise physiology and apply this knowledge in the context of exercise prescription. Students will build on their learning in previous modules to explore the impact of biopsychosocial factors on physical activity and inactivity to understand the challenges to health promotion in different populations and settings. Students will explore how psychology, sociology and cultural diversity inform an understanding of health, illness, and disease. Students will consider the impact of role modelling physical activity behaviour and develop the skills to optimise active participation by physiotherapy service users such that they can empower individuals to make sustainable behavioural changes including social prescribing. Students will understand the value other health professionals play in promoting and supporting health and wellbeing. The advantages and disadvantages of telehealth for health promotion in diverse individuals and populations will be considered. Themes that will continue through this module include equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and inclusive practice, effective communication, self-awareness, strong teamwork and interprofessional working to provide holistic people centred care and optimal outcomes.

This module will continue to develop and build on the key concepts and skills introduced in previous modules such as EDI and inclusive practice, communication skills, physical activity promotion and supporting behavioural change. It will focus on evidence-based rehabilitation of commonly encountered conditions and management of patients across lifespan. Practical handling skills will continue to be developed to ensure safe and effective practice. Students will explore the impact of the ageing demographic on health and social care and the profile of service users. There will be content that focuses on end-of-life care. Students will develop an understanding of how physiotherapy interventions and disease progression can bring about behavioural, structural, functional, and physiological changes. The importance of collaboration and teamwork to ensure inclusive, holistic person-centred care will be emphasised. Approaches to optimising engagement with service users will be discussed. Key transferable skills will continue to be developed such as communication, self-reflection, interpersonal skills, decision making and reasoning.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the key concepts and core foundations of physiotherapy practice. Subsequent modules will build on and integrate the knowledge and skills developed here. Students will form a deep and comprehensive understanding of the structure and function of the human body by studying human anatomy, the physiology of body systems and understanding how these interact to maintain homeostasis in health across the lifespan. Students will explore the pathophysiology of common diseases and conditions treated by physiotherapists to reflect the full breadth of practice e.g., stroke, cancer, cerebral palsy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, incontinence, cardiovascular disease. The module will include an introduction to pain, chronic pain, and healing. The biopsychosocial model of health will also be covered to allow students to understand the shift away from a biomedical approach to health and social care that acknowledges the significant role that psychological factors play in health and disease. Students will develop the basic skills of analysing human movement and moving and handling of the human body. This module will address gaps in underpinning knowledge required to be a physiotherapist and support students to become autonomous learners and practitioners.?