Overview

This physiotherapy degree apprenticeship is ideal if you are employed as a healthcare worker and your employer is willing to support your professional development.

As a physiotherapist, you make a real difference to the way people function physically, socially, and psychologically, using therapeutic intervention to optimise their abilities. This is achieved through health promotion, preventative healthcare and rehabilitation.

This apprenticeship equips you with the knowledge and skills so that on completion, you can apply for membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and register with the Health and Care Professions Council as a physiotherapist. The course equips you with the attributes, competencies, abilities and enthusiasm required to meet the demands of a constantly evolving profession, and ongoing development of the individual. Teesside University has a long and successful history of training physiotherapists, and the apprenticeship is in response to employer demand. The course team is committed to student-centred learning through negotiation, shared responsibility and mutual respect. This professional and holistic relationship between you and your mirrors the type of physiotherapist/client relationship we encourage.

Course structure

Year 1 core modules

This interprofessional module introduces the core skills, values and behaviours that underpin your professional practice within health and social care with acknowledgment of the professional standards you must adhere to from your regulator and your own professional body.

Foundation Skills For Physiotherapy Practise

We introduce you to the core clinical skills and understanding of treatment principles that underpin practice. You integrate knowledge of anatomy and physiology, with that of pathology, exercise and rehabilitation. This knowledge is applied to a diverse range of client groups.

Assessment is through a written assignment and a practical examination.

Health and Wellbeing in Professional Practise

You consider the role of the allied health professional within the context of increasingly unhealthy lifestyles, and growing numbers of people with long term conditions. You are introduced to models of health including social, psychological, physical, cultural and environmental, and how these key concepts can influence quality of care and enhance the participation of individuals

Human Movement For Physiotherapist 

You gain a foundation of knowledge of functional anatomy and core biomechanical principles that underpin and determine normal human movement. These are key to effective neuromusculoskeletal clinical physiotherapy practice.

Structure and Function for Allied Health Professional

You develop integrated knowledge of anatomy and physiology through small group working in variety of workshops, practical laboratories and student-led interactive sessions making use of relevant online tools and resources.

How you learn

A range of diverse learning and teaching methods used throughout the course includes keynote lectures, seminars, small group work as well as practical skills sessions. You are given constructive feedback to enhance your learning opportunities. You are encouraged and supported to engage in self-directed learning throughout the duration of the course. You must complete at least 1,000 hours of clinical practice successfully to comply with the regulations of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Clinical placements enable you to assess and treat clients with varied clinical conditions, in a range of hospital and community settings. During placements you are supervised by experienced clinicians and receive visits from University tutors.

How you are assessed

You will encounter a variety of assessment methods as you progress through the course. The nature of the assessment will vary according to the learning outcomes of the module and also to ensure that you are not disadvantaged by any one method. Methods of assessment include written and practical examinations, completion of practice portfolios, poster and oral presentations, written assignments and practice placements. In Year 3 a specific apprenticeship End Point Assessment which includes professional discussion and observation of your practice in the clinical setting.

In the interests of professional safety, you must complete all modules successfully to demonstrate:

• conducting assessment and treatment procedures safely and effectively
• satisfactory clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills
• satisfactory skills in communication and team working
• evidence of appropriate selection and appraisal of methods of critical enquiry

Career opportunities

Opportunities are available for employment within the NHS, private sector or charitable trusts – in hospitals, GP surgeries, schools, industry and in the community. You could also consider a career working in clinical research or teaching, in the UK or overseas.

Work placement

Depending on your place of employment, you may be able to meet the requirements of the course within your own Trust. However, there may be occasions when you are asked to work in a different hospital or a different Trust to gain the necessary experience and to develop the necessary knowledge and skills in order to meet the required standards of practice.