MSc Healthcare in Secure Environments

The following are the current unit modules which compose the MSc in Healthcare in Relation to Secure Environments. Each unit accounts for the indicated number of CATS points towards the final award. It is expected that participants will be actively working with patients and most modules will have a significant practice based / case study focus to the assessment.

Navigating Secure Environments (15 CATS Points)

This module introduces students to pathways through the Criminal Justice System (CJS). Students will learn about different routes and continuity of clinical care though the whole CJS system from arrest to community reintegration and the roles, dilemmas and challenges faced by professionals at different stages. Although the focus is on prisons this module also covers other related secure environments including health and social services provision. A major focus of the unit is gaining an understanding the practical aspects of working in secure settings (clinician-craft) and the special demands these environments place on professionals and on the professional-patient relationship.

Practical, Legal and Ethical Considerations (15 CATS Points)

This module focuses on enabling qualified healthcare professionals to reflect on their pre-existing skills and augment them to enable the formation of ethical, effective and boundaried relationships with patients in secure settings. Content includes; confidentiality, report writing, security issues, managing boundary violations and the environmental impact on patients. This is embedded in the context of maintaining professional integrity and ethical practice. The practical orientation of the module continues with sessions addressing: interviewing, rapport building and making, providing and defending expert evidence.

Mental Disorder and Learning Disability (15 CATS Points)

Building on their professional experience, students will develop specialist knowledge and skills in the assessment, treatment and management of people with mental health problems, personality disorder and/or learning disabilities in secure environments. Students will consider current thinking and best practice in working with these client groups including the impact of current best practice guidance (e.g., DoH, MoJ & NICE).

Offending and Risk (15 CATS Points)

In this module students will develop a critical understanding of the major theories of offending and learn how to apply that understanding to risk assessment and risk management in secure environments. The focus of the module is on harm to others. Students will learn how to identify risk factors and how to communicate risk information to maximise the impact of professional judgment within professional guidelines. 

Suicide and Self-Harm (15 CATS Points)

In this module students will focus on theory and practice related to the clinical management of suicide and self-harm. A particular focus will be on the extra impact that secure environments place on vulnerable groups and the effect this has on professional working practices. This module has strong links with module two, Practical, Legal and Ethical Considerations.

Sexual Health (15 CATS Points)

This module prepares participants to offer a holistic, sensitive, high quality person centred service related to sexual health. The module focuses on those physical health problems most relevant to populations in secure settings. It will also focus on sexual health issues; including providing information on supporting service users to make informed sexual health and relationship choices by increasing the participant’s knowledge and competency in practical clinical based skills.

Substance Misuse (15 CATS Points)

This unit aims to equip health care professionals with the range of knowledge and skills required to deliver high quality services in order to improve the management of substance misusers in secure settings. The module will cover a subset of the RCGP Substance Misuse Certificate information. Those having completed the RCGP training might be granted credit for this module.

Special Groups (15 CATS Points)

To cover information and clinical practice on a range minority groups within secure settings. This will focus mainly on; women, youths and asylum seekers, but will include reference to other groups such as courts, immigration and removal centres, secure children’s homes and military prisoners. The focus will be on highlighting the evidence base with each of the groups relevant to current assessment, treatment, management and policy developments.

Evidence Based Practice (15 CATS Points)

Aims to enable healthcare and other professionals who are working in secure environments to understand the five steps of evidence based practice: asking, accessing, appraising, applying and assessing evidence. It also enables professionals to develop the skills for undertaking the different steps of evidence based practice. Finally it prepares students to undertake a dissertation.

MSc Thesis (45 CATS Points)

The MSc thesis allows students to demonstrate competence in planning and management of a clinical research study in their specialist research area. It will provide an opportunity to design, implement, analyse, interpret and write up a substantial piece of empirical work within a clinical setting.

Each of the different modules is provided as a stand-alone module with each module providing a period of direct teaching input (approximately two days), supplemented by a range of blended learning methods including guided reading, blogs, discussion groups etc.

To ensure a flexible model of delivery, students accumulate the required number of points at each award level. Awards could be made at Certificate (60 points), Diploma (120 points) or MSc (180 points) level by completing a combination of required and optional courses. The aim is to deliver a number of modules each academic year which would allow individuals to attend modules as they were able to within their work demands, rather than being forced into tight deadlines which for some individuals may be problematic. The normal pace of a part time MSc would be such that individuals could complete the required 180 points within a two year period.

Individuals attending the course are likely to be currently working as healthcare professionals within a secure environment. This may be in a range of roles, including medical, nursing, occupational therapist, psychologist etc. and different secure settings, including prisons and secure healthcare. The entry requirements will reflect their current practice registration and experience in this area.

For information about fees, scholarships and bursaries please see our Fees & Funding pages.

Fees and Funding

For more information about the MSc in Healthcare in Relation to Secure Environments (HRSE) please contact:

Paul Linsley: Plinsley@lincoln.ac.uk