Addressing the Health Needs of Diverse Populations (Lincoln)

Code

MEDS3070

School

Medical Education Centre

Level

3

Credits

10

Semesters

Autumn UK

Summary

This advanced optional module will engage students in critical discussion addressing the biopsychosocial health needs of diverse populations (e.g. people with long-term conditions, BAME populations, LGBTQ+ populations, patients who speak English as an additional language, people on probation, carers, homeless populations, people with learning disabilities). This will include elements of addressing complexity through considering scenarios involving patients who have multiple or intersecting needs.

Students will be asked to apply their prior learning alongside critical engagement with relevant academic and clinical literature to develop evidence-based suggestions for delivering high quality care to patients from a range of backgrounds. Assessment will be by case study written assignment, designed to test ability to critically evaluate and apply relevant academic literature and clinical guidelines; understanding of a range of biopsychosocial considerations; ethical and professional obligations along with patient needs and preferences; and draw up an evidence-based set of care recommendations.

The structure of the sessions will predominantly be scenario/case-based seminars, with students expected to work independently to research key issues, prior to engaging in a discussion with their peers around key aspects of the scenario. Students will also be expected to critically engage with relevant academic literature and appropriate clinical guidelines and policies (including ethical and professional guidelines), and demonstrate their ability to synthesise and apply information from these sources to discussing patient care. Students will also be encouraged to raise issues they are aware of or have encountered that affect diverse communities’ access to and experiences of healthcare and to work with their peers to think about why these problems occur and how they can be addressed. Where possible (and subject to any Covid-19 restrictions that may be in place at the time), representatives of patient, carer and community groups will be invited to provide lived experience perspectives.

Target Students

Third year Medical Students on the A10L programme

Classes

• One 1-hour-30-minute seminar each week for 8 weeks

Assessment

• 100% Coursework 1: 2,000 word case study report and recommendations addressing a patient case study scenario.

Assessed by end of autumn semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Students will achieve learning outcomes within the GMC’s Outcomes for Graduates (2018) which requires graduates to be able to:

2b Demonstrate compassionate professional behaviour and their professional responsibilities in making
sure the fundamental needs of patients are addressed.

2c Summarise the current ethical dilemmas in medical science and healthcare practice; the ethical issues that can arise in everyday clinical decision-making; and apply ethical reasoning to situations which may be encountered in the first years after graduation.

2d Maintain confidentiality and respect patients’ dignity and privacy.

2j Recognise the potential impact of their attitudes, values, beliefs, perceptions and personal biases
(which may be unconscious) on individuals and groups and identify personal strategies to address this.
 

2k Demonstrate the principles of person-centred care and include patients and, where appropriate, their relatives, carers or other advocates in decisions about their healthcare needs.

2l Explain and demonstrate the importance of:
• Seeking patient consent, or the consent of the person who has parental responsibility in the case
of children and young people, or seeking the views of those with lasting power of attorney or
independent mental capacity advocates if appropriate.
• Providing information about options for investigations, treatment and care in a way that enables
patients to make decisions about their own care.
• Assessing the mental capacity of a patient to make a particular decision, including when the lack of capacity is temporary, and knowing when and how to take action.

2m Act appropriately, with an inclusive approach, towards patients and colleagues.

2s Access and analyse reliable sources of current clinical evidence and guidance and have established.
methods for making sure their practice is consistent with these

6a Recognise the complex medical needs, goals and priorities of patients, the factors that can affect a patient’s health and wellbeing and how these interact. These include psychological and sociological considerations that can also affect patients’ health.

6b Identify the need to adapt management proposals and strategies for dealing with health problems to take into consideration patients’ preferences, social needs, multiple morbidities, frailty and long term physical and mental conditions.

6c Demonstrate working collaboratively with patients, their relatives, carers or other advocates, in
planning their care, negotiating and sharing information appropriately and supporting patient self-care.

6d Demonstrate working collaboratively with other health and care professionals and organisations when working with patients, particularly those with multiple morbidities, frailty and long term physical and mental conditions.

6e Recognise how treatment and care can place an additional burden on patients and make decisions to reduce this burden where appropriate, particularly where patients have multiple conditions or are approaching the end of life.

6f Manage the uncertainty of diagnosis and treatment success or failure and communicate this openly and sensitively with patients, their relatives, carers or other advocates.

7h Recognise where addiction (to drugs, alcohol, smoking or other substances), poor nutrition, self neglect, environmental exposure, or financial or social deprivation are contributing to ill health. And
take action by seeking advice from colleagues and making appropriate referrals.

7i Describe the principles of equality legislation in the context of patient care.

23c Explain the relationship between psychological and medical conditions and how psychological factors impact on risk and treatment outcome.

23d Describe the impact of patients’ behaviours on treatment and care and how these are influenced by
psychological factors.

23e Describe how patients adapt to major life changes, such as bereavement, and the adjustments that might occur in these situations.

24a Recognise how society influences and determines the behaviour of individuals and groups and apply this to the care of patients.

24d Recognise sociological factors that contribute to illness, the course of the disease and the success of treatment and apply these to the care of patients − including issues relating to health inequalities and the social determinants of health, the links between occupation and health, and the effects of poverty and affluence.

25c Evaluate the environmental, social, behavioural and cultural factors which influence health and disease in different populations.

25d Assess, by taking a history, the environmental, social, psychological, behavioural and cultural factors influencing a patient’s presentation, and identify options to address these, including advocacy for those who are disempowered.

Conveners

• Professor David O'Brien