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Overview

Course Prescription

A clinically focused course providing an overview of the recognition and management of adult mental health in primary care and other healthcare settings. Topics and content will enable an examination of mental illness in New Zealand including cultural approaches and epidemiology, assessment, identification, treatment and management options. Content covers high prevalence conditions (depression, anxiety) and long term conditions (bipolar disorder and schizophrenia). Topics will include recovery, resilience, CBT techniques and the effect of alcohol and drugs.

Course Overview

Please note the course is for registered clinicians / registered health professionals only (eg GP's, Nurses, Registered allied health). 
It is also appropriate for those currently enrolled in applied PG health practitioner programmes such as AOD clinicians and MCounselling. 
Course content covers high prevalence disorders in primary care with a particular focus on depression and anxiety,  together with assessment/screening tools, skills in brief psychological intervention, and building knowledge of broader treatment options. Other mental health presentations such as adjustment disorders, eating disorders, alcohol/substance abuse, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, and postpartum depression are also discussed. Complimentary content such as perspectives on recovery, cultural approaches, resilience, and stigma are also included. 
The course has a key focus on practical skills (basic CBT/behavioural activation for primary care) during the compulsory in person block course teaching (2-days).
Key topic areas covered are:

  • Developing a Context for Mental Health (Epidemiology, psychosomatic interface, recovery approach, cultural perspectives, access inequalities) 
  • Strengthen knowledge base of high prevalence mental health conditions (particularly depression & anxiety disorders including phobia's & PTSD, also including eating disorders, adjustment disorders, maternal mental health, alcohol & drugs). Foundation skills in mental health screening, assessment, and risk assessment and also covered.
  • Understand and develop early competence and clinical skills in using a brief cognitive-behavioural tool with patients, to provide a brief psychological intervention for mild, non-complex presentations. Learn how to use this tool in a targeted way for different presentations.
  • Increase knowledge regarding Māori and Pacific views of health 
  • Build reflection and evaluation of own practice

Course Contacts

Academic Co-ordinator and Senior Lecturer: 
Dr. Marion Roberts Email: marion.roberts@auckland.ac.nz
Course Administrator
Mrs Upendra Wickramarachchi Group Services Administrator Email: u.wicks@auckland.ac.nz

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard [15] point course and students are expected to spend up to 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in. The course is a hybrid design (mixing online & in person elements).

For this course, the majority of work is self-directed and online. You can expect 1 hour of online lectures per week, 1-3 hours reading and thinking about the content, 2 consecutive days of on-campus block teaching (clinical skills workshop), and 1-2 hours of work per week on assignments (this will ebb and flow across the semester).

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
Grafton

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

In-person attendance at the scheduled 2-day campus teaching is compulsory, in order to complete the practical/applied components of the course. These 2 days are highly interactive & typically run from 930-430pm at Grafton campus, central Auckland.
Other lecture content will be available as online recorded lectures via canvas. Note that the 2-day campus teaching will not be available as recordings.

The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is not required for the test, which is online.
Assignments are submitted online via canvas, the university online teaching & learning platform.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a suggested weekly timetable, however there is flexibility to complete more or less as each student has capacity.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

Recommended learning resources, in particular a comprehensive reading list, is provided in the course outline on Canvas.
The course has a high level of academic reading (mostly applied in nature) to complement in person and online lecture content.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Other Information

The course is for registered healthcare clinicians and registered allied health workers only (eg GP, Nurse, Social worker). It is also appropriate for those currently enrolled in applied PG health practitioner programmes such as AOD clinicians and MCounselling.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type12345

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Time  available for online test has been increased. 

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.