2025/26 entry
PG Cert Complexities in Urgent and Primary Care | Part-time
Why study Complexities in Urgent and Primary Care | Part-time at Liverpool John Moores University?
PgCert Complexities in Urgent and Primary Care will help you to develop knowledge and understanding within urgent, walk-in and primary care settings, with a focus on multidisciplinary and integrated care.
Our Postgraduate Certificates (or PgCerts for short) provide the opportunity to study masters-level modules in a specific area of practice relevant to your chosen area of specialism or development.
Our PgCerts are ideal if you:
- would like to experience level 7 study in a particular area of practice without the commitment to a full Masters award.
- are looking for specific areas of professional development or training.
- already have a masters degree and are looking to focus on specialist practice.
- want to undertake a masters eventually and gain some credits that can be transferred into the masters award.
About this course
PgCert Complexities in Urgent and Primary Care comprises three 20 credit modules that will support your development of knowledge, skills and understanding across urgent, walk-in and primary care settings.
Topics covered include:
- key concepts surrounding, but not exclusive to, urgent care patient presentations.
- a focus on public health challenges and initiatives within a primary care context.
- the recognition and management of the deteriorating patient across a range of settings and presentations.
All of this is undertaken with a focus on a multiprofessional approach and within the developments of integrated care settings.
Delivery takes place over a 30 week period (excluding standard university closures) and is structured as follows:
Module 1: Assessment and Management of Urgent Care Presentations (7013NAPPG)
- 15 weeks
- January to April
Module 2 - Managing the Deteriorating Patient (7014NAPPG) and Module 3 - Appraising Public health Initiatives (7012NAPPG)
- 15 weeks
- April to July
Fees and funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted at the top of this page cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- access to programme-appropriate software
- library and student IT support
- free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages.
Please be aware that the UK’s departure from the EU may affect your tuition fees. Learn more about your fee status and which tuition fees are relevant to you.
Fees
The fees quoted cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- Library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to programme-appropriate software
- Library and student IT support
- Free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Funding
Opportunities for funding may be available through your workplace employer or alternatively through the Postgraduate Masters Loan scheme. More information can be found https://www.gov.uk/masters-loan
Employability
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
The knowledge, skills and clinical understanding provided within this course will support development of both nursing and Allied health professionals who may already work within or are interested in working within the Urgent, Integrated, Walk-in or Primary Care settings. This continued professional development programme is designed to support further development of health professionals who may wish to specialise in these areas of practice.
The student experience
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Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
Your programme is made up of a number of core modules which are part of the course framework. Some programmes also have optional modules that can be selected to enhance your learning in certain areas and many feature a dissertation, extended report or research project to demonstrate your advanced learning.
The programme will be facilitated through a combination of face to face delivery and online learning. Each module within the programme has learning designed to reflect the requirements of the module.
7013NAPPG - Assessment and Management of Urgent Care Presentations
This module will run over 15 weeks and will be facilitated through a combination of face-to face delivery and online learning. This module develops the students knowledge as applied to primary and urgent care services who see patients with acutely presenting symptoms across the lifespan. Students will work collaboratively with their peers to develop their knowledge of and skills in relation to common conditions that are seen within these clinical settings and will critically explore the decision making process to manage patients.
7014NAPPG - Managing the Deteriorating Patient
Managing the deteriorating patient allows the learner to explore the complexity associated with recognising and responding to early signs of deterioration in patients across a range of settings. Based on national patient safety guidance it entails in-depth exploration of the factors that influence incidents relating to deterioration and the underlying causes for these. It also enables the student to develop knowledge in the early recognition of signs and symptoms that present during early deterioration across a range of systems including the deteriorating neurological, respiratory, renal and septic patients, and compensatory mechanisms, and considers patient examples and how to escalate and manage care within different settings.
7012NAPPG - Appraising Public health Initiatives
The module will run over 15 weeks and will be facilitated through a combination of face to face lectures and workshops and online learning.
Students will work collaboratively with their peers to critically explore and appraise public health initiatives, further developing knowledge and awareness of key drivers. Students will explore areas of public health focus as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan (2019); Prevention, Smoking, Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, Diet and Alcohol, Antimicrobial Resistance and Vaccinations, Cancer, Mental Health, Air Pollution, Children and Maternity Care and Gambling. Students will develop critical awareness of societal impacts on public health and the challenges related to improving the health of the public.
Core modules
Appraising Public Health Initiatives
20 credits
The module will cover:
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Key areas of public health focus as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan (2019); Prevention, Smoking, Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, Diet and Alcohol, Antimicrobial Resistance and Vaccinations, Cancer, Mental Health, Air Pollution, Children and Maternity Care and Gambling.
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Approaches to health education, health promotion and public health
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Empowering people to manage their health
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Social marketing and communication.
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Political and ethical issues relating to health education, health promotion, and public health
- Barriers and challenges related to improving the health of the public
Assessment and Management of Urgent Care Presentations
20 credits
Module content will cover:
- An overview of urgent care services including general practice, 111, walk-in-centres and urgent care centres
- Prioritising healthcare need through advanced assessment and triage
- Recognising red flags in patient presentations across the lifespan
- Common and rarer presentations in urgent care across the lifespan and the associated therapeutic interventions
- Clinical decision making in urgent care
- Scope of practice, professional boundaries and competence
Managing the Deteriorating Patient
20 credits
Managing the deteriorating patient allows the learner to explore the complexity associated with recognising and responding to early signs of deterioration in patients across a range of settings. Based on national patient safety guidance it entails in-depth exploration of the factors that influence incidents relating to deterioration and the underlying causes for these. It also enables the student to develop knowledge in the early recognition of signs and symptoms that present during early deterioration across a range of systems including the deteriorating neurological, respiratory, renal and septic patients, and compensatory mechanisms, and considers patient examples and how to escalate and manage care within different settings.
This module runs over 15 weeks including the assessment point and each session is 3 hours in length.
This module aligns to following capabilities within the Multiprofessional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practitioners (HEE, 2017):
1.1; 1.6; 1.8; 2.8; 2.10; 4.4.
Teaching
An insight into teaching on your course
Your programme offer a variety of teaching and learning approaches that are designed to engage and inspire you. These may include lectures, seminars, group work activities, simulation and tutorials, and may involve both on-campus and online learning.
As you progress through the programme, you will develop and utilise progressively higher-order and mastery-level skills, as well as further developing subject specific knowledge. This will support you to become an inquiring and confident learner, fostering independence in the acquisition, and application of, theoretical knowledge.
You will be:
- Empowered to acquire knowledge through supported, independent learning. This will include being directed to scholarly activities that will prepare you for scheduled teaching activity.
- Supported in engaging in online asynchronous activity. Examples include tutorial discussions, tutor-facilitated discussion boards and collaborative or individual projects, such as wikis, padlets, blogs and e-portfolios. Dedicated and experienced academic staff will actively, iteratively and directly engage with you to facilitate and guide your learning.
RPEL opportunities within this programme may be available in part (up to 20 credits) for the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme within LJMU.
For advice and guidance about RPEL or credit transfer at LJMU please visit the academic framework pages for more information and guidance https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/public-information/academic-quality-and-regulations/academic-framework
Assessment
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
The assessment requirements of the programme and each module are designed to reflect assessments that are authentic and relevant to todays health professional.
7013NAPPG - Assessment and Management of Urgent Care Presentations
The assessment of the module is an oral examination through engagement within a professional conversation over a period of no more than 20 minutes.
7014NAPPG - Managing the Deteriorating Patient
The assessment is a written case study which critically addresses the management of a deteriorating patient case study over 3000 words.
7012NAPPG - Appraising Public health Initiatives
The assessment is a poster presentation which will critically appraise a public health initiative, of 3000 word equivalency.
Course tutors
Our staff are committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning
Gerardine Wood
Senior Lecturer
Gerardine is a Senior Lecturer in the postgraduate team within the School of Nursing and Advanced practice and is actively involved in the delivery of the MSc Nursing and the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme. Gerardine’s background is working in clinical practice within the NHS for 28 years with 15 years in walk-in-centres and GP practice. She is a registered Adult nurse, midwife and specialist public health nurse (occupational health).
School facilities
What you can expect from your School
The School of Nursing and Advanced Practice is based within Tithebarn Building in the heart of Liverpool and close to rail and bus public transport connections. It adjoins the Avril Robarts Library, which offers a wealth of learning and study support resources.
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Undergraduate degree
BA/BSc (Hons) in relevant field at 2:2 or above, or evidence of potential to study at Masters Level
Application and selection
Securing your place at LJMU
To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.
We are looking for practitioners within healthcare who embody the core NHS values and constitution, have the drive to enhance practice and innovate to effect positive change for patients are carers, in the role and speciality within which they work. In this programme it would be advantageous that you are from an area within Urgent or Primary Care or have a particular interest in these areas of practice.
The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.