Alexandra Hughes

This 20-credit module enables students to develop advanced competencies in critical analysis, clinical reasoning, and reflective practice for the effective management of individuals presenting with complex and/or long-term conditions. It equips learners with the requisite knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours to practise as safe, effective, and autonomous physiotherapists, capable of operating within diverse and evolving health and social care environments. 

Emphasis is placed on the critical integration of evidence-based physiotherapy practice, enabling students to justify and refine clinical decision-making in accordance with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency. Learners will appraise the value and application of research evidence, exploring its role in informing interventions, optimising patient outcomes, and contributing to service enhancement and innovation. 

Through engagement with complex case studies and scenario-based learning, students will evaluate multifactorial presentations, synthesise clinical data, and formulate safe, appropriate, and person-centred rehabilitation plans. The module also examines the theoretical, legal, and policy frameworks that underpin physiotherapy, alongside leadership concepts and the emerging roles of physiotherapists within the contemporary healthcare system. 

On completion, students will be able to critically evaluate and adapt physiotherapy practice, demonstrating professional autonomy, evidence-informed reasoning, and leadership within complex clinical environments.