Approved Mental Health Professional

Entry requirements

To apply for this course you will need to be employed in one of the 15 Local Authorities in Wales or the related Health Boards. You will be selected and funded by your employer to train to undertake the statutory role of an AMHP.

This role is legislated for by Welsh Government and the programme is validated by Social Care Wales.

You will need to be a Social Worker, a mental health nurse working in mental health or learning disabilities, a psychologist or occupational therapist working in mental health or learning disabilities.

You will also need to:

• Be registered with a professional body
• Have at least two years post qualifying experience of working with people with mental disorders or dual diagnosis
• Have the support and agreement of your sponsored employer and have the appropriate learning opportunities.
• Have either a Bachelor's or Master’s degree or, in exceptional circumstances, where this academic requirement is not met, you demonstrate your experience and qualifications to equip you for undertaking the Postgraduate study. This can be evidenced by, for example, a relevant Post Qualifying Award.
• If you do not hold a degree you may be required to attend an interview.

The AMHP PG Cert course is taken at Master’s level, therefore a pre-programme study day is provided to all students to promote confidence and support for writing at Master’s level.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This unique postgraduate certificate will give you the professional knowledge and skills required by the Welsh Government and Social Care Wales to be considered by their agency to become warranted and practice as an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP). An AMHP is responsible for assessing a person with a mental disorder when considering the need for an application for formal admission to a psychiatric hospital.

The Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) is a 60-credit Level 7 award delivered over one year at Swansea University. It equips experienced, registered health and social care practitioners with the professional knowledge and skills required by the Welsh Government and Social Care Wales to be nominated by their employing Local Authority for AMHP approval.

Eligible applicants must be registered social workers, mental health or learning disability nurses, occupational therapists, or chartered psychologists, and be formally sponsored by their Local Authority employer.

AMHPs coordinate statutory assessments under the Mental Health Act 1983 for individuals who may require compulsory admission. The programme ensures graduates can make lawful, rights-focused decisions that retain the trust and confidence of people who use services, carers and partner agencies. This qualification is the only AMHP-approved programme currently delivered in Wales, developed in partnership with 15 Welsh Local Authorities to meet national workforce needs.

All applicants must be nominated and sponsored by their employing Local Authority and supported by an Agency Liaison Person to ensure relevant supervised practice throughout the programme.

Why PGCert Approved Mental Health Professional at Swansea?

We are the only university in Wales to offer this course, which is based at our School of Health and Social Care on Singleton Park Campus. You will benefit from a diverse teaching and research environment, with many opportunities to make connections across disciplines.

According to the most recent Research Excellence Framework, 75% of research carried out at the School of Health and Social Care is 3* and therefore considerable in terms of reach and significance. Our focus on research outputs has resulted in a 21% increase in world-leading research (REF2021). This research expertise and excellence feeds directly into our learning and teaching practice and your course content.

Your PGCert Approved Mental Health Professional experience

Our PGCert AMHP is a research-led and practice-driven programme that integrates academic study with supervised statutory practice. The curriculum ensures students develop and demonstrate the competencies required by Social Care Wales to undertake the AMHP role under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended) and associated Welsh legislation and policy.

Students must complete a minimum of 600 hours / 75 days of AMHP practice learning. This provides structured opportunities to participate in Mental Health Act assessments, communicate with people in crisis, collaborate across agencies, and apply least-restrictive and rights-focused principles in professional decision-making. Evidence from supervised statutory practice contributes directly to the credit-bearing assessment of AMHP competence.

Our academic team has a wealth of experience in mental health service practice and management, providing an unrivalled combination of academic excellence and policy and practical expertise.