Rehabilitation Studies: Continence for Physiotherapists

Entry requirements

Students should:

• Hold a relevant professional qualification normally at Bachelors degree level (Ordinary or Honours) or equivalent
• Be a physiotherapist registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) if you are intending to undertake the practice module
• Normally have two years post qualification experience
• Normally be working in the field of women's health and/or continence care
• Have access to appropriate clinical practice whilst undertaking the practice module (the theory module can be undertaken without this)

Months of entry

September

Course content

This programme is aimed at physiotherapists working in the speciality of continence care and rehabilitation in a variety of health care settings.

It offers physiotherapists a range of opportunities to develop an evidence based approach to clinical reasoning through the ability to identify, analyse and interpret the current best available evidence and apply this to practice of continence care using appropriate assessment and therapeutic intervention skills. Students will study in-depth issues related to both male and female continence and pelvic floor rehabilitation.

The modules include teaching blocks at the Faculty of Health Studies, University of Bradford to encourage shared learning. Peer physical examination is used during teaching, viable alternatives are available if required. Further learning and teaching on the practice module occurs in the clinical setting. Students must therefore have access to an appropriate clinical caseload in order to be able to undertake the practice module. Each student will be allocated a clinical mentor for the practice module.

This is the only programme of its kind in the UK offering this specialist area of study. The Certificate was developed and is regularly reviewed jointly by Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) (formerly the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women’s Health) and the University of Bradford.

This ensures the continued clinical relevance of the programme. A further strength of the programme is the use of external lecturers who are specialists within their field and continue to have a clinical caseload.