RSPH is excited to be announcing a brand new range of qualifications that will be of interest to centres and which cover emerging health protection issues and build on existing health improvement subjects.  

The first of these new qualifications are the RSPH Level 3 Certificate in health and wellbeing improvement and the RSPH Level 3 Diploma in health and wellbeing improvement – Supporting behaviour change in professional practice. These qualifications will be appropriate for individuals active in a number of health improvement roles particularly link workers. This workforce includes health trainers, care navigators, health and wellbeing advocates, social prescribing coordinators, health mentors, health coaches, and wellbeing support workers, champions and connectors. Social prescribing is an increasingly important area and featured in the recent NHS Long Term Plan. The Level 3 Certificate and Diploma will also be suitable for those working in a health champion or related role such as community workers, health advisors or those in the wider public health workforce who are wishing to progress their career in this area. Assessment for these qualifications will be mostly by a portfolio of evidence, so that workers in all of these areas will be able to tailor the qualification and assessment to their job roles. We are expecting these qualifications to be available for delivery by centres from 1 June 2019. 

These qualifications will be followed by the RSPH Level 2 Award in Infection Prevention and Control for Special Procedures Practitioners which is expected to be available for delivery from 1 June 2019. This has been developed in partnership with Public Health Wales. Special procedures practitioners are individuals who carry out procedures such as tattooing, body piercing, acupuncture and electrolysis. Achievement of the qualification will be mandatory for practitioners in Wales who will require it in order to be licensed. In England the qualification will help individuals meet the requirements of the Local Government Act 2003. The qualification will have a total qualification time value of 7 hours and so can be delivered in a day, the assessment will be by a multiple choice exam.

We have also been developing a Level 2 qualification which encompasses both health improvement and fitness training. The qualification is a unique combination of health improvement units and units to prepare individuals to competently instruct and manage circuit training sessions. Holders of this qualification, as members of the wider public health workforce, will be able to positively impact the health, wellbeing and fitness of their clients and support individuals to healthier lifestyles, improved fitness and addresses local health issues. The qualification has been developed in collaboration with Future Fit Training. Assessment will be by a combination of multiple-choice, workbooks and centre designed assessment. Due to the wide-ranging nature of this qualification, holders of existing RSPH health improvement qualifications, or fitness training qualifications from a number of different awarding organisations, may be able to claim exemptions from some of the qualification’s units. This is an exciting new area for RSPH and is in response to the growing demand for structured physical activity from individuals who would not previously have considered gym membership or personal trainers. We will shortly be distributing this qualification for consultation.

If you would like to know more about any of these qualifications, please contact Dr Richard Burton, Director of qualifications.