The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday July 14th 2009 at 10.00 am in the Board Room,
Tavistock Clinic, 120 Belsize Lane, London NW3 5BA
Present: K.Tanner (Chair), T.Klauber, MJ Rustin, H.Price , P. Noble, N.Makinwa,
L.Taussig
Apologies: S.Briggs, O.Maduako-Ezeanyika
Action Points to be completed by October 13th 2009 unless otherwise stated:
AP1
AP2
AP3
AP4
AP5
AP6
AP7
AP8
AP9
AP10
AP11
AP12
AP13
AP14
AP15
AP16
AP17
AP18
AP19
Dean & Quality Chair to meet to discuss devolved powers
Quality Chair to report back on CPD for teaching staff meeting at
UEL
Head QA to contact Professor Lemma re supervision issue on
Essex Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology
Student Feedback: to differentiate response rates for Trust and
Outlying Centres
REP timetable to be amended to include quality control session.
Quality Chair and Head QA to meet to agree 2009 enhancement
themes.
REP course pro-forma to be sent to UEL Collaborations Manager
UEL Collaborations Manager to send dates of Humanities and
Social Sciences Board
Meeting(s) of Audit Planning Group to be arranged
English Language support: meeting to be arranged with Marcus
Davies
Next meeting of Academic Review Working Group to be
arranged.
Trust version of PGR regulations to be forwarded to UEL
Graduate School
Once UEL Code of Practice for PGR students revised, Head of
QA to draft Trust version.
Professional Doctorate restructuring: meeting to be arranged with
Head of Psychology about professional practice element.
Training of Responsible Officers re Assessment Offences. Quality
Chair to approach named staff.
Head QA to forward revised Programme Specifications to UEL
Complete revisions of M level Programme Specifications by end
of September 2009
Validation of Masters in Systemic Psychotherapy to be completed
Bristol Collaborative Review: further discussion about students
benefiting from three partners.
TK&KT
KT
To report
To report
LT
Done
LT
In progress
LT
KT &LT
Done
On agenda
LT
NM
Done
Done
AC& KT
KT & TK
On agenda
To report
LT
To report
LT
On agenda
LT
On agenda
LT
To report
KT
To report
LT
LT
To report
On agenda
LT
TK
On agenda
On agenda
1
AP20
AP21
AP22
AP23
AP24
AP25
AP26
AP27
1.
Bristol Collaborative Review: statement on how UEL ensures
standards and quality in collaborative arrangements to be included
in handbooks
Bristol Collaborative Review: Head of School of Humanities and
Social Sciences to be contacted re tripartite approach
Head QA to contact Organising Tutors concerned about issue of
PG Cert award
M7 Belfast: Head QA to note committee concerns to Link person
D4 Schedule of Agreement with Outlying centres to be amended
and forwarded to staff
Lincoln Centre: UEL Collaborations Manager to contact re future
of delivery there
D10: meeting to take place about future of D10 and M26
D82: Head QA to inform Organising Tutor that modification
approved by committee.
NM &LT
On agenda
NM
On agenda
LT
To report
LT
LT
Done
Done
NM
Done
SB/TK
LT
To report
Done
Minutes of the Previous Meeting
These were approved including a revision of 6.1.4 of June 9th 2009 requested by
the University of Essex Academic Partnerships Manager.
2.
Matters Arising
2.1
Collation of Data on Progression to Professional Doctorates (ref.2.2)
The committee noted that the undertaking of this task was awaiting
completion of the Programme Specifications exercise.
2.2
Lincoln Centre - Suspension of Delivery of MA/PG Dip in Psychoanalytic
Observational Studies (M7) (ref.2.4)
It was noted that this item was on the agenda (see 5.10)
2.3
Course Modification – MA in Working with Groups (ref.2.5)
The committee noted that revised documentation was to be sent to the
Quality Assurance and Enhancement office.
2.4
Course Modification – MA in Consultation and the Organisation (ref. 2.5)
It was noted that this item was on the agenda (see 5.11)
2.5
Review Recommendations of UEL REP Audit 2008 (ref.2.6)
It was noted that this item was on the agenda (see 4.)
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2.6
Delivery of MA/PG Dip in Psychoanalytic Observational Studies course in
Belfast (ref. 2.9)
It was noted that this item was on the agenda (see 5.8)
2.7
Course Modifications and Course Approvals (ref. 5.1)
Quality Chair and Dean of Postgraduate Studies to table for agenda for October
2009 meeting.
AP1: Dean and Quality Chair to meet to progress.
2.8
Continuing Professional Development for Teaching Staff (ref.5.4)
Noted that a progress report will be received by the committee following the
next meeting with UEL’s Director of Learning and Teaching scheduled for late
July. It was also noted that Vicky Franks, Adult Department, had been asked and
had agreed to join the working group planning the CPD programme.
AP2: Quality Chair to report back.
Letter of Agreement – PG Dip in Applied Systemic Theory Outlying Centres
(ref. 5.5 )
2.9
It was noted that this item was on the agenda (see 5.9).
2.10
Nomination External Examiner MA in Infant Mental Health (ref. 5.8 )
It was noted that this item was on the agenda (see 5.12)
2.11
University of Essex – Tavistock Partnership Curriculum and Quality Group
(ref. 6.1.1 )
It was agreed that Professor Lemma should be contacted to ascertain
position re the supervision of students on the Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling
Psychology.
AP3: Head of Quality Assurance to contact Professor Lemma.
3.
Trust Student Feedback Exercise 2009
Refer Appendix 1. The Head of Quality Assurance noted the key points:

Some 850 forms were circulated to course teams in the Trust; outlying centres
were sent the generic student feedback form to circulate themselves;

As of early July some 620 completed forms had been inputted on the Access
database and returns had been received from all the outlying centres;
3

There had not yet been time to precisely analyse the response rate by course,
similarly, opportunity to appraise the quality of the returns;

The task to input data on the Access database had taken longer than planned
and the contribution to this task of the two Course Assistants and the Quality
Assurance Assistant had been invaluable;

Feedback received from course administrators had strongly indicated that the
use of seminar time is the most effective way to elicit a sound response rate;

The data collected is now available on course based spreadsheets for qualitative
analysis by Organising Tutors.
He further noted that it was timely for other members of the committee to
feedback now on their experience of the 2009 exercise, and a great deal of the
Directorate of Education and Training’s time resource had gone into ensuring the
exercise was delivered and the data collated.
Given that the Outlying Centres distributed forms locally, the UEL
Collaborations Manager recommended that a distinction be drawn between the
Trust and the Outlying Centres in analysing response rates.
Based on the overall report given by the Head of Quality Assurance and
Enhancement, the UEL Collaborations Manager wondered if the students had
been given enough time to complete a quite lengthy form requiring a degree of
consideration and reflection.
Professor Rustin raised the issue of the use of the data and comments made by
students – and how course teams responded to the information?
The Head of Quality Assurance and Enhancement pointed out that the new REP
course pro-forma required course teams to undertake both a qualitative analysis
and summary of actions to be taken by the course in response to the student
feedback.
The Quality Chair proposed that in future the generic feedback form be posted
on each course Moodle page (as opposed to the general page)so that before
the time allotted in a seminar the students were aware of the range of
questions and their possible response.
The UEL Collaborations Manager pointed out that the mean higher education
response re Student Satisfaction Surveys was in the band 40-50%.
The view of committee members was that 30-40 minutes was a more adequate
time to properly complete the current generic student feedback form.
4
The Quality Chair pointed out that this specific exercise needed to be
seen in the context of the whole approach to student feedback by the Trust
including the Student Focus Groups and course specific feedback.
AP4: Head of Quality Assurance to ensure response rate differentiated between
Trust and Outlying Centres.
4.
Trust Review and Enhancement Process 2009
Refer Appendix 2. The Head of Quality Assurance introduced this item.
Members noted the timetable and responsibilities for completing each key stage.
He emphasised that the biggest change to the timetable was the need to
put the Cluster Meetings back in time i.e. into November, in order to enable
the Quality Assurance and Enhancement office to complete data for the
following sections of the course pro-forma: Student Characteristics; Student
Achievement and Progression, and; Analysis of Student Feedback.
The Quality Chair requested that the timetable include the quality control element
scheduled for Tuesday October 27th.
AP5: timetable to be amended by Head of Quality Assurance
The Head of Quality Assurance summarised the revisions that had been made
to the pro-forma since the last committee meeting: Section 7 – Course
Response to External Examiner Report was now an unstructured section;
The wording of Student Progression, Achievement, Retention had been revised to
indicate more clearly progression through the course. Finally, the analysis of
student feedback – the section contained analysis of key questions including work
relevance of course, quality of teaching, and satisfaction with tutorial and clinical
supervision.
It was noted that the Quality Enhancement themes had not been selected yet. It
was agreed that the Quality Chair and Head of Quality Assurance would meet in
the near future to select themes.
AP6: meeting required to agree enhancement themes.
The UEL Collaborations Manager raised the issue of the two dates given to return
the course pro-forma and supporting documentation respectively. The committee
agreed that it would continue this practice as, on balance, it had proved facilitative
and effective in the past.
Finally, he referred to the Guidance Note which indicated what was new in
the course level approach this year plus guidance as to what might be included in
the Introduction in order that the auditors had some context about the aims and
structure of the course.
5
The UEL Collaborations Manager requested a copy of the revised course proforma be sent to her acknowledging that Section 4 - Enhancement Themes
would not be complete.
AP7: pro-forma to be sent to Collaborations Manager.
The committee discussed the timing of the drafting and approval of the REP
Overview Report both in relation to the meetings of the Trust Quality Committee
and of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences Board. It was
agreed that the UEL Collaborations Manager would send dates of the Board
meetings.
AP8: dates of Humanities and Social Sciences Board to be sent to Trust
5.
UEL Business
5.1
QAA Institutional Audit March 2010
Refer Appendix 111
The Quality Chair introduced this item. She proposed that responsibility for
preparing the Trust for likely involved in the audit be shared between herself as
Quality Chair and the Chair of the School Research Degrees Sub-committee,
Professor Andrew Cooper.
Initially, the task was to map the parameters of the audit against Trust practice
and compliance.
She proposed that the Audit Planning Group or Committee consist of
two Organising Tutors of Professional Doctorates, Bernadette Wren and
Catrin Bradley, plus a UEL Link Tutor. It was agreed that Dr Heather Price
as a Link Tutor would join the group. As appropriate, advice would be sought
from the UEL Collaborations Manager.
The letter from the Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) to collaborative
partners highlighted the following processes and information as likely to be
examined in collaborative partners;





Up-to-date Memorandum of Cooperation;
Review and Enhancement Reports
Assessment processes
Student Feedback mechanisms operating at programme and module level
Information for students is kept up-to-date
The UEL Collaborations Manager advised that in addition to the list noted above
that the Trust consider in preparing documentation for the audit, the unique role of
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the Trust Quality committee amongst the university’s collaborative
partners and the large number of outlying centres in which UEL-Tavistock
validated courses are delivered,
Note was made too of the special focus of Institutional Audit on the management
of postgraduate research degrees and the Trust’s important role in the university
in this regard.
The committee noted that steer would be provided by the university’s Acting
Vice-Chancellor (Academic) if required.
AP9: meetings of the Audit Planning Group to be arranged.
5.2
Academic Review, Mid Cycle Review Action Plan
Refer Appendix IV.
The committee noted the work of the group and the information provided
gave an idea of its direction of travel.
The committee picked up a number of themes of the review. In relation to
English language support, it was noted that funds were available in the
university to assist the Trust in this area.
It was agreed that the Dean, the Quality Chair and Dr Price meet with Marcus
Davies, the responsible person in the English Language Unit in September to
discuss possible cooperation. Subsequently they would make recommendations to
the October meeting of the Quality Committee.
AP10: meeting to be arranged with Marcus Davies.
It was noted too that a meeting had been arranged at Docklands on July 22nd
to progress the plan for a Continuing Professional Development programme
for teaching staff. Caroline Dunmore, the Training Manager in the Graduate
School had been invited to join the planning group.
The Quality Chair noted re the CPD programme that a presentation had been
made by Vicky Franks and herself about the Professional Standards Framework
at the Organising Tutor Event on July 6th: interest had been shown by staff in
progressing the CPD plan.
It was agreed that the Academic Review Working Group shout meet again in
September and the Head of Quality Assurance was asked to arrange the meeting.
AP11: to arrange next meeting of Review Working Group.
5.3
Postgraduate Research Degree Regulations and Restructuring of
UEL Validated Professional Doctorates
7
Refer Appendix V.
The Quality Chair reported on a straightforward and beneficial meeting that
had taken place on June 12th at the Docklands Campus with the two Acting
Pro Vice-Chancellors and the Head of the Graduate School. The meeting had
agreed the ‘differences’ the Trust wished in respect of the Postgraduate
Research Degrees regulations including local management of the provision
and a named person, the Trust Head of Quality Assurance, responsible for
administration of procedures and systems.
The Head of Quality Assurance highlighted the Trust ‘differences’ in the
agreed regulations –

registration periods for professional doctorates (part-time: 24 months
minimum, 60 months maximum);*

the role of course registration boards or an equivalent group;

our Academic Framework for the size of D level modules;

Length of thesis (normally between 40-60,000 words)

Ethics Procedure
* refers to period after research proposal has been registered.
It was noted that the agreed regulations need to be formally approved by the
university’s Regulations Committee and by Academic Board.
AP12: Head of Quality Assurance to forward regulations to Head of
Graduate School for onward transmission.
In addition, it was noted that the university is revising its Code of
Practice for Postgraduate Research Degrees and once completed, the Trust
will need to draft its version incorporating ‘differences’.
AP13: Trust version of Code of Practice to be drafted in due course.
The Quality Chair further reported that the opportunity had been taken to
discuss the restructuring of the university’s professional doctorates:
the credit rating and the introduction of D level modular regulations. In
particular, the Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) and the Trust quality Chair
had identified common ground in the professional practice element – how to
approach and for credit rating to reflect the importance of this element. It had
been agreed that a meeting should be arranged to further discuss the issue.
AP14: meeting to be arranged to discuss professional practice.
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5.4
Academic Integrity Policy
Refer Appendix V1
The Head of Quality Assurance introduced this item noting that the
committee had considered the university’s policy in 2008.
The committee now was being asked to note the new policy on Turnitin
and to agree on a process for managing assessment offences.
Taking the latter first, the Head of Quality Assurance proposed that the
Trust follow the university’s procedure of convening a School Meeting
and a School Report be drafted. However, rather than train many Organising
Tutors as Responsible Officers he proposed that one Officer be trained together
with a specialist supporter. It was proposed that Vicky Franks, formerly Vice
Dean in the Adult Department be approached to take on the role and either the
Organising Tutor or the Assessment Tutor from the largest course – the
Psychoanalytic Observational Studies course (M7)
AP15: Quality Chair to approach persons noted above about training
as Responsible Officers.
Re Turnitin - the key question was the scale of the problem, plagiarism, in
the Trust? The UEL Collaborations Manager emphasised that the university’s
approach was to prevent assessment offences by education.
At this juncture the UEL Collaborations Manager reported that
the university’s Collaborations Monitoring Sub-committee had
approved the Trust version of the university’s Assessment Policy
for M level courses.
5.5
Programme Specifications
The committee noted that the following course programme
specifications had been revised –
MA/PG Dip/PG Cert in Emotional Factors in Learning and
Teaching; Counselling Aspects in Education (D1)
MA/PG Dip in Counselling in Educational Settings (D82)
MA/PG Dip in Psychoanalytic Studies (M16)
They would in due course be forwarded to UEL.
AP16: Head of Quality Assurance to forward to UEL.
It was noted that the next group to be revised were Courses
D30, M26, D11, M22, M25 and M42
9
It was agreed that the Trust would endeavour to complete all
M level courses by end of September.
AP17: aim to complete revisions by end of September 2009.
5.6
Collaborative Reviews, Course Validations 2008-2009
Refer Appendix V11
The committee noted the following –
Bristol Collaborative Review – two conditions set to re-approval and to be met by
July 31st.
MA/PG Dip/PG Cert in Psychodynamic Approaches to Working with
Adolescents – delivery in Leeds by the Northern School of Child and
Adolescent Psychotherapy
The committee noted that the four conditions set by the Validation
Panel were being addressed.
Secretary’s Note: UEL Servicing Officer confirmed on July 17th that all
conditions of the validation had been met.
MA/PG Dip in Systemic Psychotherapy – validation as a stand alone
Course.
The committee noted the deadline of July 17th to meet the conditions.
AP18: course team to meet conditions of validation.
The committee’s discussions focused on the Bristol Review condition
relating to the tripartite agreement being clearly explained to students so that
they might positively benefit from the three partners. The Dean of Postgraduate
Studies wondered how realistic it was for the tripartite arrangement to achieve
maximum benefit in this way? It was proposed a discussion take place on this
outside of the meeting.
AP19: further discussion to take place.
It was suggested and agreed that the UEL Collaborations Manager would
forward to the Trust a statement on how UEL ensures the academic
standards and quality of programmes it validates for delivery by collaborative
partners. This statement would be included in course handbooks and posted on the
Quality Assurance pages of the Trust website.
AP20: statement to be forwarded to Trust and publicised.
10
It was also agreed that the School of Humanities and Social Sciences would
be asked to contribute to this task.
AP21: Collaborations Manager to contact Dean of School.
5.7
Collaborative Reviews 2009-2010
Northern School of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy (NSCAP)
The committee noted that a helpful preparatory meeting had taken
place at NSCAP on July 3rd. The meeting had agreed two possible dates for
the Review Event itself in the spring of 2010, the possible duration of the event,
and the need for a site visit to Liverpool where the Observational Studies course is
delivered.
Secretary’s Note: subsequent to the meeting it was agreed that Lydia HartlandRowe would be the lead person in coordinating preparations for the Review at
NSCAP and in the Trust.
Birmingham Trust for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (BTPP)
The committee that a preparatory meeting for the Review will take place at
BTPP on October 7th.
Under this item , the Head of Quality Assurance raised the matter of the
Postgraduate Certificate award being made available on those courses currently
with only PG Dip and MA awards.
The university had recently pointed out that students with the Trust who achieve
60 Higher Education credits on a UEL-Tavistock course have in fact in
accordance with The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications gained a
PG Cert award. UEL’s Head of Quality Assurance and Enhancement had raised
the question as to whether the Trust wished to formalise the PG Cert as an
intermediate award on a number of M level courses which currently had only the
PG Dip and MA awards.
The Quality Chair pointed out the Trust did not, in the main, have a history
of considering the PG cert as an intermediate award.
Professor Rustin proposed that the courses without this award could be
approached to see if they wished to use the award and, if not, provide a clear
rationale as to why not.
AP22: Head of Quality Assurance to approach the Organising Tutors involved.
about PG Cert award.
11
The committee noted potentially beneficial HEFCE implications of courses
adding the award.
It was clarified that the process to approve the additional award would
require the Quality Committee agreeing to it and the award being added to
programme specifications and course handbooks.
5.8
Delivery of the MA/PG Dip in Psychoanalytic Observational Studies
Course in Belfast
Refer Appendix 1X.
The committee noted that funding is available for 15 students to undertake the PG
Diploma.
The course would be taught in the Centre for Psychotherapy – a department
within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. The Trust would need to gain
Institutional Approval from UEL.
Professor Rustin pointed out that UEL’s School of Humanities and Social
Sciences has another two courses validated for delivery in Belfast but
unfortunately not by the same organisation so a separate process could not be
avoided.
The committee had questions about the financial basis for the course and how the
Trust would recover costs?
The small size of the staff group was also noted.
The committee agreed to approve the proposal subject to their concerns about
funding and staffing being addressed.
It was noted that the APEL’ing of students commencing study in Belfast in
October 2009 to Year 2 of the course in October 2010 could not be
guaranteed; it was subject to the recommendation of the validation panel.
AP23: Head of Quality Assurance to liaise with Trust link person about
Committee’s concerns and to progress Initial Approval.
5.9
Letter of Agreement – PG Dip in Applied Systemic Theory Outlying
Centres
The committee noted the revisions made to the previous version of the
Schedule of Agreement re student records, responsibility for provision
of equipment and the care and management of the local site.
12
In the view of the Head of Quality Assurance there remained one outstanding
issue to be clarified re Student Complaints/Appeals/Discipline and where
responsibility lay? The committee agreed that the Trust needed to know
what was happening in this domain – and the particular role of the Trust
Liaison Tutor in ensuring that she was kept informed of any issues in this
area.
AP24: Head of Quality Assurance to amend schedule re complaints and ensure
document sent to staff in outlying centres.
5.10
Lincoln Centre – Suspension of Delivery
As noted in the previous minutes – delivery of the Psychoanalytic Observational
Studies course at the Centre has been suspended for several years. The Lincoln
Centre, under normal circumstances, would be subject to a Collaborative Review
in 2009-2010. The question was raised given that the Centre has been inactive for
a number of years whether the partnership should now be terminated.
The Dean of Postgraduate Studies noted that she would write to both the
Organising Tutor and Liaison Tutor of the Trust parent course to ask them to
contact the Lincoln Centre to ascertain whether a Collaborative Review should
take place in anticipation of the Lincoln Centre delivering the course again in
the near future.
However, following further discussion it was agreed that the UEL Collaborations
Manager would write to the Lincoln Centre to request confirmation that the
course would be delivered again seeking a response not later than September 30th
AP25: Collaborations Manager to contact Lincoln Centre.
5.11
Course Modifications
MA/PG Dip in Consultation and the Organisation: Psychoanalytic Approaches
(D10)
The Quality Chair noted that the recent requests for modifications to the
Course structure necessitated a root and branch approach especially in
relation to the existing curriculum and aims of the PG Cert, PG Dip, MA
in Strategic Leadership and Management. What are the differences
between the courses?
This needed to be decided; the Dean agreed that discussions between the
courses needed to take place.
AP26: meeting to take place to discuss future of respective courses.
13
MA/PG Dip in Counselling in Educational Settings (D82)




It is proposed that from October 2009 first year students will be required to
submit a 1000 – 1,500 word account of setting up, or approaching setting up, a
first counselling placement. This account should include the following areas:
The thinking behind the student’s choice of school/age group
How the student presented, or is thinking of presenting, the counsellor role and
the Counselling in Educational Settings course to the educational institution
where they hope to do a placement
The questions/dilemmas/issues that arose for them in thinking about taking up the
counselling role and how they addressed these
Key factors that had been important to think about and negotiate with the
educational institution in relation to counselling boundaries and ethics
The committee received the minor change but noted it was sensible and
good practice and approved the change.
AP27: Head of Quality Assurance to inform Organising Tutor that
modification approved.
There was insufficient time for the Committee to discuss the following items
5.12, 5.13 and 5.14
It was agreed that Chair’s Action would be taken in respect of University of Essex
items as detailed below.
6.
University of Essex
6.1
The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) Report – Courses D58 & D59
To receive and note the received report.
6.2
MA/PG Dip in The Foundations of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Leeds
(D58L)
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To receive and note a report of site visit undertaken on June 30th 2009 by the
Dean of Academic Partnerships and the Assistant Director of Academic
Partnerships to the Northern School of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy.
6.3
Professional Doctorate in Child, Community and Educational Psychology –
Accreditation by the British Psychological Society and Health Professions
Council
To note that the visit may take place in May 2010.
6.4
Any Other Business
To note that the task of revising the Tavistock-University of Essex Students
Complaint procedure was continuing.
There was insufficient time for the Committee to discuss items 7. and 8.
9.
Date of Next Meeting
The next Quality Committee will be held on Tuesday October 13th 2009 at
10.00 am.
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