FAQs - Approved Clinician Refresher

 


Please check the Approvals Process FAQs below and/or speak to your  local Approvals Panel before booking to ensure that this is the right course for you. 

 

No. Completing this course is only one part of the renewal process and does not automatically grant Approved Clinician re-approval. Please speak to your  Regional Approvals Panel to ensure all approval requirements are met.  

Please visit the course registration page to book onto the course. 

The course is made up of one eLearning module, hosted on My Learning and a live Q&A webinar which will give you the opportunity to ask the speakers questions. 

The module is comprised of recorded presentations with our speakers who deliver our face-to-face training, interactive learning exercises and an end of module test.  

Please note that attendance at a live Q&A webinar is a mandatory component to the course.  

Due to the pandemic, current Approved Clinicians and approved Section 12 doctors who need to renew their approved status before 31 March 2021 will be granted an automatic 12-months extension to their status. However, clinicians seeking re-approval after this date will need to complete a Refresher course as part of the application process. Social distancing measures and uncertainty over the safety of running face-to-face training has made online delivery of Refresher courses necessary. 

Learning modules are accessible on any device or browser, although there are a few things to bear in mind when choosing your method: 

  • Desktop or laptop computers (PC or Mac) are ideal for online learning. Modules are accessible on all browsers and are tested at development stage on Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox. 

  • Tablets are ideal for working through modules when you are not able to access a computer as the screens tend to be large enough to display the content at full quality. 

  • We do not recommend working through modules on a mobile phone. Although modules are accessible on phones, the small screens mean that the process can be fiddly and some of the content will be difficult to read and engage with (such as interactive activities). 

If you experience any technical issues when working through a module you can visit our FAQs page for assistance. 

It is important that you seek protected time to complete the course as you would if attending the full-day face-to-face training course. Therefore, you should set aside the equivalent time of 4 hours to complete the eLearning and 3 hours for the live webinar. 

No. The online module has been designed to be completed in your own time to allow flexibility around other work and home commitments. Regular breaks are encouraged.  

The exception to this is the live Q&A webinar, which is a mandatory component of the course. You will need to book to attend a specific live session. 

Each webinar is limited to a maximum of 30 participants.

The webinar is a mandatory component of the course. You will need to attend a webinar in order to receive your course certificate.

Yes, we encourage participants to submit their questions in advance. There is an ‘ask a question’ link at the end of the module where you can submit your questions.  

To receive your course certificate, you will need to have completed the eLearning and have attended a webinar.  

If your eLearning is complete, the course organisers will email you your course certificate shortly after your webinar.  

Note that attendance at a course is only one part of the renewal process, and a course certificate should not be offered or accepted as evidence of approval. 

The course is eligible for 1 CPD point per hour, subject to peer group approval. The course it eligible for a maximum of 6 CPD points in total.

After attending the live Q&A session you will be asked to complete a course evaluation form. There is also the opportunity to review/comment on the eLearning throughout the course.  

It is a national requirement (DoH New Instructions) that applicants for re-approval must have attended a refresher Mental Health Act (Section 12 Approved) Training Course.  Your papers may be processed before your course attendance to avoid further delay provided you enclose evidence of your course booking together with your completed application form, DBS check (please check with your  Regional Approvals Panel), CV, CPD compliance/ARCP and CV. Approval can only be given after the course attendance.

Did you inform the panel of changes in your work or home address?  It is your responsibility to ensure that your Approved Clinician approval is up to date.  The  Approvals Office usually send reminders approximately 9, 6 and 3 months before the expiry date but they need your correct details to do so. 

5 years.

Medical Approved Clinicians are automatically Section 12 approved and can undertake section 12 work in England and Wales.  Non-medical ACs are not section 12 approved. 

No, AC approval is not transferrable between England & Wales – you must apply separately for AC in England and in Wales) 

Scotland MHA is different from England. 

Yes.  You can use an English course attendance certificate to apply for approval in either England or Wales and vice-versa. 

Changes to your booking with incur a 20% admin fee, so please ensure you are available on the date you book and have allowed enough time to complete your eLearning.


You need to complete your eLearning before you attend a live webinar. Changes to your booking with incur a 20% admin fee, so please ensure you are available on the date you book and have allowed enough time to complete your eLearning.

Your course must be completed within 12 months of your current approval expires. Approvals can be renewed within 1 year of the expiry date.

No. If your approval has lapsed for more than 12 months, you will need to take the Induction course again.