Guidance

Health screener diploma: guidance for assessors

Updated 4 August 2021

Assessors evaluate and guide learners in their workplace while they study the health screener diploma (HSD).

An assessor needs to make informed judgements about the evidence a learner produces to demonstrate their competence. This evidence must meet the requirements of the qualification.

To assess the HSD you must hold, or be working towards, a formal assessor qualification.

Qualify as an assessor

If you do not have a recognised assessor qualification you will need to undertake a Level 3 qualification in assessing vocational achievement.

Your local learning and development team should be able to advise on their preferred approved centres offering this qualification. If you have been carrying out assessments within your current role, the approved centre may consider your evidence of prior learning and assessing.

Responsibilities

Assessor responsibilities include:

• planning and supporting screener training programmes
• devising and agreeing an assessment action plan with the learner
• carrying out assessments in accordance with assessment specifications
• correctly completing compulsory assessment documentation
• observing and assessing learners in their workplace
• providing learners with objective feedback about their performance and achievement
• examining learner portfolios of evidence to ensure it meets qualification requirements
• keeping records of learner progress

Approved centre internal quality assurers (IQAs) support assessors to ensure learner evidence is of good quality and they progressing as expected. External quality assurers (EQAs) monitor approved centres to make sure their assessment processes are carried out properly.

Assessment methods

Learners have different styles of learning that may require tailored assessment methods. Local programmes, assessors and approved centres should work together to agree the most appropriate method of assessment to ensure HSD requirements are met.

Assessment methods that can be used include:

• log books
• clinical observational assessments
• e-learning and associated assessments
• online tests
• assignments
• case studies
• reflective practice
• professional one to one discussions with expert witnesses and assessors
• written notes and essays
• course attendance

Expert witnesses

An expert witness is someone who observes a learner’s performance at work and provides evidence to support the assessment process. This evidence may be in the form of a written statement or voice recorded account. Using expert witnesses is encouraged because it broadens the learner experience and raises the profile of the screening programme.

Expert witnesses are particularly useful when certificate in assessing vocational achievement (CAVA) qualified assessors and learners are working in different locations, or have specialist knowledge and skills.

They are also helpful if a learner is performing an uncommon activity when the assessor may not be present to observe. For example, when a learner is dealing with health and safety, quality, or safeguarding incidents, or supporting a patient in clinic with a unique disability and/or requirement.

Expert witnesses in screening can include:

• mentors
• screeners
• graders
• screening technicians
• infection prevention and control practitioners
• clinical skills trainer (CST)
• nurse specialists or newborn intensive care unit (NICU) practitioners
• clinical leads or directors
• appropriately qualified clinical or administrative staff

Requirements of expert witnesses

Expert witnesses should be familiar with the qualification unit and able to interpret current working practices and technologies. Further requirements are listed below.

Occupational competence

Expert witnesses must be competent in the functions covered by the units they are contributing to. They should have occupational competence working within an appropriate occupational sector.

Maintaining occupational competence

They should do this by actively engaging in continuous professional development (CPD) activities to keep up to date with changes in their occupational sector.

Providing records of skills

Expert witnesses should provide records of their skills and understanding of a recent role directly related to the qualification unit that they are witnessing as a practitioner, trainer or manager.

Induction

Expert witnesses should be inducted by the learner’s assessor so that they are familiar with the standards in the units they are providing evidence for. They must also understand the recording requirements of the units.

Why use expert witnesses

You cannot be there all the time to observe your screener while they are undertaking tasks in the workplace. Your observations are therefore only a snapshot of how your screener performs on that day. Using an expert witness can provide information about whether or not your screener is performing consistently over time.

It may also be difficult for you to be at the right place at the right time during infrequent or one-off situations. An example would be when an interpreter is needed. That is why it is helpful to identify suitable individuals who can observe your screener in action under different conditions, or in a consistent way.

Expert witnesses can let you know how your screener performs in areas where specialist knowledge enhances their experience, for example infection prevention and control, or safeguarding.

Using expert witnesses encourages multidisciplinary working which can build relationships between departments and enhance the experience of screeners.

Expert witnesses can include supervisors, experienced colleagues, tutors and trainers working in your vocational environment. They do not need to be an expert in assessment, but they should be reliable, experienced and competent.

They must:

• be capable of providing a written statement about the quality of your screener’s work for assessment purposes
• have first-hand experience of their performance and understanding

You can use an inexperienced screener if they observed your screener deal with a rare event such as an emergency. You need to be sure the expert witness accounts are reliable and authentic and help you reach a decision about whether or not your screener has met the learning outcomes in question.

Once you have chosen your suitable individual(s), you need to brief them about what is involved and what you expect them to do.

They need to:

• use their own words
• use the ‘active’ voice (for example, ‘I observed Lindsay do x activity’)
• be objective and stick to what they see your screener do or say, rather than making value judgements
• describe the work task or knowledge area, the context and environmental conditions, as appropriate
• refer to relevant policies or procedures and how your screener reflected these
• refer to the task outcomes as appropriate
• sign and date their account
• provide contact details, so you or the internal quality assurer can follow up with them if needed

Assessors can identify opportunities to gain feedback from clients, patients or parents about your screener’s performance. They can corroborate your observation and help you reach your assessment decision.

Supporting resources

There is further information about the Level 3 Diploma for health screeners.