WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health ICF

Details

Title

WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health ICF

Type

Stage One

Module code

HPE314

Requirement

Compulsory

Module objective

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to analyse and synthesise their understanding of the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), which provides a standard language and framework for the description of health and health-related states. The Clinical Scientist in HSST will be expected to apply their knowledge in the clinical setting and use the ICF to analyse and re- appraise Clinical Biomedical Engineering and related health services utilising the ICF domains that enable the changes in body function and structure to be described i.e. what a person with a health condition can do in a standard environment (their level of capacity), as well as what they actually do in their usual environment (their level of performance).

Knowledge and understanding

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to analyse, synthesise and critically apply their expert knowledge with respect to health and disability classifications including: 

• the application of ICF to healthcare and service provision, with specific emphasis on the use of the framework to appraise current service delivery, analyse new service provision and optimisation of health outcomes.
  • At the individual level to:
    • determine the person’s level of functioning.
    • determine what treatments or interventions can maximize functioning.
    • evaluate treatment and other interventions to determine the outcomes of the treatment and how useful the interventions were.
    • facilitate communication among the multi-professional team.
    • promote self-evaluation by consumers to enable them to rate their capacity in mobility and/ or communication. 
  • At the institutional level for:
    • educational and training purposes.
    • resource planning and development.
    • quality improvement.
    • management and outcome evaluation.
    • managed care models of health care delivery to determine the cost- effectiveness of the services.
  • At the social level for:
    • eligibility criteria for state entitlements such as social security benefits, disability, pensions, workers’ compensation and insurance
    • social policy development, including legislative reviews, model legislation, regulations and guidelines and definitions for anti- discrimination legislation
    • needs assessments.
    • environmental assessment for universal design, implementation of mandated accessibility.
    • identification of environmental facilitators and barriers, and changes to social policy.

Technical and clinical skills

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and will use the ICF by:

• applying ICF in the design and validation of rehabilitation engineering service support and wider health and Clinical Biomedical Engineering services.
• utilising the ICF approach to assist in quantification of health outcome improvements.

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be expected to critically reflect and apply in practice a range of skills to advise and communicate effectively with patients, relevant clinicians, patients and the public and other healthcare professionals and will:

• purposefully apply the ICF in own clinical practice and to specialist services to enable critical analysis and evaluation of the efficacy of service provision and development.
• utilising the ICF systematically in wider healthcare service provision in the creation of integrated services for patients.

Attitudes and behaviours

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be expected to evaluate their own response to both normal and complex situations demonstrating the professional attributes and insights required of a Consultant Clinical Scientist working within the limits of professional competence referring as appropriate to senior staff and will:

• recognise and promote the ICF approach.
• recognise that ICF offers an international, scientific tool for the paradigm shift from the purely medical model to an integrated biopsychosocial model of human functioning and disability.