Health Service Governance Session 11: Exam revision strategy Mandy - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Health Service Governance Session 11: Exam revision strategy

Mandy Garnham – Tuesday 5 May 11am My microphone is currently muted

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Record session

Health Service Governance Session 11: Exam revision strategy

Mandy Garnham – Tuesday 5 May 11am

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Agenda

Here are the areas we will cover today:

• Revision and exam format
• Approaches to different exam questions
• Characteristics of good exam responses
• Common exam errors
• Revision techniques
• Exam practicalities (to be delivered in the next session)

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Revising for the exam

A revision planner would be useful to cover the weeks before the exam Topics and chapters of the study text – reviewing webinars and content–use the ‘test yourself’ questions in the study text You can listen back to webinars right up to the exam Look back at your assignments – strengths and weaknesses Planning answers and practising questions Mock exam using past papers November exam: you need to plan your study and revision over the following 6 months

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Exam format for Health Service Governance

• 100 marks available across 2 sections.
• The exam assesses all the parts of the study text/syllabus.
• Answer all required questions in Section A and 3 in Section B.

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Timing: 3 hours + 15 minutes

November (tba)

• Section A: 45 minutes (approx. 8

questions: 5 mins per question)

• Section B: 2 hours 15 mins (3 questions:

45 mins per question)

Reading time: 15 minutes then…

Approaching exam questions

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Types of exam question

Section A (25 marks): short answer, multiple choice, true or

• false. Maximum 6 marks each.

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Section B (75 Marks): 3 compulsory, extended answer

• questions. 15 marks each. Can

be split into multiple parts.

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Approaching an exam question - rubric

Two things to consider when approaching an exam question:

• What is the topic/knowledge/content I

am expected to demonstrate?

• What is the command word asking me

to do? What form should my question take?

Don’t forget to look at the mark allocation.

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Approaching an exam question - rubric

Helping you make sense of the command words

• Describe/identify/list/true or false/multiple choice – very common in section A
• Analyse/discuss/evaluate/demonstrate/explain how/why – very common in

section B

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Approaching an exam question - rubric

Helping you make sense of the command words: Section B

• Analyse: examine in detail.
• Evaluate: weigh up and reach a conclusion.
• Recommend: to offer routes as being appropriate or examples of good practices

and procedures.

• Prepare/Provide: put together (a report/briefing note).

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Section A questions

Short answer questions Be concise with these answers, especially those that ask you to ‘list a number

• f items’.

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Section A questions

Short answer questions: up to 6 marks Exam paper November 2019

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Some examples of questions from section A

• Which of the following is not a standing committee of the Board? (1 mark).
• A. Audit committee
• B. Nomination committee
• C. Finance and performance committee
• D. Remuneration committee (1 mark).
• C - Finance and performance committee (Part 1, The Governance

landscape).

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Some examples of questions from section A

• Identify one key feature or characteristic adopted by high reliability organisations and explain how it

contributes to the achievement of ongoing high reliability and safety objectives. (3 marks).

• Successful containment of unexpected events (1) – back up systems (1), clear levels of responsibility

(1), well defined procedures (1).

• Effective anticipation of potential failures (1) – engagement with front line staff (1) or attention to the

minor or trivial e.g. near misses (1).

• Just culture (1) – open reporting for near misses (1) and accidents (1).
• Learning orientation (1) – analysis of root cause (1) and accident types or trends (1).
• Mindful leadership (1) – bottom up communication of bad news (1), regular site visits (1).
• Award up to 3 marks, for any one feature/characteristic (Part 5 – Risk management, assurance and

audit).

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Section B questions

Theoretical/scenario questions: 25 marks Exam paper November 2019

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Section B questions

Theoretical questions (examples of rubric include discuss, compare, illustrate)

(a) Discuss the similarities and differences in the role and composition of the three statutory board

committees within an NHS Trust. (16 marks)

(b) Demonstrate how these NHS Trust committees support the four principles of corporate governance. (9

marks) [Total for Question = 25 marks].

• Part a: detail each role of the audit/nominate/remuneration committee. Highlight the similarities and

differences – refer to guidance/code/best practice.

• Part b: detail how the three statutory Board committees (nomination, audit and remuneration) support the

principles of fairness, accountability, responsibility and transparency.

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Section C questions

Scenario questions (examples of rubric include advise, explain, critically analyse and discuss) Northern Health CCG (Northern) has just appointed two new lay members. You are also the newly appointed Company Secretary. Upon starting in the role, you have discovered that you report directly to the Accountable Officer of the CCG and are being asked to report back to her on any comments or observations that the new lay members make about the work of the CCG during their induction programme. Write a briefing paper for the new lay members in which you: (a) Analyse the challenges the Company Secretary can encounter within their governance role, as trusted adviser, including the issues you face at Northern. (17 marks) (b) Describe the content of, and evaluate the value of, a robust induction programme for the new lay members. (8 marks) [Total for Question 9 = 25 marks]

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Section C questions

Scenario questions (examples of rubric include advise, explain, critically analyse and discuss) (a) Answers should be set out as a briefing paper and should demonstrate how health service governance is supported by the role of the Company Secretary and the unique challenges that are faced by the role. (b) Answers should be set out as a briefing paper and should demonstrate a clear induction programme for lay members of a CCG and evaluate the value of such a programme. [view student answers]

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Section C questions: scenarios

• There are various types of briefing notes, depending

upon the purpose of the communication. Some are for information only, others provide recommendations and seek decisions.

• Use a clear and concise opening.
• To/From/Subject/Date.
• Write in full sentences.
• Address each issue in turn ensuring a good flow
• Write in sentences and paragraphs throughout and be

careful with your handwriting. Only use point form if you are providing a list or you are running short of time to complete your briefing note/report.

Briefing note – style and structure

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Answering a scenario question

Identify key information/issues raised in the scenario. What do you need to answer this question:

• Prepare a report/briefing note/memo

– who is the audience?

• Do I need to refer to any authority

(Companies Act/Guidance/best practice)?

Apply syllabus knowledge to the issues in question. Develop a response where you are reviewing and revising in line with best practice.

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Answering a scenario question - apply knowledge

• Apply knowledge.
• Demonstrate the skills of analysis.
• Practice the ability to discuss an issue and synthesise knowledge.
• Revise all of the syllabus.
• Answer format – briefing note/memo?

What makes a good exam response?

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Characteristics of good exam responses

The answer is well- planned: your plan can simply be a list/bullet points. Time is allocated and adhered to during the exam so all questions are completed. Answer all questions. The response contains analysis if required along with consideration

• f the practical solutions

and recommendations in given scenarios.

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A few tips to avoid common mistakes

Missing out parts of the answer. Only answer what is relevant to the question. Wrong information – understand the syllabus

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A few more tips

• Use of bullet points – fine for shorter responses but needs to be fully explained.
• Explain – don’t just recall, marks are awarded for detailed explanation.
• Use of tables to compare and contrast – acceptable as long as it is fully explained.

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Tips for success: section B questions

Higher grades can be

• btained by ensuring

breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding.

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Pass answers will show an attempt at covering the key points, some discussion but not fully developed and some parts of the question may not be fully answered.

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Merit and distinction level answers will show detailed, logical and developed arguments that cover all the requirements

• f the question.

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Should I answer questions in order?

You can answer the questions in any order. A few ideas about tackling questions (mainly for Section C):

You could answer your strongest question/section first, build confidence and leave time for more difficult questions; OR You may decide to answer the trickiest question first, so that if you get tired later on in the exam, you have the easiest question remaining.

Revision techniques

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The science

How our brains work

• Everyone’s brain needs the same three things to absorb information:
• Repetition – start revising early.
• Multi-modal activities – something which is visual (seen), auditory (heard) and kinaesthetic (physically done).
• Sometimes an emotional element, such as humour.
• Effort – it won’t happen unless you ACTIVELY revise.

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General tips

Start early – don’t try to cram everything in a short time. Prepare a revision planner. Time of day – do you prefer morning, lunchtime or evening? Location – ensure you are in a comfortable area. Revise in short bursts and take regular breaks. Mix it up - spend 40/45 mins (or two short sessions) on one subject, then a break, then a different topic.

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Approaches to revision - reviewing

You tend to remember best the information received at the beginning and end of a learning session. So when you revise, it is a good idea to

• take regular breaks
• quickly review the key points of what you have been studying each time you take a break
• review them again one hour, one day and two days later. Reviewing in this way is a very effective method of

reinforcing memory. Although we generally retain around 65 per cent of what we read, this memory will fade away quickly unless we review it again soon afterwards. If you review something soon afterwards (say around 10 mins later), then review it a day later, then a week later, then after one month, you will find that each review strengthens your memory of that information further and further.

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Approaches to revision - Notes

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Approaches to revision – Mind-mapping

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Approaches to revision – the protégé effect

“While we teach, we learn,” said the Roman philosopher Seneca. But how does it work?

• Imagine you were asked to teach a subject to others in your peer group.
• It may be a simple verbal explanation, conversational even, or perhaps something more formal, requiring

slides or additional illustrations.

• Reflection will be far deeper as you continually ask, does this makes sense to me? This process of preparing,

“prepping” is one of the reasons teaching improves learning but there are others

• It will require imagination and creativity, how exactly will I teach this subject?
• What questions could I be asked? It’s at this stage that you may even find your understanding lacking,

requiring you to go back over what you previously thought you knew.

Past papers

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Past paper – critical reading

• Some questions will start with ‘discuss’, ‘evaluate’ , ‘assess’.
• Critical reading will help with this – read and look for the arguments, look at facts and consider different
• pinions.
• Think about how you would write about this topic.

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Focus on your weak points

• Select some questions from past papers- which ones do you find most difficult?
• Study hardest, and early, on these areas while maintaining a good knowledge of stronger

sections

• Run through the relevant questions after studying each topic area.
• At least one full mock exam – at the same time as the real exam?

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Timing

• Select some questions from past papers – practice the 15 minutes reading time and how you

would read, select and understand a question. Can you plan too?

• Timed questions and check content and style.
• Read through past papers and check that you understand all the rubric.

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Any questions? Thank you