Diploma Examination Syllabus and Regulations [UK]

Effective for May 2022 Examination

Examination Regulations

  1. The Examining and Awarding Body is the Institute of Health Records and Information Management and the Examination is open to candidates in the UK.
  1. Only candidates who have been officially accepted by the Institute for Student Membership and who meet all the regulations will be allowed to attempt the Examination.   Examination candidates must be fully paid-up members of the Institute. 
  1. Application forms for the Diploma Examination may be obtained from the IHRIM Office.  Applicants will be required to have already gained the Certificate of the Institute [CHRIM] or equivalent experience and qualifications or be entered for the Foundation Degree at UCLAN but exemptions will be granted by the Director of Education under certain circumstances, in consultation with a second member of the Examination Board.
  1. Candidates should ideally be working in Health Records, Information or related field.
  1. The Examination will normally be held on the fourth Monday and Tuesday of May each year.
  1. The Examination will be held in designated centres throughout the UK.  Every effort will be made to ensure the candidate attends an Examination Centre close to his/her home.
  1. The Examination will consist of four  [4] papers

Records Management                                       3 hours

            OR

Information Management                                   3 hours

Resources Management                                    2 ½ hours

Information Governance                                    2 hours

IT Application & Development                            2  hours

  1. The pass mark for the papers is shown below but all modules must be passed at the first attempt in order to achieve a distinction for which the total pass mark is 80% of the overall total.

Records Management                                       60%

Information Management                                   60%

Resources Management                                    50%

IT Application & Development                            50%

Information Governance                                    50%

  1. Candidates applying to take the Examination MUST lodge with the IHRIM Office a completed Examination registration form, together with payment for the appropriate amount.

NB : Late registrations will not be accepted and any completed registration forms received without a cheque will be returned.

  1. Any candidate whose registration form is not acknowledged within ten working days of posting should advise the IHRIM Office immediately.
  1. If a candidate withdraws his/her name before the last day of entry to the Examination the fee will either be returned or carried forward for one year, however a £25.00 +VAT administration fee will apply.  If a candidate fails to attend on the day of the Examination the fee will be carried forward for one year providing a medical certificate is submitted to the Associate Director of Education [Administration] within seven days of the date of the Examination.   Otherwise fees are non-returnable unless exceptional circumstances exist and then only at the discretion of the Director of Education.  The candidate will be responsible for any increase in fees which may occur between the initial payment and the date the Examination is taken.
  1. Any amendments to the syllabus will be published 12 months before the Examination date.
  1. The Examination paper will only be set on the current syllabus bearing the same date as these regulations.
  1. Any representation that a candidate may wish to make regarding the conduct of the Examination must be made in writing to the Associate Director of Education [Administration], using the complaints procedure which is available on the IHRIM Web Site, within seven days of the conclusion of the Examination.
  1. Candidates can expect to receive their results as a percentage mark.  The Newsletter will only show a pass notification. 
  1. Candidates will be notified of the results of the Examination at the end of July of the year in which the Examination was taken.   The names of successful candidates will be published in the Newsletter of the Institute.
  1. The Examination Appeals Procedure is available from the Director of Education of IHRIM.
  1. Candidates who fail to reach the pass standard in this paper may re-sit the paper on any two [2] subsequent occasions but within three years of the first attempt on payment of the appropriate fee and according to the syllabus which is in place at the time of the Examination.
  1. Successful candidates who pass the Examination will receive the appropriate award, adopting the appropriate title of Associate Member and use the designatory letters AHRIM.

Examination Framework

 

DAY ONE

Records Management and the Information Lifecycle 3 hours – Question 1 and five others

[SIX questions in total]

0930 – 0935      Reading Time

0935 – 1235      Written Examination

 

OR

 

Information Management 3 hours – Question 1 and five others

[SIX questions in total]

0930 – 0935      Reading Time

0935 – 1235      Written Examination

 

 

Information Governance 2 hours – Question 1 and three others

[FOUR questions in total]

1345 – 1350      Reading Time

1350 – 1550      Written Examination

DAY TWO

 

Resources Management 2.1/2 hours – Five questions

0930 – 0935      Reading Time

0935 – 1205      Written Examination

Strategic IT Application and Development 2 hours – Four questions

 

1330 – 1335      Reading Time

1335 – 1535      Written Examination

Syllabus

Where relevant answer the questions as they apply to your home country

OPTIONAL PAPERS:

The optional papers in the Diploma Examination reflect the knowledge and skills that are required at a higher level of management whether it be in the Records Management area or Information Management.  Candidates must select the paper which best suits their job requirements and reflects their personal development needs.

 Records Management and the Information Lifecycle

This module covers both clinical/health and corporate/business records and information.  Candidates are required to demonstrate an understanding of the following:

  • The Information Lifecycle to include creation, management, evaluation, archiving, destruction of records
  • Legislation
  • Service documents - Strategy, Policy, Procedure
  • Registration of Record Collections
  • Record Closure (when records have ceased to be of active use other than for       

reference purposes and how this process is organised and managed

  • how the record is flagged as "closed",
  • Storage of closed records awaiting disposal (environment, security and physical organisation)
  • Establishment of a system for managing appraisal and for recording the disposal decisions; the 100 year rule)
  • Retention Schedules - relates to the compilation of the retention schedules and legal requirements
  • Retention & Disposal of Records - process of retention and disposal
  • primary/secondary storage
  • confidential disposal/shredding
  • archiving
  • electronic media.
  • Record types :
  • person identifiable: clinical, human resources records, occupational health and safety records
  • corporate: finance, health and safety, estates, quality and safety, executive group meetings
  • Record Keeping (file plans, tracking, accessing)
  • Records Management Systems Audit
  • Information Quality Assurance relevant to your Home Country
  • Disclosure & Transfer of Records
  • Storage, Archiving & Scanning
  • Vital records and disaster planning
  • Patient safety and risk management strategies – relevant to records and information management
  • Roles and Responsibilities for Records Management within an Organisation

OR

 Information Management

  • Calculation of common hospital statistics
  • Understanding of mean, median, mode and standard deviation
  • The alternative methods of presenting data
  • Form design and data base design for effective data capture
  • A sound knowledge of the role of information in supporting clinical processes

 

COMPULSORY PAPERS

Information Governance/Assurance

  • Core elements of Information Governance/Assurance
  • The Data Protection Legislation
  • The Freedom of Information Act 2000/Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
  • Access to Health Records Act 1990
  • Medical Reports Act 1988
  • Caldicott 1 & 2
  • The Information Security NHS Code of Practice and ISO 17799 standards for IT
  • The Confidentiality NHS Code of Practice
  • Data Quality Standards
  • IG Toolkit or other assessment tools
  • Records Management NHS Code of Practice applicable to your Home Country
  • Information Governance/Assurance Management
  • Confidentiality and Data Protection
  • Information Security
  • Secondary Uses
  • Mobile Technology
  • Information Audits
  • National Programme for eHealth in Candidates own Home Country
  • Development of electronic personal health records eg NHS Care Records Service (England), Emergency Care Summary, Palliative Care Summary, Key Information Summary (Scotland), Clinical and Patient Portal Technology, Informing Healthcare (Wales)

Resources Management

  • Teambuilding, leadership and management styles
  • Understanding of motivational theories
  • Understanding of change management and service improvement methodologies e.g. transforming paper-based systems to electronic working
  • Understanding of workforce planning
  • Understanding of the principles of financial management, budgets, revenue, capital

 Strategic IT Application and Development

  • The concept of computerised systems integration and the need for process management
  • Basic understanding of e-Health strategies within your Home Country which culminate in the development of electronic records
  • Business continuity
  • Data Validation within e-Health systems
  • Data Storage
  • Understanding of the principles for planning and implementing a new or replacement e-Health system including:
  • Process for drafting system specification/requirements
  • Procedures for selecting a system
  • System configuration/build
  • Review/Redesign of operational processes
  • User Acceptance Testing
  • Training
  • Post implementation review
  • The range and purpose of IT systems in use in the  NHS e.g. Patient Administration Systems, Patient Management Systems, Departmental Systems, Clinical Systems, Audit Systems, Order Communications and Results Reporting Systems. Decision Support Systems.  PACS

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Diploma Syllabus [UK] - 2022