Postgraduate Credit Advanced Clinical Skills in Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia) Management

As a practitioner you will:

develop the skills needed to identify ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) through evidence-informed assessment, as well as safely and successfully performing frenulotomies. You will also gain skills associated with infant feeding support and advice
obtain the subject knowledge and understanding surrounding the professional and ethical conduct of a tongue-tie practitioner, to deliver a high standard of appropriate care, as well as being able to reflect on your personal and professional development
demonstrate subject-specific knowledge related to the field of tongue-tie, including professional and ethical practice, appropriate care delivery, managing care and personal and professional management
identify health and social care policy trends and be able to use evidence and develop arguments to underpin your own practice, to evaluate the delivery of healthcare services
be able to apply decision-making and problem-solving techniques in order to provide quality care to women and support their families.

You will be prepared for assessing and managing tongue-tie in infants and be equipped with the tools to provide advice and support to families. On successfully completing the course you will exit with both an academic credit at Level 7 and the confidence to start practising as a tongue-tie practitioner.

You must be a qualified midwife, nurse or health visitor on the Nursing and Midwifery Council register or a medical practitioner on the General Medical Council register with significant experience in breastfeeding support, lactation services and an interest in ankyloglossia and frenulotomy.

Study day

There are two study days on the course which both take place online. You will study a range of topics including anatomy and physiology, assessment of ankyloglossia, the frenulotomy procedure, any complications which arise, and running a tongue-tie clinic. Through a range of innovative learning and teaching approaches you will be empowered to think critically about evidence-based practice and develop your own knowledge and skills. A strong foundation of evidence-based theoretical knowledge allows you to become a knowledgeable, safe and effective practitioner.

Clinical practice

Clinical practice placements can be arranged by the University with the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (Russells Hall Hospital), but places are limited and subject to availability. Places at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust are offered in the order which applications are received. Alternatively, you are able to arrange your own clinical practice placement at a provider of your choice. Following the initial study day, the rest of the year-long course is spent undertaking your clinical practice placement (although it may not take the full year to achieve your clinical competencies).