Quality & governance

How we assure quality, end to end

A Bologna-aligned, six-block scheme governs every programme — from curriculum design and clinical sign-off to assessment, currency and continuous enhancement.

Last editorial review: 6 June 2026 · Next scheduled refresh: 1 September 2026.

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The framework

Six blocks, governing every programme

Each block carries a defined standard and an auditable record. Nothing is published until all six are satisfied.

1 · Curriculum

Mapped to cornerstone guidelines and the relevant professional frameworks, with explicit learning outcomes at the award's level.

2 · Assessment

Blueprinted to the learning outcomes; standards set and maintained at FHEQ Level 7, with distinction reaching to Level 8.

3 · Faculty

Director-level clinical sign-off on every module and assessment item before it goes live.

4 · Risk governance

An auditable trail; nothing publishes ungated; clinical currency actively maintained against the latest thresholds.

5 · Student feedback

Structured feedback loops at module and programme level feed enhancement each cycle.

6 · Programme monitoring

Ongoing monitoring of outcomes and quality indicators, reviewed on a quarterly cadence.

The cycle

From design to enhancement — and round again

Every lesson and item travels the same governed path before it reaches a learner.

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Design

Mapped to guidelines & outcomes.

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Sign-off

Director-level clinical approval.

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Blueprint

Assessment matched to outcomes.

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Publish

Gated — nothing ungated goes live.

📊

Monitor

Feedback & quality indicators.

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Enhance

Quarterly review feeds design.

Assessment standards

Blueprinted, calibrated, defensible

Every CAS is assessed against three elements, each mapped to the published learning outcomes and standard-set at the award's level. The weighting is consistent across the portfolio:

The standard CAS assessment blueprint

Applied knowledge, a workplace capstone, and a defended presentation.

Applied-knowledge assessmentConfidence-calibrated SBAs

45%

Workplace capstone3,000 words, in your setting

45%

Presentation & questionsShort defended viva

10%

Confidence calibration records not just whether an answer is correct, but how sure the learner was — surfacing and correcting confident misconceptions, which matter most in clinical safety.

Currency governance

Kept current — and accountable for it

Every module carries a visible last-reviewed date and is kept aligned with the latest NICE, ESC, KDIGO and equivalent thresholds, under the Director's clinical sign-off. When a cornerstone guideline changes, the affected lessons, references and assessment items are reviewed and refreshed, and graduates receive a six-monthly Currency Update that re-dates their award. See the Living CAS.

Independence & claims discipline

Editorially independent, and careful with words

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Sole editorial control. Content, faculty and assessment remain under MD Acumen / awarding-body control. Any educational sponsorship is unrestricted, disclosed in the Sponsor Disclosure Register, and never shapes content.

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"Curriculum-aligned with", not "endorsed by". We describe explicit content mapping to a body's published guidelines; we never imply endorsement that has not been confirmed in writing.

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Honest scope. A CAS is an academic award — not a UK degree, GMC registration, specialist registration, or a practising role. See what a CAS is and Legal & Regulatory.

Standards we align to

The frameworks behind the scheme

FHEQ Level 7 (QAA) ECTS / EHEA (Bologna) NHS England multi-professional framework RCGP curriculum Cornerstone clinical guidelines

References

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (FHEQ). 2nd ed., 2024. qaa.ac.uk
European Higher Education Area / Bologna Process. ECTS & the Bologna Framework. ehea.info

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See exactly what the credential is, or browse the three flagship programmes.

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