AHP Practice Based Learning (PrBL)

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Welcome to the NES funded Practice Education Programme

Our aim is to:

Develop and promote high quality placement (practice based learning or PrBL) opportunities that will:

  • support the development of an AHP workforce fit for the future
  • build robust partnerships with our colleagues in Higher and Further Education institutes, and practice education providers across all sectors, including representatives from service users, carers and students
  • respond and adapt to changing healthcare needs in the population of Scotland

We are doing this through Scotland wide approaches to quality assuring student practice based learning and developing modern experiences for students within evolving AHP  Practice settings.

NB please note that within this site the terms placement and practice based learning are used interchangeably.  

AHP PrBL is an essential part of an AHP students’ journey to qualification in their chosen profession. A PrBL experience or placement is where students apply and consolidate their learning, bringing together academic theory, workplace practice to develop skills and competencies needed to register.

Consensus statements
AHP PrBL Consensus statements

AHP PrBL Consensus statements

AHPs of the future need to be prepared for working in new ways and in additional settings across health, social care, voluntary and private sectors. 

Scottish Government policies and drivers set out a direction that  AHPs require to rethink how, where and what services are provided in the future. This has a significant impact on the pre-registration training and the type of practice placement experience required. 

On this Learn Site you will find a range of examples of AHP Placement models and modes of delivery designed to support our AHPs of the future.  

Following the national event Growing Capacity for AHP Student PrBL in Scotland in 2018 the following consensus statements were agreed by all stakeholders across Scotland involved in PrBL

These statements are the focus for ongoing work across Scotland to provide quality, modern, diverse, and sustainable PrBL opportunities for all students in all AHP professions across all sectors of health and social care.

Please follow links to the left of this page to find a range of information and resources to support you to provide essential PrBL opportunities in your team and organisation.

AHP Principles of Practice Based Learning (PrBL)

Co-badged professional bodies principles of PrBL

The principles have acted as both a catalyst and framework for conversations across practice and education as well as amongst many other professions that we work closely with. It is these conversations that have led to the launch of these co-badged principles by 10 professional bodies and renamed the ‘AHP principles of practice-based learning: working together to support our future workforce’. These principles align to current work in Scotland supporting and delivering AHP PrBL.

The AHP professional bodies and NHS Education for Scotland jointly delivered a webinar on 06.02.24 which provided background to these principles, shared examples of their application and connection with work ongoing in Scotland, and offered an opprotunity to ask questions.

A recording of the webinar and supporting slides is available on the webinar series page  (https://learn.nes.nhs.scot/30460). 

Universities providing AHP courses

 

The seven Scotland-based universities that run AHP pre-registration education programmes are: 

Edinburgh Napier University, 

Glasgow Caledonian University, 

Queen Margaret University, 

Robert Gordon University, 

University of Stirling, 

University of Strathclyde, and 

University of West of Scotland 

Scottish PrBL Infrastructure

The following diagram represents the national infrastructure that supports and delivers AHP PrBL.  Those individuals, teams and organisations within this infrastructure all have a key role in ensuring the development of an AHP workforce of the future.

AHP PrBL Organogram representing Scotlands networks supporting PrBL
The Scottish AHP PrBL stakeholder Group

The Scottish AHP PrBL Stakeholder Group meets quarterly.  The group membership includes representation from:

  • Scottish Directors of Allied Health Professions
  • Scottish AHP Academic Heads Strategic Group
  • AHP Federation Scotland
  • NES
  • Other key stakeholders involved in AHP PrBL

The group provides a mechanism for collaboration and governance to ratify decisions related to the AHP Practice Based Learning Partnership Agreements and to act as a source of guidance and influence.

AHP PrBL Operational Collaboration (APOC)

APOC meets bi-monthly.  The group works collaboratively to

  • respond to challenges and identify national solutions that support work to build capacity of AHP PrBL across all sectors
  • modernise, diversify, and sustain PrBL opportunities that meet the ever-changing needs an AHP workforce working across all sectors
  • receive and progress actions from the AHP PrBL Stakeholder Group
  • advise the AHP PrBL Stakeholder Group of current and future issues that the APOC membership cannot address
  • inform and be informed by NES uni-professional and NES Territorial Board AHP Practice Education Leads (PEL) PrBL workplans and deliverables
  • support communication and consistent national messaging regarding AHP PrBL nationally
  • provide an open forum of peer support to members
  • identifying and sharing learning opportunities and resources that support all those involved in AHP PrBL development and delivery

Membership of the group includes

  • Practice Education Leads/representatives for AHPs from universities that run AHP pre-registration programme
  • NES AHP Practice Education Leads from NHS Boards (Designated National Working Group members)
  • NES PrBL National Working Group and Expressions of interest representation
  • Individuals progressing national actions/ pieces of work related to PrBL capacity (as appropriate)