Allied health professions (AHP) learning site

Since 2010, there have been AHP Practice-based Learning Partnership Agreements in place between each Scottish univeristy that runs pre-registration programmes and each NHS Board. Previously known as Practice Placement Agreements (PPA). 

The agreement is in three sections:

1. Stakeholder partnership statement;

2. Generic agreement for all organisations & professions;

3. Schedule appended to the agreement with specific additions for a profession & Practice-based Learning Weeks to be provided annually.

Benefits of the AHP Practice-based Learning Partnership Agreements

1. Key to enhancing the culture of student PrBL provision in Scotland

2. Support the development of the AHP workforce to be fit for practice to meet service user needs

3. Strengthen the governance arrangements related to PrBL provision

4. These improvements are consistent across the universities, professions, and Practice Education Providers

5. Clarify roles and responsibilities of Practice Education Providers and universities in relation to pre-registration student PrBL provision

6. Clarify an on-going commitment from each Practice Education Provider to provide a certain amount of PrBL provision per profession each year.

The agreement was refreshed in 2019 & is signed between NHS Boards & Edinburgh Napier University, Glasgow Caledonian University, Queen Margaret University, Robert Gordon University & University of Strathclyde.

PrBL Agreement Annual summary reports

Every year, each university will produce a summary of the practice-based learning that has been provided by each NHS Scotland Health Board over the previous academic year.

Profession specific Practice Based Learning (PrBL) NHS Scotland Data analysis reports 2016/17-2018/19

The information within these documents presents the first NHS Scotland-wide summary of student PrBL provision between the years 2016/17 – 2018/19 for each profession. The information reports Practice-based Learning Weeks (PWs) which is a way of quantifying the amount of PrBL provision within an organisation. The National Services Scotland Information Services Division (ISD), and more recently NHS Education for Scotland, data about Allied Health Professions workforce numbers has been used to analyse the spread of student Practice-based Learning across NHS Scotland. The workforce data set remains the only published nationally available data source that is updated on a quarterly basis. Due to gaps in available data there are no reports for some professions and the Scottish Dietetic cluster hold all data regarding Dietetic PrBL

A recommended national terms of reference for the AHP-wide networks and groups that support student practice-based learning/ placements in the practice setting is available below.  

These networks are essential to sustaining, modernising and quality assuring student practice-based learning across Scotland. 

Quality practice-based learning opportunities, within a positive learning environment, support the development of healthcare professionals to deliver safe and effective person-centred care.  The Quality Standards for Practice Learning (QSPL) have been created so that learners and those individuals and organisations who support them understand their responsibilities and expectations in relation to PrBL.  The Standards apply to any PrBL that is accessed by nurses, midwives and allied health professions learners.

The QSPL replace the previous Quality Standards for Practice Placements (QSPP), support existing professional regulatory standards, and are fully endorsed by the Scottish Government Health Directorate and NHS Education for Scotland. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) acknowledge the contribution that these standards make to enhance the learning environment.  It is expected audits will be completed as part of the continuous improvement cycle and to share good practice

Guidance documents, audit forms and supporting resources can be found below.  

As part of Scottish AHP students pre placement preparation, AHP students from all universities are expected to complete the following TURAS online learning prior to placement.  These modules can be found here and are currently only accessible to students and university lecturers.  AHP students are required to complete and pass these modules prior to commencing their placement.   The deadline for completion is determined by each university programme.

AHP students will complete the following modules:

• Fire safety awareness
• Basic Life support (BLS) - adult and child
• Information Governance: Safe information handling 
• Violence and Aggression de-escalation
• Adult Support and Protection - Practice levels 1 and 2
• Child Protection - Practice levels 1 and 2
• Health Acquired Infection Scottish Infection Prevention and Control Education Pathway (SIPCEP) foundation layer
• Equality & Diversity: Equality and human rights
• Duty of candour.
• Whistleblowing : an overview. Module 1 - Introduction to National Whistleblowing Standards, Module 2 - Whistleblowing and how it relates to other HR processes, Module 3 - Using the National Whistleblowing Standards

NB Within the Health Acquired Infection Scottish Infection Prevention and Control Education Pathway (SIPCEP) foundation layer there are 14 modules

Students will be advised by their university which of the modules they are required to complete and also if there is any additional learning they should undertake.  

Additional student training required by placement sites should be provided by placement sites and discussed with the students education provider.

Please see below for guidance about content and support for student orientation and induction for practice-based learning (placement) experiences. 

 Agreed wording, by experts in reasonable adjustments, is presented below to enable practice education providers to be proactive in supporting students to share their needs both pre-placement & during induction: 

Generic statement for practice education providers : We encourage and support people to raise any issues or adjustments that they may require to safely practice and learn to their full potential. This helps us to support you in your learning during your practice-based learning experience. 

Pre-placement : Please let your practice educator know in advance of arriving for your practice-based learning if there are any adjustments required in terms of your health or learning requirements to help you participate to your full potential. 

Question during induction : Is there anything that you would like to tell us about your health or learning requirements?