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Practice based learning (PrBL) essentials-ensuring placement governance

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Effective governance is a cornerstone of high‑quality AHP Practice‑based Learning (PrBL). Strong governance arrangements ensure clarity of roles, responsibilities, and expectations between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Practice Education Providers, creating the conditions required for safe, sustainable, and high‑quality placement experiences. 

Nationally, the AHP PrBL Partnership Agreements play a key role in strengthening governance by enhancing the culture of student placement provision, supporting the development of a workforce that is fit for practice, and ensuring consistent, transparent processes across universities, professions, and health boards. 

Governance also provides assurance that placement delivery is aligned with national standards, quality requirements, and agreed levels of provision. It helps partners work collaboratively, and maintains equitable, well‑coordinated access to placement weeks across Scotland, ensuring that PrBL remains sustainable and that students benefit from high‑quality, modern learning environments.

Find out more by clicking the links below.

  • AHP PrBL partnership agreement
  • AHP profession specific data reports
  • Terms of reference example for AHP PrBL groups
  • Quality Standards for Practice Learning (QSPL)
  • AHP student pre placement essential learning
  • AHP student pre placement orientation and induction
  • Managing the risk of AHP PrBL placement cancellations
  • Involving service users in AHP PrBL
  • Evaluating AHP PrBL experiences
  • Projects, new developments and tests of change
AHP Practice Based Learning Partnership Agreements

Since 2010, AHP Practice‑based Learning (PrBL) Partnership Agreements have been in place between each Scottish university delivering pre‑registration AHP programmes and every NHS Board in Scotland. These agreements set out the shared roles and responsibilities of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Practice Education Providers to ensure placement experiences are safe, sustainable, and high‑quality. 

Why the Partnership Agreements Matter

The agreements play an important role in strengthening and supporting Scotland’s PrBL system. They help to:

  1. Strengthen the culture of student PrBL across Scotland.
  2. Support development of an AHP workforce that is fit for practice and able to meet service user needs.
  3. Improve governance arrangements related to PrBL provision.
  4. Ensure consistent expectations across universities, professions, and Practice Education Providers.
  5. Clearly define the responsibilities of both HEIs and Practice Education Providers.
  6. Confirm the ongoing annual commitment from each Practice Education Provider to offer an agreed amount of placement provision per profession. 

Agreement Updates

The agreement was refreshed in 2019 and again in 2025, bringing three previous agreements together into one consolidated national document. This updated agreement is signed by all territorial and national NHS Boards in Scotland, along with the following HEIs:

  • Edinburgh Napier University
  • Glasgow Caledonian University
  • Queen Margaret University
  • Robert Gordon University
  • University of Strathclyde
  • University of the West of Scotland
  • University of Stirling (currently excludes Physiotherapy and Podiatry programmes)

Annual Summary Reports

Each year, every university produces a summary of the Practice‑based Learning delivered by each NHS Scotland Health Board during the previous academic year. These reports are available from the AHP Practice Education Leads within each health board.

AHP PrBL Partnership agreement 2025

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

AHP PrBL profession specific data analysis reports

Terms of Reference AHP PrBL groups

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. 

National terms of reference for for AHP networks

AHP Quality Standards for Practice Learning (QSPL)

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.  

Quality Standards for Practice Learning (QSPL) Section 1 and 2

For AHP teams and services and AHP Practice education Leads (PELs) Section 1 - Individuals undertaking Practice-based Learning (PrBL) Section 2 - Individuals supporting and assessing learners in the Practice-based Learning (PrBL) environment

Quality Standards for Practice Learning (QSPL) Sections 3 Top Tips and Resources

For AHP professions as a whole, managers and educators supporting Practice-based Learning (PrBL)

Quality Standards for Practice Learning (QSPL) section 4 resources

For organisations providing Practice-based Learning (PrBL) experiences

Quality Standards for Practice Learning (QSPL) Section 5 Resources

For approved Education Institutions (i.e. Higher Education Institutions (HEI) or other formal education provider)

AHP student preplacement essential learning

As part of Scottish AHP students pre placement preparation, AHP students from all universities are expected to complete the following TURAS Once for Scotland 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:

  • Once for Scotland Fire Safety
  • Basic Life support (BLS) - adult and child
  • Once for Scotland safe information handling
  • Once for Scotland prevention and management of violence and aggression
  • Once for Scotland Child protection and adult support and protection
  • Child protection: practice level 2 (skilled)
  • Adult support and protection: practice level 2 (skilled)
  • Once for Scotland why infection prevention control matters
  • The foundation layer of the Scottish Infection, Prevention and Control Pathway (SIPCEP) which covers all Standard Infection Control Precautions
  • Once for Scotland understanding equality, diversity and human rights
  • Once for Scotland Infection control
  • Once for Scotland Fraud awareness
  • Once for Scotland Cyber security
  • Duty of candour modules 1 and 2
  • 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.

Student pre-placement orientation and induction

Pre placement meetings and induction are crucial for AHP students on placement.  Both set the foundation for a safe and effective learning experience for both students and the teams supporting them.  An effective induction 

  • Ensures a welcoming and inclusive environment
  • Ensures patient safety
  • Clarifies roles and expectations
  • Introduces the team and a positive workplace culture
  • Supports learning and development
  • Reinforces professionalism and ethics
  • Builds confidence, reduces cognitive overload and reduces anxiety through provision of relevant and engaging information
  • Provides opportunity for questions and feedback

 

 

Resources to support delivery of a quality induction

Please get in touch ahp.practice.ed@nes.scot.nhs.uk if you require these resources in an alternative format

Managing the risk of AHP PrBL (placement) cancellations
AHP bottom right with colourful geometric shapes to the left on a turqoise background

Guidance for managing the risk of placement (practice-based learning) cancellation within Scotland has been developed as part of the NHS Education for Scotland (NES) AHP Practice Education Programme.

This guide outlines a structured approach for managing situations where a Practice-Based Learning, (PrBL) experience (placement) is at risk of being cancelled. This document provides a solution-focused, consistent approach for placement providers and HEIs to manage this risk. 

This guide supports the AHP Practice-based learning partnership agreements between NHS health boards and Higher Education Institutes, (HEIs). However, the principles described can be applied in any placement setting across health, social care and 3rd sector. 

AHP PrBL cancellation guidance

Involving service users in AHP Practice based learning
Female figure in a wheelchair holding a flag with words user involvement

Involving and working in partnership with people with lived experience is a focus of the NES 2023-26 Strategy and a core component of person centred care,  prioritising an individual's unique perspective, preferences, and values in the care process. The Quality Standards for Practice Learning (QSPL) Section 4 standard 4.9 asks organisations delivering AHP PrBL to

Ensure policies and practice recognise how people who are service users, and/or family/carers with lived experience, are actively involved as individuals who support learners 

Practice educators and those who deliver PrBL experiences are the key interface between AHP learners and service users, their role to support learners to develop knowledge, skills and behaviours that 

  • respect the autonomy of individuals, ensuring they are active participants in decisions about their own care.
  • empower individuals to take an active role in managing their own care.
  • involve individuals in care planning that meets their emotional, social, physical and psychological needs
  • support open and honest conversations, that allow people to express their concerns, desires, and goals for care
  • support individuals to provide feedback on what works and what doesn’t in their care
  • enable partnership working with people placing the individual at the heart of the care process

Resources below can support and enable those delivering AHP PrBL to find ways to actively involve service users as individuals supporting learners.

Resources to support involving service users in AHP PrBL

Evaluating student placement experiences
multi coloured speech bubbles

Section 1 of the QSPL is concerned with the individual undertaking the practice based learning experience/placement.  Section 1 outlines what a student should expect from their practice based learning experience and what students undertaking the practice based learning experience have a responsibility to do.  In order to complete section 1 of the QSPL audit practice based learning providers ( individuals, teams, services and organisations) should seek to evaluate student experience while undertaking their practice based learning experience or placement.

Student evaluation and feedback of practice based learning experiences / placements is essential in order to

  • Acknowledge and strengthen existing good practice;
  • Identify and troubleshoot aspects that could be improved;
  • Motivate and develop staff;
  • Enhance the relationship between the university and the organisation, teams and services;
  • Facilitate an improved learning environment and therefore ultimately improve students’ experience of the placement.

There are different ways to gather feedback from students including

  • online survey
  • focus groups
  • student stories

Use of the questions below within a student feedback tool or mechanism will support individuals/teams/services to gather evidence to meet the standards within QSPL section 1. 

 

1.      Did you receive pre-placement information enabling you to prepare for placement? (Yes/No) 

2.      Did the placement site provide an induction or orientation to the team/service? (Yes/No) 

3.      Did you have an initial discussion about your learning needs and outcomes? (Yes/No) 

4.      If required, were reasonable adjustments put in place to support you to fully participate in the placement? (Yes/No) 

5.      Did you feel welcome and encouraged to feel part of the team/service? 

6.      Did you have access to a range of learning opportunities to support you to meet your learning needs and outcomes? (Yes/No) 

7.      Did you receive regular feedback to allow you to reflect and discuss areas for development or progression to meet your learning outcomes on placement? (Yes/No) 

8.      If required, did you receive a final assessment towards or at the end of your placement? (Yes/No) 

9.      Did you have access to support from your university if required during your placement? (Yes/No) 

10.  Did you have opportunity to receive feedback from service users to self-reflect and identify areas for development or progression? (Yes/No) 

11.  Were you advised of individuals or processes where you could raise concerns about your placement experiences? (Yes/No) 

 

However you choose to gather student evaluation/feedback of their placement experience the following steps should be considered

  • Identify themes: areas for quality improvement, risk  and indicators of good practice
  • Take the opportunity to develop an action plan in collaboration with all stakeholders and team members.  This includes timescales and deliverables.
  • Share this action plan ensuring all team members are able to contribute
  • Demonstrate and communicate the impact of the action plan and the improvements made
  • Evaluate the impact of changes made

 

 

Projects, new developments and tests of change
Picture with lightbulb cup of coffee, a page with designs on it representing projects or new designs

As AHP Practice-based learning (PrBL) in Scotland continues to develop and grow AHPs seek to maintain, develop, improve and progress systems and processes that support all those involved in the planning and delivery. Below are pieces of work, projects and tests of change that have been undertaken as stakeholders strive to ensure availability of PrBL across Scotland supporting the future work force in their development. 

Evaluation of coordinated placement offer requests and returns May 2024 - OT, Physio and SLT

Evaluating the impact of Scottish Government funding to support digital solutions in NMAHP PrBL/plac

In 2021 the Scottish Government provided £275k to support digital solutions in NMAHP placement provision.  Each NHS health board received a share of this funding and purchased the hardware and software required to support digital solutions for placements within their health board.   Further information on use and availability of this equipment can be sought from AHP practice education leads in health boards