CSP and RCOT drive AHP collaboration to support quality placements

Last year, we teamed up with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) to develop the principles of practice-based learning. These principles offer a clear direction for creating quality, practice-based learning opportunities for both physiotherapy and occupational therapy learners (students and apprentices).

Recognising that no profession works alone, we (the CSP and RCOT) are now joined by eight other professional bodies and will be coming together to launch a co-badged and updated version of the principles in the autumn.

We are coming together with:

• British and Irish Orthoptic Society
• British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists
• British Dietetic Association
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• College of Operating Department Practitioners
• College of Paramedics
• Royal College of Podiatry
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Society and College of Radiographers

Tamsin Baird, CSP Education Advisor and Carolyn Hay, RCOT’s Head of Education are excited to be able to work with so many other professional bodies to support the further embedding of the principles of practice-based learning.

Since their launch in October 2022 the principles have been well received by educators, university teams and learners. The CSP and RCOT made the principles freely available to all AHPs and the new co-badged version will continue with this open insight.

The principles act as a catalyst for conversation and structure thinking to support the thousands of practitioners who are delivering practice-based learning opportunities for our future workforce.

Without a growing number of quality, sustainable placement opportunities we will not be able to prepare the AHPs of the future for practice. These principles provide a common-sense approach detailing current evidence and practical pointers to support the breadth of placement opportunities needed.

Carolyn Hay, our Head of Education, had this to say:

'In beginning this collaboration we recognised that coming together with the CSP made us stronger – so much so we included that in the title of the document. To join with a further eight AHP professional bodies is just brilliant!  We are stronger together and we all recognise that.

'Together we can support our learners, university teams and all those supporting placements to create welcoming, quality learning environments which further confirm a student or apprentice’s choice to become an occupational therapist. These environments also provide the space to integrate their university based studies in practice. Supporting practice-based learning also provides many opportunities for educators and their area of practice. I am delighted that we are widening the use of the principles so they can be a catalyst  for multi-professional conversations and actions.'