CSP and RCOT drive AHP collaboration to support quality placements

Last year, the CSP worked with RCOT to develop the ‘principles of practice-based learning’, a set of principles that offer a clear direction for creating quality placement opportunities for both physiotherapy and occupational therapy learners (students and apprentices).

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

The Society and RCOT are being joined by:

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

Tamsin Baird, CSP education advisor and Carolyn Hay, RCOT’s head of education will work with the 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 aim to 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.

The CSP has led the development of the principles to ensure a growing number of quality and sustainable placement opportunities, without which it will not be possible to prepare the AHPs of the future for practice. The principles provide a common-sense approach detailing current evidence and practical pointers to support the breadth of placement opportunities needed.