In this blog, Priya Anand, Assistant Professor at the University of Bradford, reflects on a new placement approach which she developed whilst on a secondment with the West Yorkshire AHP Faculty.

As AHPs, we are essential contributors to preventative health and patient/person-centred outcomes across the health and social care sectors. However, the ever-increasing demand for AHPs, as highlighted by the need to increase student numbers, places immense pressure on traditional placement models.

As an AHP Practice Learning and Development Lead and Assistant Professor of Physiotherapy, I’ve seen first-hand the pressure on traditional placement models. The NHS England 10-Year Plan calls for three strategic shifts. To meet these priorities, we needed a model that expands placement capacity, promotes preventative care, and prepares students for integrated systems.

That’s why I developed the Innovative Model Promoting Patient/Person-Centred Care in Care Homes Through Training/Education (IMPPaCT).

The Need for Placement Innovation

IMPPaCT introduces non-traditional, community-based placements in care homes-settings often overlooked but rich in learning opportunities. This approach not only increases capacity but also equips students with skills for integrated care systems and preventative health strategies.

What Makes IMPPaCT Different

Meeting the NHS Strategic Shifts: It is designed to meet the three crucial strategic shifts outlined in the NHS England 10 Year Plan. 

• Hospital to Community and Integrating Preventative Care: The model places AHP students in care home settings, shifting the focus of care and learning closer to where people live. It is centred on preventative interventions, such as falls prevention and nutrition.

Multi-professional Approach: By incorporating different AHP professions to provide advice and collaborate on education, the model equips students to understand the scope of practice for other professions and fosters interprofessional collaboration.

Training and Education for Care Staff: This training is crucial for several reasons:

• Enhances Competence and Holistic Care: It supports care staff retention and helps them develop an understanding of holistic care.
• Mitigates Liability and Contributes to Quality: Enhancing staff competence mitigates liability by ensuring they are well-educated, and it helps in contributing towards the CQC quality assurance targets.

Achieving Sustainable Placements and AHP Visibility

The model’s operational framework helps overcome barriers to sustainable placement development while elevating the profile of AHPs in social care:

• Embedding the Pillars of Practice: The model integrates the four pillars of practice ensuring students engage in holistic professional development beyond a purely clinical focus.
• Structured Supervision: The implementation of Peer Supervision and Long-Arm Supervision provides robust support while making supervision models more flexible and sustainable for care settings.
• Enhancing AHP Visibility: By having students co-create practical, evidence-based toolkits and lead education sessions for care staff, the model clearly highlights AHPs as vital contributors to preventative health in social care.

The Impact so far