Organisation(s)

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

BCP Council

Learning disability physios

We are the learning disability physios within the BCP Adult Learning Disability Service (BCP CLDT). We regularly support physiotherapy undergrad students on placement throughout the year, from Bournemouth University, Winchester University and AECC University College. We are an integrated health and social care service; we have six physios in the team.

Summary of placement

We supported a BU undergrad student on placement within the BCP adult learning disability service, using a shared PPE role. This model was adopted because of PPEs already having a significant amount of training and annual leave booked in and we had a significant amount of referrals where the clients were particularly sensitive to having too many people in the room (i.e., where it wouldn’t have been appropriate or in the client’s best interest to have a student attend). Previous learning disability physio placements have adopted this model between different community learning disability teams, but this has been set days with set PPEs. On this placement we tried an approach where one student was given two PPEs to work flexibly over the course of the placement, to enable the needs of the service to fit around providing a fulfilling and varied clinical placement for the student.

Benefits

  • We were able to support a student, while still meeting the needs of clients where it wouldn’t be possible for students to join

  • It enabled clinicians to keep on top of the elements of their work which are less relevant for students (e.g. mandatory training)

  • It halved the burden of organisation

Challenges

  • Essentially doubled the placement paperwork time as both PPEs completed the student paperwork half way and at the end

Advice you’d give to others

  • Make sure you have shared understanding of the placement expectations and PPEs have agreed a plan of who will lead on certain aspects, before the student arrives.

  • Make sure you have good channels of communication between the PPEs in your team throughout placement

  • Make sure you book in regular catch up time for the PPEs prior to half way and end of placement assessments