RoyalCollege of Speech & Language Therapists – National Standards for Practice-Based Learning
PLANNING AND SELF-AUDIT TOOL FOR PLACEMENT PROVIDER AND PLACEMENT EDUCATOR
KEY: / Service specific – evidence will be dependent upon local service policy/procedureSTANDARD NO. / STANDARD / QUESTION / TICK
WHEN COMPLETED / EVIDENCE
Examples are provided but are not exhaustive. Please add to as relevant
- SECTION ONE
1.10 / Placement Providers and Placement Educators will have a clear commitment to the provision of placements and recognise their shared responsibility in speech and language therapy practice-based learning. / Placement Provider:
Do you have a clear commitment to the provision of placements?
Placement Educator:
Are you clearly committed to offering yourself as a Placement Educator?
Do you share the responsibility with the HEI for placement-based learning? / √
√
√ / Commitment from managers via SPEC meetings.
Identification of a CCC representative and attendance at CCC meetings.
CCC minutes from placement meeting in May with offers of placements.
Information supplied from Staff and then coordinated by CCC member.
Evidence of placements offered, CCC report at staff meetings,.
Attendance at meetings, training courses and projects with HEI
1.11 / Training in practice-based learning will be provided for the Placement Educator, ideally through partnership between the HEI and the Placement Provider. There will be initial training, followed by ongoing training opportunities as part of the Placement Educator’s CPD. / Placement Provider:
Is there a range of training available for Placement Educators? / √ / All CEs to attend Introductory workshop before supervising a student
Staff access training provided by HEI, record maintained.
In-service training for SLT service delivered by HEI to meet placement provider-specific needs.
Mandatory annual training (at HEI) attended by one member of staff from service.
- SECTION TWO
2.1 / All parties in the placement education process should be aware at all times of risks that occur in normal working environments and assess risk as appropriate following NHS and HEI guidelines. / √ / Risk assessment completed as part Organisation requirements.
Health and safety policy shared with student during (local)placement induction.
2.18 / The Placement Provider will have an agreement with HEIs on the sourcing, timing and providing of placements. This will include information on the types of placement available (by setting, nature of patient/client, type of service). / Placement Provider:
Is there an agreement currently in place?
Is there an established process for updating/amending this agreement? / √
√ / Placement requirements (dates, student numbers) circulated prior to the bidding meeting (held in May each year).
Provided at the placement meeting and any changes given in email before the placements are finalised.
2.19 / Placement Providers will deliver on all offers, as far as is feasible, and work to provide alternative placements in the case of illness or absence of the Placement Educator. / Placement Provider:
Do staff changes result in cancelled placements?
Is flexibility encouraged to ensure promised placements are fulfilled? / √
√ / Service specific
2.20 / Where the Student has a special requirement relating to accessing a placement, all reasonable issues will be considered to accommodate the Student. However, this may not always be possible and all reasonable attempts will be made to locate alternative placements. / Placement Provider:
Do you ensure relevant information is provided re specific access requirements for each Student?
Do you use this information to inform placement allocation? / √
√ / Information given to HEI/student when requested in line with student need.
Allocations overseen by the HEI – where students have specific needs, this is discussed in full with the HEI and adjustments made where possible in line with formal recommendations.
2.21 / The Placement Provider will be familiar with the Student’s expected learning outcomes to ensure placements offered can contribute to the achievement of those outcomes. / Placement Provider:
Do you receive adequate information re the Student’s required learning outcomes?
Are they compatible with the available placements? / √ / Clinical educator training outlines assessment process (Clinical Evaluation Report - CER) and expected learning outcomes for students at different stages.
The CER contains guidance information and additional guidance documents are available on the university Extranet site.
CE Packs (General and placement specific)
2.22 / The Placement Educator will familiarise him/herself with placement documentation sent from the HEI, including the expected learning outcomes of the placement at that stage of the course and taking account of Student experience to date. / Placement Educator:
Are you able to allocate time for placement preparation?
Do you receive adequate guidance re the Student’s learning outcomes and experience to date? / √
√ / Electronic copies sent prior to the placement starting
Clinical educator workshops provide information
The student will bring personal clinical goals at the start of placement.
In-service training delivered by university.
2.23 / The Placement Provider will be responsible for the risk assessment for all aspects of placement and have due diligence throughout the course of the placement of any additional risk that might occur on a daily basis in any working environment. / Placement Provider:
Are you aware of your organisation’s current risk assessment policy/ requirements?
Have any risks been identified, specific to an individual Student? / √
√ / Policy documentation on Trust intranet.
This information is provided by the HEI and is documented with any relevant actions or changes to placement made.
2.24 / The Placement Provider has the responsibility to alert the Student and HEI to any placement specific health and safety, confidentiality and ethics requirements. / Placement Provider:
Are there any placement-specific health and safety, confidentiality and ethics requirements? / √ / Dress code provided within welcome pack.
CRB (DBS) information given in welcome pack.
Information Governance policy (organisation specific) shared at placement induction/in induction pack.
Etc. etc.
Professional Context placement – appropriate guidance sought when planning service provision projects (eg from Caldicott Guardian)
2.25 / The Placement Educator will make Students aware of any placement-specific requirements. / Are there any specific requirements that the Students need to know about before starting the placement? / √ / Email and phone contact prior to the placement start date.
Student information pack /placement induction.
2.26 / The Placement Provider will have a written policy for Placement Educators and Students, stating the procedures and process of seeking and preparing patients/clients to work with the Student. / Placement Provider:
Do you have a written policy for Placement Educators and Students, stating the procedures and process of seeking and preparing patients/clients to work with the Student? / √ / Policy for student involvement with clients which is part of Trust/organisationpolicy. SALT specifics given verbally.
2.27 / The Placement Educator is responsible for preparing the patient/client to work with the Student. / Placement Educator:
Are you familiar with your organisation’s written policy? / √ / Policy on Trust intranet.
2.28 / The Placement Provider and Placement Educator will, together, provide a range of learning models, experiences and opportunities. / Placement Provider and Placement Educator:
Do you have access to guidance on different learning models?
Can you describe the learning model(s) you offer to Students?
Are you able to identify and cater for different learning styles?
Can you describe the potential experiences and opportunities available to a Student on your placement? / √
√
√
√ / Attendance at clinical educator training workshops at HEI.
Models are outlined in Clinical Educator pack (General and placement specific packs) documentation from the HEI.
Attendance at SPEC and CCC meetings – discussion of models and approaches (including summary of student feedback)
Discussion of student’s personal clinical goals and availability of opportunities on placement (at start of placement)
2.29 / Placement Educators will maintain up to date knowledge and skills to facilitate Students to learn on placement. / Placement Educator:
Do you have knowledge of current developments relating to the client group(s) your Student will be working with?
Do you have significant experience in working with this/these client group(s)? / √
√ / CPD logs (RCSLT)
Attendance at relevant training courses and SIGs attended.
Record of study leave
2.30 / The Placement Educator will engage with Placement Educator training as arranged by the HEI and/or Placement Provider. / Placement Provider:
Do you facilitate attendance by Placement Educators of HEI- or Placement Provider-run training courses?
Placement Educator:
Have you attended an appropriate training or refresher course recently? / √
√ / Email records.
CCC News.
Internal record of clinical educator attendance at workshops.
CPD logs
Annual Update Workshop: one member of the service attends workshop at HEI and disseminates information to wider SLT team each year.
2.31 / The Placement Provider will support Placement Educators in terms of time management, recognising client throughput may be affected by supporting a Student in practice-based learning. / Placement Provider:
Do Placement Educator caseloads adequately reflect the time required for Student supervision?
Placement Educator:
Are you able to negotiate an appropriate reduction in caseload during Student placements? / Service specific
- SECTION THREE
3.4 / The Placement Provider and/or Placement Educator will provide an induction for the Student at the beginning of the placement following RCSLT guidelines in Communicating Quality. / Placement Provider or Placement Educator:
Have you allocated time for an appropriate induction at the beginning of the placement? / √ / Student information pack provided before placement begins.
Placement induction on first day
3.5 / The Placement Educator will provide opportunities, as far as possible, for the Student to experience a wide range of speech and language therapy work and roles, both clinical and non-clinical, including administration. / Placement Educator:
Have you incorporated a wide range of speech and language therapy work and roles into the Student’s programme? / √ / Student placement timetable
CER
Student’s learning needs (Personal Clinical Goals)
3.6 / The Placement Educator will provide guidance for the Student on learning opportunities available during the placement, with reference to HEI learning aims. / Placement Educator:
Have you identified specific ways in which you can help the Student to achieve his/her learning aims? / √ / Personal Clinical Goals set infirst week and reviewed at mid-placement point and final feedback session.
Mid-placement review record form.
Additional support sought from the HEI to support student’s learning if difficulties are evident.
3.7 / The Placement Educator will make clear to the Student his/her responsibilities to the patient/client during the placement. / Placement Educator:
Have you included Student responsibility towards the patient/client in your planned induction? / √ / Service specific
3.8 / Where a Student is managing a patient/client, the Placement Educator will retain the responsibility for all aspects of the patient’s/client’s management, including agreeing the Student’s management goals for that patient/client and the process of patient/client consent and adherence to confidentiality requirements. / Placement Educator:
Have you obtained consent from each client with whom the Student will work?
How will management goals be agreed? / √
√ / Written and verbal consent - written in client notes.
Session plans written by students with verbal and/or written feedback from clinical educators.
Case notes.
Discussion with clinical educator.
3.9 / Where there is more than one Placement Educator involved, a lead Placement Educator, who will co-ordinate, will be identified to the Student and the HEI. / Placement Educator:
Is more than one Placement Educator involved?
Has a lead Placement Educator been identified? / √
√ / Service specific
Service specific
Clinical educator feedback written for each clinical educator by the student at the end of placement. Feedback sent to clinical educator and line manager.
3.10 / The Placement Educator will co-ordinate documented feedback from the individual Placement Educators. / Placement Educator:
How will assessment marks and comments be combined to represent fairly the Student’s achievements and remaining learning needs? / √ / Discussion.
Use of CER guidance documents to support completion of the CER.
Consideration of objective evidence gathered throughout placement.
Request guidance from HEI if needed.
3.11 / The Placement Provider and/or Placement Educator will provide an opportunity for discussion with the Student on how placement aims will be met and will review these outcomes at agreed intervals. / Placement Educator:
If multiple Placement Educators are involved, which aims will be addressed by each section of the placement? / √ / Identified during discussion of personal clinical goals and at mid-placement review meeting.
Personal Clinical Goals document and mid-placement review form.
3.12 / The Placement Educator will provide regular, constructive, structured feedback, making the process and timing clear at the start of the placement. Best practice would indicate that this feedback is both oral and written. / Placement Educator:
Do you require support/training in providing constructive feedback?
Have you allocated specific time for providing feedback? / √
√ / Attendance at clinical educator workshops – practical activities which focus on giving feedback.
Discussion with Clinical Coordinator (HEI) for advice and guidance about giving feedback to individual students.
Service/CE specific
3.13 /
The Placement Educator will formatively assess the Student’s performance with reference to the learning outcomes of the placement at an appropriate point during the placement.
/ Placement Educator:Are you clear about the Student’s learning outcomes?
Do you have a structured plan for how they can be achieved on this placement? / √
√ / Attendance at clinical educator workshops (HEI)
Information in General and Placement specific CE packs
CER plus supporting documents on University Extranet
Feedback meetings with student
CER – as a structure for monitoring progress
Mid-placement review form – to outline areas for development.
Use of structured observation sheet to record and monitor student progress in terms of learning outcomes (available in CE pack)
3.14 / The Placement Educator will promote the Student’s development of self-reflective practice and independent practice. / Placement Educator:
How accurately is the Student able to reflect on his/her own strengths and weaknesses? / Application of the ‘Reflective model of supervision’
Discussion – student encouraged to verbally reflect on session.
Written reflection using the ePortfolio tool – student can be requested to submit written reflection to clinical educator as evidence of reflective ability.
3.15 / The Placement Provider will advise the Student and HEI at the earliest opportunity if there are emerging concerns about the Student’s ability to reach the expected standard on placement. / Placement Educator:
Is the Student failing to make progress towards achieving agreed placement aims?
Placement Provider:
Have concerns been raised by Placement Educators re any Student currently on placement with the Organisation? / √
√ / Meeting with student –documented outcomes
Contact with HEI
Mid-placement review outcome (documented on mid-placement review form)
Changes to Personal Clinical Goals where applicable
HEI contacted
3.16 / The Placement Educator will complete the HEI documentation by the requested timescales. Where this has not been possible, a revised completion date must be agreed with the HEI. / Placement Educator:
Are timescales clearly documented?
Have you allocated time for completion of HEI documentation within requested timescales? / √
√ / (NB CER return deadline is 2 weeks after end of placement)
Service specific
3.17 / The Placement Educator will be involved in the assessment of the Student, as appropriate, using agreed formats and criteria, as approved formally by the HEI. / Placement Educator:
Are HEI assessment criteria clear? Do you know what your requirements are in respect of the Student’s assessment on placement?
Is required format for assessment feedback clear? / √
√ / Clinical Educator training workshops
CER and supporting guidance on University Extranet
3.18 / The Placement Educator and/or Placement Provider will set up an “end of placement” review with the Student to review the learning and discuss future learning needs. / Placement Provider/ Placement Educator:
Has time been allocated for the end of placement review? / √ / Mid- and final feedback session dates provided to student
At the beginning of placement
- SECTION FOUR
4.8 / Placement Provider and Placement Educators will seek and reflect on ‘post placement feedback’ in order to improve the learning opportunity forfuture students. / Placement Provider:
Is there a process in place to secure feedback re placement and Placement Educator?
Placement Educator:
Do you encourage and facilitate honest feedback from your Students? / √
√ / Clinical educator feedback is written for each clinical educator by the student at the end of placement. Feedback is sent to clinical educator and line manager.
A general summary of feedback is produced by the HEI and shared at SPEC and CCC meetings, with key, general issues identified and actions identified.
Any clinical educator specific issues/concerns are raised by the HEI with the line manager in the first instance.
- SECTION FIVE
5.5 / The main responsibility for Speech and Language Therapy practice-based learning resides with Health Professions Council-registered Speech and Language Therapists. / Placement Educators:
Is my HCPC registration up to date? / √ / Legal requirement to work for host organisation.
5.6 / Wherever possible, it is appropriate to spend part of a placement with another professional/non-professional/staff member, and in multi-disciplinary environments. / Placement Educator:
Which other member(s) of the team (SLT and/or MDT) would enhance the Student’s learning experience? / √ / Encouragement of Inter-professional Learning (IPL) experience through considering the availability of any opportunities for students on placement.
Student’s ePortfolio blog – encourage students to use this to reflect on IPL experiences.
- SECTION SIX
6.1 / All partners will comply with quality monitoring processes and procedures within their own organisations, with a view to both the audit and enhancement of practice-based learning. / Placement Provider:
How do we currently audit the quality of placements provided?
Is the process rigorous?
Do we meet the current standards for practice-based learning, as outlined by HCPC/RCSLT?
Do we have an action plan to improve any areas of weakness? / √
√
√
√ / Completion of self audit tool (SPELs)
Completion of the Trust student placement audit.
Guidance from HEI in terms of placement requirements and student learning needs (CE workshops, documentation) which meet standards for practice.
Discussion at SPEC and CCC meetings
.
Action plan resulting from student feedback is documented and HEI informed of outcomes.
Dissemination of CCC minutes/CCC news to team (outlining feedback outcomes/key updates)
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