QI 179 Supporting AHP Student Placement Expansion

Abstract

To increase the number of AHP student placements delivered from 115 (2021/22) to the Trust goal of 146 by 31st August 2023. In line with the NHS Long Term Plan (2019) and Health Education England initiatives there has been, and continues to be, a huge need to increase and secure our future workforce. This begins with education. AHP students are required to complete workplace placement training to complete their degree and therefore the demand for AHP student placements has significantly increased. This project was designed with the aim of increasing the number of AHP student placements delivered by CWPT. This project demonstrates (using a range of measures and QI tools) how this has been achieved. Tools Used: PDSA Cycles - https://aqua.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/qsir-pdsa-cycles-model-for-improvement.pdf. Driver Diagram - https://aqua.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/qsir-driver-diagrams.pdf We exceeded our target of 146; 152 placements were delivered; an increase of 37 placements since last year. We have an increased understanding of the views of Practice Educators (PEs) and students on the placements provided. Practice Educator satisfaction with the student placement experience increased from 80% to 100% from September 2022 to April 2023. The percentage of students who rated their placement as "very useful" increased from 67% to 92%.