The Innovative Placements and Capacity Expansion team consists of the Deputy Dean for Quality and Partnerships, two Directors of Practice learning, an Education Champion for the private, voluntary and independent sector and two placement expansion posts. Each member of the team is an educator and healthcare professional with a strong commitment to healthcare. This shared set of values and identity binds the team together.
The team understand how imperative it is, to protect and enhance the quality of practice learning experiences for the 4000 pre-registration students who require placements as part of their approved programmes. While the ongoing uncertainty of Covid-19, disruptions to NHS and social care placement availability, along with an increase in student numbers intensified challenges for the team; it also created new opportunities.
Team members bring intelligence and experience to execute key priorities and take responsibility for workstreams. This has enabled new networks within the private, voluntary and independent sector; making more use of placements which previously were largely under-utilised as rich-learning environments. Taking a different approach to calculating placement capacity also resulted in agreed capacity being reviewed and limits on student numbers being reconsidered.
All group members have extensive experience within healthcare and education. Well-developed skills in communication, negotiation and managing challenging conversations, enabled the team to develop new partnerships as well as strengthening existing partnerships. Seeking feedback and engagement from NHS and social care placements was key and it was important to be responsive to local and national workforce needs and expand and sustain quality placements for their students.
The team worked hard to ensure resilience was managed and supported. A team ethos for ensuring safe, open and transparent conversations encouraged dynamic group discussions. Ensuring everyone has a voice and feels heard is important to them while regular meetings enabled workstream leads to feedback progress and to call upon colleagues to assist with managing and overcoming barriers. Together the team have worked effectively, overcome challenges and shared successes that have been recognised at a local, regional and national level.