Visitors report Name of education provider Glasgow Caledonian University Programme name BSc (Hons) Podiatry Mode of delivery Full time Relevant part of HPC Register Chiropody / Podiatry Date of visit 11 13 March 2009 Contents Executive summary...2 Introduction...3 Visit details...4 Sources of evidence...5 Recommended outcome...6 Conditions...7 Recommendations...8 Commendations...10
Executive summary The Health Professions Council (HPC) approve educational programmes in the UK which health professionals must complete before they can apply to be registered with us. The HPC is a health regulator and our main aim is to protect the public. The HPC currently regulates 13 professions. All of these professions have at least one professional title which is protected by law. This means that anyone using the title Chiropodist or Podiatrist must be registered with us. The HPC keep a register of health professionals who meet our standards for their training, professional skills, behaviour and health. The visitors report which follows outlines the recommended outcome made by the visitors on the ongoing approval of the programme. This recommended outcome was accepted by the Education and Training Committee (Committee) on 29 July 2009 At the Committee meeting on 29 July 2009 the ongoing approval of the programme was re-confirmed. This means that the education provider has met the condition(s) outlined in this report and that the programme meets our standards of education and training (SETs) and ensures that those who complete it meet our standards of proficiency (SOPs) for their part of the Register. The programme is now granted open ended approval, subject to satisfactory monitoring. 2
Introduction The HPC visited the programme at the education provider to consider major changes proposed to the programme. The major change affected the following standards - curriculum standards, practice placements standards and assessment standards. The programme was already approved by the HPC and this visit assessed whether the programme continued to meet the standards of education and training (SETs) and continued to ensure that those who complete the programme meet the standards of proficiency (SOPs) for their part of the Register. This visit was part of a joint event. The education provider and validating body reviewed the programme and the professional body considered their accreditation of the programme. The visit also considered the following programmes - BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy, BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy (Work Practice), BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy (Psychosocial Interventions), BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy (Ageing and Well-being), MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration), BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration), BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Imaging, BSc (Hons) Radiotherapy and Oncology. The education provider, the professional body and the HPC formed a joint panel, with an independent chair and secretary, supplied by the education provider. Whilst the joint panel participated in collaborative scrutiny of all the programmes and dialogue throughout the visit; this report covers the HPC s recommendations on this programme only. Separate reports exist for the other programmes. As an independent regulatory body, the HPC s recommended outcome is independent and impartial and based solely on the HPC s standards. Separate reports, produced by the education provider and the professional body outline their decisions on the programmes status. 3
Visit details Name of HPC visitors and profession Penny Renwick (Podiatrist) Emma Supple (Podiatrist) HPC executive officer(s) (in attendance) Anne Shomefun Proposed student numbers 45 Initial approval 4 January 2004 Effective date that programme approval reconfirmed from Chair Secretary Members of the joint panel September 2009 Alison Britton (Glasgow Caledonian University) Ben Rogers (Glasgow Caledonian University) Wilfred Foxe (Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists) Allan Wood (Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists) 4
Sources of evidence Prior to the visit the HPC reviewed the documentation detailed below, sent by the education provider: Programme specification Descriptions of the modules Mapping document providing evidence of how the education provider has met the SETs Mapping document providing evidence of how the education provider has met the SOPs Practice placement handbook Student handbook Curriculum vitae for relevant staff External examiners reports from the last two years Yes No N/A During the visit the HPC saw the following groups or facilities: Senior managers of the education provider with responsibility for resources for the programme Programme team Placements providers and educators/mentors Students Learning resources Specialist teaching accommodation (eg specialist laboratories and teaching rooms) Yes No N/A 5
Recommended outcome To recommend a programme for ongoing approval, the visitors must be assured that the programme meets all of the standards of education and training (SETs) and that those who complete the programme meet our standards of proficiency (SOPs) for their part of the Register. A number of conditions are set on the programme, all of which must be met before the ongoing approval of the programme is reconfirmed. The visitors agreed that 61 of the SETs have been met and that conditions should be set on the remaining 2 SETs. Conditions are requirements that the education provider must meet before the programme can be recommended for ongoing approval. Conditions are set when certain standards of education and training have not been met or there is insufficient evidence of the standard being met. The visitors have also made a number of recommendations for the programme. Recommendations are observations on the programme or education provider which do not need to be met before the programme is recommended for ongoing approval. Recommendations are normally set to encourage further enhancements to the programme and are normally set when it is felt that the particular standard of education and training has been met at, or just above the threshold level. The visitors have also made a commendation. Commendations are observations of innovative best practice by a programme or education provider. 6
Conditions 5.6 The education provider must maintain a thorough and effective system for approving and monitoring all placements. Condition: The programme team must ensure that a thorough and effective system is put in place for approving and monitoring practice placements for this programme. Reason: From the submitted documentation and the discussion with the programme team, students and the placement providers it was clear that the education provider had in place appropriate mechanisms for approving and monitoring placements for other pre-registration programmes in the School. It was, however, unclear how these mechanisms related to the programme. The visitors would like to receive documentation for approving and monitoring the placement provision. 5.8.3 Unless other arrangements are agreed, practice placement educators must undertake appropriate practice placement educator training. Condition: The education provider must ensure that records regarding the training practice placement educators receive are maintained. Reason: From the practice placement educators meeting it was clear that training received by practice placement educators took place and was appropriate. However it was not clear to the visitors how records of the training received by practice placement educators were maintained. Therefore the visitors would like to receive documentation detailing how records of the training received by practice placement educators is maintained. 7
Recommendations 3.6 A programme for staff development must be in place to ensure continuing professional and research development. Recommendation: The education provider should consider facilitating research opportunities amongst staff. Reason : From discussion with the programme staff and students it was clear that the programme team are committed to teaching and research. The visitors were informed that some members of staff had recently left and that to maintain this commitment, the staff were operating at maximum capacity. The visitors therefore recommend that the education provider continues with its planned staff recruitment to assist staff in facilitating research opportunities. 4.1 The learning outcomes must ensure that those who successfully complete the programme meet the Standards of Proficiency for their part of the Register. Recommendation: The education provider should consider reviewing the practice placement documentation to make clear that students in year 2 are required to engage in patient care. Reason: From the submitted documentation it was clear that learning outcomes at years other than at year 2 provided for students to engage in patient care. The documentation for year 2 did not reflect this, though from discussions with the programme team, students and practice placement providers, it was very clear that students did engage in patient care. The visitors were satisfied that those who successfully complete the programme will meet the standards of proficiency but would like to recommend that the programme documentation for year 2 is clarified to show that students are required to engage in patient care. 4.7 Where there is inter-professional learning the profession-specific skills and knowledge of each professional group must be adequately addressed. Recommendation: The visitors recommend that the professional identify of the students should be sufficiently sustained within the suite of IPL modules. Reason: During the meeting with the students, concerns were raised that teaching during IPL sessions was not sufficiently contextualised to their own profession and so the full value of IPL was not being realised. The programme team assured the visitors that the students were already being consulted in the review of how the IPL modules are taught. 8
5.9 There must be collaboration between the education provider and practice placement providers. Recommendation: The education provider should consider the introduction of a formalised system of collaboration between the programme team and placement providers. Reason: From discussion with the placement providers and the programme team there did not appear to be a formalised system of collaboration between the programme team and all placement providers. This resulted in limited opportunities for some placement providers to feedback to the programme team. The visitors wish to recommend the introduction of a formalised system of collaboration in order to assist the development and improvement of the programme. 6.2 Assessment methods must be employed that measure the learning outcomes and skills that are required to practice safely and effectively. Recommendation: The education provider should monitor the implementation of the new pass rate. Reason: The submitted documentation indicated that the pass rate had been reduced from 60% to 50% to conform to School wide assessment regulations. The visitors therefore recommend that the programme team continue to monitor the implementation of the new assessment regulations to ensure that students continue to obtain the learning outcomes and skills required to practice safely and effectively. 9
Commendation Commendation: The visitors commended the clinical skills facilities at Glasgow Southern General Hospital developed over time as a result of the excellent working relationship with the local NHS Trust. Reason: The visitors viewed the clinical skills facilities at Glasgow Southern General Hospital. They noted the excellence of the clinical resources and the commitment of the programme team to maintaining close contact with the local NHS Trust which enabled the education provider to use the clinical skills facilities at Glasgow Southern General Hospital. This collaborative model of working was commended as best practice. Penny Renwick Emma Supple 10