Increasing capacity by moving away from one‐to‐one clinical supervision: using peer‐assisted learning and a group model of student placements in community paediatric speech and language therapy to enable student‐led service delivery

Background: Health Education England (HEE) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) have identified the need to increase placement capacity. Speech and language therapy is a shortage profession in the UK, so services need to consider innovative placement models to increase their placement offers without increasing the time burden on speech and language therapists (SLTs). Aims: To increase capacity for pre‐registration practice‐based learning by using peer‐assisted learning (PAL) in a group model of student placement to enable student‐led service delivery which provides high standards of clinical care and student experience and is an efficient use of SLT time. Methods & Procedures: A paediatric speech and language therapy service hosted eight student speech and language therapists (SSLTs) for their final pre‐registration placement. SSLTs completed pre‐ and post‐placement confidence ratings for a range of clinical skills; SSLTs and SLTs rated how useful different types of support were, and education settings provided feedback about working with the SSLTs. The number of clinical sessions completed by the SSLTs and the percentage of outcomes achieved for children with speech, language and communication needs were calculated. SLTs completed time‐trackers for placement‐related activities. Outcomes & Results: The impact of the placements was assessed using a tri‐vector methodology consisting of: self‐reporting by the student (using an evaluation form), feedback from the placement sites (schools) and analysis of targets set for individual children. SSLTs reported increased confidence in all clinical areas in their post‐placement evaluation form. SLTs reported increased confidence in SSLTs working independently and an increase in the perceived benefit to the service for having SSLTs in comparison with the time invested in supporting SSLTs. SSLTs and SLTs found all types of support provided during the placement useful. Schools reported high levels of satisfaction for working with SSLTs. SSLTs completed more clinical sessions than an SLT would have been able to in the time SLTs invested in placement‐related activities. Children achieved 60% of the targets set by SSLTs. Conclusions & Implications: This placement model increased the capacity for SSLT placements by using PAL in a group model of student placement to enable student‐led service delivery. The model provided high standards of clinical care and student experience and was an efficient use of SLT time. Wider use of this placement model would increase placement capacity and could also address vacancies in services. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: SSLTs and SLTs are positive about the benefits of paired placements in comparison with individual placements. Other allied health professions have demonstrated that larger placements can be an effective way to support students and have used students to deliver student‐led services. What this study adds to existing knowledge: This paper is the first to look at whether PAL in a group model of student placements can be used in speech and language therapy to enable student‐led service delivery which provides high standards of clinical care, maintains high standards of student experience and is an efficient use of SLT time. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: This paper demonstrates that PAL can be used effectively in a group model of student placements in a paediatric SLT service to increase student capacity and enable student‐led service delivery. The proposed placement model provides a high‐quality placement for SSLTs and the children they work with, and is also an efficient use of SLT time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]