Background: Sourcing healthcare practice placements continues to present a challenge for higher education institutions. Equally, the provision of clinical placements by healthcare providers is not at the forefront of their agenda. In view of this, the historic and traditional models of clinical placements is becoming more difficult to provide. In light of this, new models of clinical placements are being explored. Aims: This literature review explores the differing models of clinical placements in use and examines the merits and limitation of each. Methods: A mixed-methods literature review with a pragmatic approach has been used. Findings: Several placement models were described, including the traditional 1:1 model as well as 2:1, 3:1. The hub and spoke, capacity development facilitator, collaborative learning in practice and role emerging placement models were also discussed. Conclusion: There is a considerable paucity of high-quality evidence evaluating differing placement modules. Further research is required to evaluate the differing placement models from a students, clinical educators and service user's perspective.

Background/Aims Clinical placements are a crucial aspect of training for student healthcare professionals, but the traditional 1:1 student–staff placement ratio puts a strain on placement capacity. This study evaluated a large group supervision model in physiotherapy in a university setting, looking at the student placement experience and patient outcomes. Methods The effectiveness of the supervision model was assessed using several indicators: student satisfaction, student performance, patient satisfaction and clinic contribution to placement capacity. Both students (n=34) and patients (n=85) filled out surveys to measure their satisfaction, and the results of the National Student Survey were also analysed in relation to the clinic and the wider physiotherapy course. Results Both patients and students reported high levels of satisfaction with the clinic and the placement model, with students noting the usefulness of the clinic in preparing them for work and increasing their employability. Summative assessment scores were also high. Overall, the clinic was able to provide 15–25% of the course's placement capacity per block. Conclusions The large group supervision model is just as effective, if not more so, than traditional placement models in terms of both capacity and quality, with very positive feedback from both students and patients. This method of training should be considered and researched further in other healthcare education contexts.

Practice placements are a fundamental aspect of preparing students for working in the NHS and will influence where, and in what specialities, students work. Additionally, NHS leaders now consider the issues of recruitment and retention of NHS staff to be as serious as concerns over funding. NHS Providers have outlined the issues although there appears to be little, or no, consideration in terms of plans required for the most immediate future workforce. It is hypothesised that there is link between student healthcare placement capacity and workforce gaps. The policy of increasing training places and of funding practice placements may have a positive effect on practice placement provision and if so contribute to increasing the NHS workforce, but without further detail this impact remains unknown. Along with most aspects of service delivery, planning practice placements using the best available evidence will ensure that the impact on service delivery is minimised while maximising the experience for the next generation of NHS employees.

Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the UK. Many stroke patients report a feeling of ‘abandonment’ when they are discharged from therapy services. This in turn, leads to readmissions and re-referrals to both hospital and community services. This paper discusses the components of E-health and how E-health could be used to supplement conventional interventions to improve patient engagement, empowerment and decreased reliance on therapy services. In doing so it will consider how such interventions could better involve carers. An integrated E-health approach has the potential to improve outcomes for stroke survivors. A person centred approach needs to be employed through partnerships between stroke survivor, carer and healthcare professional. Remote monitoring could provide specific targeted interventions, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions or re-referrals and reducing cost of care. While the issues are well defined more work is required on what these integrated, patient centred E-health solutions may look like in order to be successful in supporting stroke survivors.

Bradford Scholars -how to deposit your paper Overview Copyright check• Check if your publisher allows submission to a repository.• Use the Sherpa RoMEO database if you are not sure about your publisher's position or email openaccess@bradford.ac.uk.