Eighth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

Led by Manchester Metropolitan University, the project’s aim was to explore potential change in respect of undergraduate health and social care education in relation to the changing landscape of integrated Health and Social Care. In the current system, undergraduate health and social care education remains largely uni-professional in emphasis, focus and delivery. Whilst there is a requirement to include elements of inter-professional learning within the curriculum these are largely on the periphery rather than at the centre. The project was driven by the assumption that there is currently an absence of the appropriate match-up of values and behaviours to make integrated working a reality for pre-registration and newly qualified graduates and that the curriculum needs to reflect this. Underpinned by Real World research methodology, stakeholder events, focus groups and interviews took place within Greater Manchester between November 2016 and July 2017. These included service users, clinicians, students, educational staff and charitable organisations. Using a thematic analysis approach to the data, four overarching key themes were identified, which were the impact of professional identity gaps in knowledge and education; the need for more exposure (inter-professional/ cross-disciplinary education and practice); and differing organisational cultures (all of which affect effective integrated practice. The intended outcome is to adapt the findings within the undergraduate educational setting in order to produce employable HSC graduates, who have the skills, resilience and experience to work in a place based system.