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Practice Based Learning Handbook

Learning Agreement Handbook 

Guidance: Student Identity and Attendance Monitoring

This explains the university process for checking identity and how to monitor attendance.  

Guidance: Service user feedback

Service user feedback (if available) should be recorded in the “service user comments” section. Students are encouraged to consider service users’ perspective on their performance as this is good professional practice. This will always be a voluntary process for the service user. Students should always discuss with their practice educator before approaching a service user for feedback. Students may wish to use the information on or the itself. In some circumstances it may be more appropriate to gain feedback from carers, family members or other appropriate individuals rather than the service user, although it is recommended to seek this from the service user where possible. 

Guidance: Supporting a student at risk of failing a practice placement 

Guidance: Discontinuation of practice placement 

PBL models

Traditionally practice placements have used a traditional model of one learner to one educator. 

However, there are now a wide range of placement models which have been successfully used in a wide range of settings. 

Considering using a different placement model has enabled new placement experiences for learners.  In 2020, Joanna and Duncan completed . Here is some information about different models (please also look at information from AHP professional bodies on the external links tab):

• Virtual and ‘blended’ placements –  

• Project placements -

If you would like more information about how to implement one of these models in your practice area, please contact the team to discuss how we can support this. 

International PBL

MSc Occupational Therapy (pre-registration)����

This is a full time 2-year programme.�� There is an option for learners to graduate with a PgDip Occupational Therapy and still be eligible to register with HCPC.

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If you would like to be involved in supporting the development for revalidation of the programmes in 2025, please contact our programme lead, Gail Carin-Levy.

The weblinks below are provided as resources to support you in your practice-based learning role, either as an educator or learner:  

• .  Here you can find information about their role, links to key documents and resources to support you.  The resources include webinars and a monthly lunchtime Placement Café to support educators.  

• . Here you can find information about standards for practice.  There is also a which includes specific guidance to support learners.  

• . NES have a key role in supporting workforce development through both pre and post registration learning.  This is the link to the    

• (log in required). Here you can find links to training and support for practitioners on a wide range of topics, including practice education.  There is also information about mandatory training completed by learners before attending practice placements. 

• .  Here you can find information developed by our international Occupational Therapy community, including the .  It includes many publications that may be of interest to support your work and learning both in the UK and internationally. 

A number of other allied health professional bodies also have a range PBL resources which may be useful to occupational therapists. These are some examples:

These resources focus on neurodiversity:

These resources focus on supervision:

The University is strongly committed to supporting all members of its community.  You can find information on this webpage, including a link to the University Diversity, Wellbeing and Inclusion calendar. 

These resources focus on neurodiversity:

If you or your service users would like to support the programme team ensuring the curriculum meets the needs of our diverse communities, locally nationally and internationally please get in touch. 

Origins of the Award:  

Brenda Overton was the Mother of Julie Churchill, one of our current Nursing Lecturers at ��ݮ����.  

Brenda worked as an OT all her life, having left school a week before her 15th birthday with no qualifications but exited from Botley’s Park School of Occupational Therapy in 1959 with 7 distinctions in her craft work and passes in all her theory.  After an initial post qualifying spell working at the Whittington Hospital in London, she moved to Kent and during 17 years at a residential school for children living with Cerebral Palsy children, became Head Occupational Therapist.  

Unfortunately, during this time in the mid-1970’s, Brenda was diagnosed with MS. From then on, her mobility was restricted, but that that never got in her way, and she moved roles to become Head OT at the Kent and Sussex Hospital in Tunbridge Wells.  

In the months before she died, the most important thing for Brenda was being able to achieve her goals and maintain as much independence as she could muster – exactly the approach she had taken throughout her working life with everyone she came into contact with.  The support, understanding and sheer inventiveness shown by the OTs from the local hospice where she spent the last days of her life, helped her achieve this.   

When she died in 2019, it seemed fitting to offer an award in her memory. This is awarded at the end of each academic year.

Before each placement, check you are clear about placement expectations: