NHS Forth Valley Dietetics has been an early adopter of the British Dietetic Association’s Common Assessment Tool (CAT) for assessing dietetic learners undertaking practice-based placements. The introduction of CAT has provided an opportunity to rethink how learner training is delivered and supports the development of the dietitians of the future.
Kay Baxter, Clinical Lead for Dietetic Inpatient Team and Lead Practice Educator for NHS Forth Valley Dietetic explains: “Alongside traditional one-to-one supervision and Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) placements, our model has been enhanced by drawing on Quality Improvement (QI) capabilities within the Research and Evidence Pillar of the Four Pillars of Practice. This pillar focuses on integrating evidence into daily care through evidence-based practice, audit, and fostering a culture of enquiry.
“Building on the strong foundation in QI, we worked in collaboration with the QI team to introduce a ‘long-arm’ supervision model, further enriching the student learning experience and promoting greater independence while maintaining robust support.
“One of our learners reflected on this innovative approach, and their article was published in the professional magazine, Dietetics Today.”
