The UK dietetics profession, like other health professions, utilise pre-defined competency frameworks and assessment tools to evidence those competencies during the pre-registration education and training of dietitians undertaking Practice-based Learning activities. On behalf of the British Dietetic Association’s Dietetic Workforce Development Programme, this report presents the findings of a scoping review which explored the practicality and feasibility of adopting common assessment methods for the UK dietetic profession to:
- Ensure that there is consistency in assessment tools
- Encourage increased Practice-based Learning offerings for providers who may span differing higher education institutions (HEIs) and require ease of completing paperwork
- Equip individuals with the skills required to lead and transform future dietetic practice across a wealth of diverse and increasingly changing environments. The aim of this scoping review was to understand the current dietetic assessment methods in use by HEIs, practice educators and dietetic learners within the UK, and any need for change.
A common assessment tool (CAT), in the context of pre-registration healthcare professional education and training, may be defined as a; standardised method of assessing all UK dietetic learners undertaking PBL in all practice settings regardless of which UK university they attend. The first UK example of this was launched by the CSP following consultation between the CSP and HEIs, practice educators and physiotherapy learners across the UK. The CSP is the professional, educational and trade union body for the UK’s physiotherapists, physiotherapy learners and support workers.
This scoping review concludes that adoption of common assessment methods for the UK dietetic profession is practical and feasible. The stakeholders (HEIs, practice educators and dietetic learners) within the UK recognise the need for change.
Key considerations for the BDA going forward included:
- Adoption of competencies which work for all learners and in all Practice-based Learning settings
- Agreement of number of standardised competencies
- Consistency in volume and format of CAT
- Assessment methods which work for all supervision and delivery models
- Alignment of competencies and tools with regulatory body standards and future workforce vision.
The key measure of success will be adoption of the CAT by the UK-wide stakeholders (HEIs, practice educators and dietetic learners).
Other outcome measures will include:
- Ease of adoption
- Access to training and support
- Acceptability and suitability of CAT