Development of a SA Health Clinical Placement Framework

As the major provider of clinical placements in South Australia (SA), SA Health identified that a need for a review of strategic and operational management arrangements for clinical placements in SA Health facilities. This was needed to strengthen partnerships, simplify processes and build on quality placements. SA Health engaged HMA to develop a:

“SA Health Clinical Placement Framework that provides a consistent and robust approach to the management and governance of the clinical placement of health profession students in SA Health facilities.”

The SA Health Clinical Placement Framework was designed to give system and structure to the way SA Health managed clinical placements in its facilities and in doing so deliver the business rules, policies and processes needed to meet SA Health’s commitment to clinical training and education. This work was guided by an appreciative approach recognising that many professions already had effective systems in place.

The methodology involved:

• a project plan to guide the project approach
• a review of the literature and clinical placement frameworks from other jurisdictions.
• consultations with approximately 130 identified stakeholders
• two focus groups
• a draft clinical placement framework implementation plan which was tested at a large SA Health workshop, and
• a final clinical placement framework:

This project commenced in November 2013 and was completed in February 2014.