Dietetic Placement Providers

Approval and Monitoring

The three Universities within the Scottish Cluster are responsible for approving and monitoring the quality of each of the clinical placements provided in Scotland. To facilitate this, each NHS Board has been allocated a 'Link University'.

The Link University functions simply as a 'local' contact point regarding strategic placement issues. If a department is interested in taking students for practice placements or expanding their placement provision, and at the stage of seeking approval, they should contact their Link University to obtain further details on organising the Approval visit.

Following the revision of the placement learning outcomes and the development of national assessment tools it has now been possible to streamline the processes for approval and monitoring of practice placements.  For more information please read the 'Approval and Monitoring Policy'.

Re-approval

Re-approval of practice placements will be undertaken on a five year cycle whilst continuing the annual monitoring via the existing practice placement supply and demand process.  In view of this, we ask that all lead practice educators complete the four sections of the NES QSPL audit form which are available through NHS Education for Scotland:

Once the audit form is completed and submitted, this will be reviewed by an academic member of staff from one of the three universities in Scotland providing dietetic education. The intention is that confirmation of either re-approval of need for discussion/resolution of issues will be made within six weeks of submission.

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NHS Education Scotland (NES)

NES helps to provide better patient care by designing, commissioning, quality assuring and, where appropriate, providing education, training and lifelong learning for the NHS workforce in Scotland.

Information relating to work undertaken by NES which supports Dietetic education:

For more information relating to the work NES is involved in for AHPs:

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Policies

BDA Curriculum

A Curriculum Framework for the pre-registration education and training of dietitians – revised edition 2020.

Future Dietitian 2025

Plymouth University carried out research to inform the development of a workforce strategy for Dietetics 2020-2030.

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)

The QAA is the UK's quality body for higher education. They safeguard standards and improve the quality of UK higher education wherever it is delivered around the world and check that students get the higher education they are entitled to expect.  To this end, subject benchmark statements have been produced which describe the nature of study and the academic standards expected of graduates in specific subject areas. They show what graduates might reasonably be expected to know, do and understand at the end of their studies.  Subject Benchmark Statements are available for bachelor's degrees with honours, master's degrees, and professional qualifications in Scotland. 

View the subject benchmark statement for Dietetics published in October 2017 by typing 'dietetics' in to the search:

Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)

The aims of the HCPC are maintaining and publishing a public register of properly qualified members of the professions; approving and upholding high standards of education and training, and continuing good practice; investigating complaints and taking appropriate action; working in partnership with the public, and a range of other groups including professional bodies; and promoting awareness and understanding of the aims of the council.

The HCPC assess education and training programmes against the Standards of Education of Training (SETS). A programme which meets the SETs will allow students who successfully complete that programme to meet the Standards of Proficiency (SOPs).  They are then eligible to apply to the HCPC for registration.

Further detailed information on SETs and SOPs:

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SCDP Newsletter

The newsletters are authored by the Scottish Cluster University Operational Group to ensure that all the information relating to practice Education is in one place.

We produce a newsletter at least bi-annually, with additional updates should the need for other communication occur. To ensure that the newsletter shares good practice, we want to hear from you to showcase work that is being carried out in your department or any up-coming events you are organising. 

We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter, and look forward to your contributions in future editions.