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Clinical Teaching and Training

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Policy framework statement

The Clinical Teaching and Training Policy Framework specifies the clinical teaching and training requirements that all Health Service Providers (HSPs) must comply with in order to ensure effective and consistent teaching and training occurs across the WA health system.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy framework is to ensure:

  • clinical teaching and training activity is at a level that ensures future workforce capability and is not limited to current workforce requirements
  • teaching and training structures and systems are maintained across the WA health system.

Applicability

This policy framework is binding on each HSP to which it applies or relates. Specifically, all individuals within HSPs involved in activities consistent with the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority’s (IHPA) definition of teaching and training which describes:

The activities provided by or on behalf of a public health service to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, or development of skills. These activities must be required for an individual to:

  • attain the necessary qualifications or recognised professional body registration to practice
  • acquire sufficient clinical competence upon entering the workforce, or
  • undertake specialist training/advanced practice in medicine, dentistry, nursing, midwifery or allied health.

Principles

The key principles that underpin this policy framework are:

Adaptability
Clinical teaching and training activity will reflect changing environmental factors such as demographics, emerging health needs, models of care and new technologies to ensure an adaptable and responsive health workforce.

Quality
Clinical teaching and training will meet the standards of appropriate governing bodies.

Sustainability
Clinical teaching and training activities will be efficiently and sustainably managed to ensure future workforce capacity, development of a skilled and competent workforce, provision of the best possible teaching infrastructure and to foster future investment in clinical teaching and training across the WA health system.

Transparency and accountability
Maintain systems and processes that demonstrate sound governance, management and reporting of clinical teaching and training activities and outcomes.

Workforce planning
Ensure that clinical teaching and training activity is relevant and supports short and long term workforce capability, supply and distribution.

Legislative context

This policy framework is made pursuant to ss 26(2)(d)(l) of the Health Services Act 2016.

The Health Services Act 2016 refers to policy frameworks in ss. 26-27 and s. 34(2)(c). Other relevant parts in the Act that relate specifically to this policy framework include ss. 4(f), 34(1)(b), 45(3)(b)-(g) and 46(3)(b)-(g).

Mandatory requirements

Under this policy framework HSPs must comply with all mandatory requirements* including:

Policy framework custodian

Assistant Director General
Clinical Excellence Division

Enquiries relating to this Policy Framework may be directed to: PolicyFrameworkSupport@health.wa.gov.au

Review

This policy framework will be reviewed as required to ensure relevance and recency. At a minimum this policy framework will be reviewed within two years after first issue and at least every three years thereafter.

Version Effective from Amendment(s)
8. 3 July 2024 Minor amendment to MP 0026/16 Student Clinical Placement Agreement Policy.  Related document: Student Clinical Placement Agreement Template updated to a WORD document. 
7 15 May 2024 Policy review and amendment to MP 0026/16 Student Clinical Placement Agreement Policy. Applicability section amended to include a statement on contracted health entities. Policy requirements section amended to clarify the process for completing new SCPAs or expired SCPAs that require renewal, along with the number of available placements. Compliance monitoring section amended to align with mandatory policy governance requirements. Related document 'Student Clinical Placement Agreement Template' amended to align with relevant workplace conduct and fit testing policy requirements.
6 14 September 2023 Update policy template and remove Supporting Information: Inclusion of Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (Table 1. pp. 30-31) link as the document no longer exists.
5 12 April 2022 Amendment to MP 0026/16 Student Clinical Placement Agreement Policy to include Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (Table 1. pp. 30-31) link as Supporting Information.
4 17 March 2021
 Rescindment OD 0661/16.
3 18 February 2021
 Amendment to MP 0026/16 Student Clinical Placement Agreement Policy to include Related document Student Clinical Placement Agreement template and transition the Policy from the Legal Policy Framework to the Clinical Teaching and Training Policy Framework.
2 21 December 2017
 Update to Policy Framework Custodian online PDF Document only. Changes were not made to Policy Framework landing page until 10 January 2018.
1 1 July 2016 Original version

Approval

This policy framework has been approved and issued by the Director General of the Department of Health as the System Manager.

Approval byDr D J Russell-Weisz, Director General, Department of Health
Approval date01 July 2016
Date published21 December 2017
File numberF-AA-40144

Compliance

This policy framework is binding on those to whom it applies or relates. Implementation at a local level will be subject to audit.

Glossary of terms

Term Meaning
Allied Health Includes Allied Health and Health Sciences recognised as health professions by the Department of Health, Chief Health Professions Office.
Applicability Under Section 26 of the Health Services Act 2016, Policy Frameworks may apply to:
  • All Health Service Providers
  • A type of public health service facility
  • A type of public health service
  • A type of staff member of a health service provider.
Health Service Provider Means a Health Service Provider established by an order made under section 32(1)(b) of the Health Services Act 2016.
WA health system Pursuant to section 19(1) of the Health Services Act 2016, means the Department of Health, Health Service Providers and to the extent that Contracted Health Entities provide health services to the State, the Contracted Health Entities.
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