Difficulties securing sufficient practice-based learning opportunities for healthcare learners is well documented and not unique to the United Kingdom (Beveridge & Pentland 2020). Increasing allied health professional learner numbers on healthcare programmes, alongside the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for radical change and innovative ways of working to address placement shortages. Due to the capacity pressures, blended practice-based placements comprising standard clinical work combined with targeted project activity, were implemented in partnership with clinical collaborators, enabling 11,800 clinical hours to be achieved and avoiding extensions to programme completion for 64 learners. This blended placement-based model is distinct from the standard clinical placement model which focuses on patient assessment, care management and education. Because the blended practise-based placement model had not been robustly evaluated, the model was piloted, and ethical approval was sought and granted for the study.

Participants consisted of second-year physiotherapy, and first- and second-year occupational therapy learners, and their clinical educators. The research methodology comprised of online questionnaires for the learners and educators and focus groups for learners. The aims of the study were to ascertain the value and experiences of a newly introduced blended placement-based learning model in response to placement shortages.

The findings suggest benefits for learners including new skill acquisition (organisational and adaptability), the ability to influence change in patient care, and improved clinical reasoning. Challenges for learners focused on project variations, peer comparability, reduced clinical time, perceived discrepancies in marking of the placement, and opportunities to develop confidence. Alternative placement models are required to meet ongoing capacity demands: this work adds to the growing body of placement-related literature.

Keywords: Clinical placements, placement capacity, blended practice-based learning, physiotherapy, occupational therapy.