Best Practice Clinical Learning Environment Project

The Best Practice Clinical Learning Environment (BPCLE) Project aims to support the creation and maintenance of education cultures within health services.

Development Phase

The development phase of the project sought to identify the key characteristics of high-performing clinical learning environments. Darcy Associates Consulting Services have produced an independent report which identifies elements and objectives of positive training environments for undergraduate and early graduate learners.

As part of this project, a BPCLE framework was developed to guide health services and training providers in the delivery of high quality clinical experiences for learners. The BPCLE framework is intended to work across any discipline or model of clinical education and aims to be flexible enough to support the effective use of any education model. The framework seeks to inform consistency and excellence in clinical education, complementing existing clinical training strategies.

The development phase of the BPCLE Project concluded in early 2009.

Implementation Phase

The BPCLE framework will be promoted and further developed for utilisation over several stages from late 2009. The first stage will involve consultation with a range of stakeholders to determine:

• The framework's applicability across non-acute settings and wider range of health disciplines.
• How implementation of the framework may be appropriately measured and monitored.
• Resources, tools and other supports that may assist health services to utilise the framework.

Stakeholders in the following categories may be particularly interested in participating the consultation process:

Following this consultation process, a resource toolkit will be developed to ensure that the framework is accessible and ready for use by health services throughout Victoria.

How can you be involved?

Consultation workshops

Consultation workshops will be held across Victoria during November to discuss the broader applicability of the framework and performance measurement issues. There will be seven workshops, two in metropolitan Melbourne and one in each of the department's non-metropolitan regions as follows:

• Metropolitan Melbourne (north and west): Wednesday 11 November, 2:00 - 4:00 pm, CQ Functions, 113 Queen Street, Melbourne
• Metropolitan Melbourne (south and east): Thursday 12 November, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Punt Hill Dandenong, 157-163 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong
• Barwon South Western: Tuesday 17 November, 2:00 - 4:00 pm, Dromoland House, 258 Pakington Street, Geelong West
• Gippsland: Wednesday 18 November, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Quality Inn Latrobe Convention Centre, 5601 Princes Highway, Traralgon
• Grampians: Thursday 19 November, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Sovereign Park Motor Inn, 223 Main Road, Ballarat
• Hume: NB. NEW DATE! Wednesday 25 November, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Carrington Best Western, 505 Wyndham Street, Shepparton
• Loddon-Mallee: Friday 27 November, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Nanga Gnulle, 40 Harley Street, Bendigo

*Please note that the Hume workshop (Shepparton) has been RESCHEDULED to Wednesday 25 November, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

To register your interest in attending a workshop, please contact Naomi Byrne-Soper at naomi.byrne-soper@dhs.vic.gov.au or phone 9096 8556. Registrations close Friday 30 October.

Written submissions

If you would like to provide feedback on the BPCLE framework but are unable to attend a workshop, the department is accepting written submissions from stakeholders. Please forward any submissions via email to kate.weidemann@dhs.vic.gov.au by Friday 27 November 2009. 

Online surveys

Online surveys have been prepared to gather stakeholders' views on the BPCLE framework. The results of the surveys will assist in refining the framework to ensure its applicability to a broad range of settings and disciplines. 

To complete a survey, please follow the relevant link:

• Student survey (approx 15 minute completion time)
• Health service survey (approx 30 min completion time)
• Education provider survey (approx 30 min completion time)

Surveys close Friday 27 November 2009.

For more information about the BPCLE project, please contact Workforce Strategy and Regulation, Department of Health at workforce@dhs.vic.gov.au.