Interprofessional education: the evidence base influencing policy and policy makers

Abstract

This article reports on the development of an Interprofessional Capability Framework that articulates the learning outcomes that students need to achieve and continue to develop in order to become capable interprofessional workers. Although there tends to be general agreement around the subject matter to be included under the rubric of interprofessional learning, little information is available regarding the learning outcomes students need to achieve in order to become effective interprofessional workers. The Interprofessional Capability Framework defines capabilities that underpin interprofessional working and are relevant to all health and social care professions. The categories of the Framework were generated utilising grounded theory strategies in the analysis of the Quality Assurance Agency benchmark statements that inform the undergraduate curricula of all health and social care courses in the United Kingdom. This resulted in the conceptualisation of four key domains in which capabilities and learning levels have been articulated: Knowledge in Practice, Ethical Practice, Interprofessional Working and Reflection (learning).