title: Embracing external scrutiny to build bridges and genuine partnerships between education and clinical practice.
abstract: Despite having made significant changes and improvements since 2007, publication of The Mid-Staffordshire National Health Service Foundation Trust Public Inquiry (2013) refocused attention on the poor care standards that had taken place. Recommendations include far reaching national transformational changes not only for the National Health Service but also for professional regulatory bodies and other agencies linked to health and social care. This paper describes how external scrutiny was embraced to move staff from initial loss of confidence, feelings of anger and defensiveness to embracing opportunities to increase transparency, build bridges and genuine partnerships between universities and healthcare providers. Following an Extraordinary Review by the Nursing and Midwifery Council an action plan was collaboratively formulated between Staffordshire University and Mid-Staffordshire National Health Service Foundation Trust. This resulted in the implementation of a Practice Learning Improvement Project which monitored the action plan, ensured sharing of all learning and production of evidence for external scrutiny. Key lessons learnt included the need to: move beyond mere compliance with regulatory performance indicators; engage senior staff in all aspects of student learning; develop candid sharing of soft and hard intelligence, clearly delineate placement support roles and ensure engagement of academics in practice has transparent outcomes for the student, practice and education.
authors.affiliation: Nursing and Practice Development, School of Health and Social Care, University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, England TS1 3BA, UK. Electronic address: Robert.McSherry@tees.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McSherry
authors.affiliation: Mid Staffordshire National Health Service Foundation Trust, Stafford Hospital, Weston Road, Stafford, England ST16 3SA, UK. Electronic address: kathryn.cottis@staffs.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cottis
authors.affiliation: Clinical Education Faculty of Health Sciences Staffordshire University Blackheath Lane Stafford England ST18 0AD, UK. Electronic address: t.rapson@staffs.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rapson
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Staffordshire University, Blackheath Lane, Stafford, England ST18 0AD, UK. Electronic address: m.p.stringer@staffs.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stringer
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D015279:Organizational Culture; D058996:Quality Improvement; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Learning; Partnerships; Quality