The Centre for Interprofessional Practice (CIPP) delivers an internationally recognised Interprofessional Learning (IPL) Programme to UEA healthcare students and to post-registration workforce teams
"Interprofessional education occurs when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other in order to improve collaboration and the quality of care"
(CAIPE*, 2002)
The IPL Programme at UEA enables health and social care students to practice and develop the skills required to work as part of an effective interprofessional team through working together on practical tasks, case scenarios and presentations.
The process of working together, managing different personalities and work ethics generates further understanding of the principles that facilitate effective interprofessional teamworking.
There is no simple prescription as to what makes a team interact effectively. However, core elements include the need for: each individual to understand their role within the team and to feel their role is valued; every member of the team to invest in the process; effective leadership; an environment that allows all team members to voice concerns, and the ability of the team to work together to overcome challenges.
The IPL Programme at UEA enables health and social care students to practice and develop the skills required to work as part of an effective interprofessional team through working together on practical tasks, case scenarios and presentations.
The process of working together, managing different personalities and work ethics generates further understanding of the principles that facilitate effective interprofessional teamworking.
There is no simple prescription as to what makes a team interact effectively. However, core elements include the need for: each individual to understand their role within the team and to feel their role is valued; every member of the team to invest in the process; effective leadership; an environment that allows all team members to voice concerns, and the ability of the team to work together to overcome challenges.
"Effective teamworking is a lifelong process - not a one-off effort"
Members of the CIPP Team have collaborated with national and international organisations, including the World Health Organisation, with the aim of improving patient care by enabling health and social care students and practitioners to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour that enable effective interprofessional teamworking.
The World Health Organisation and Interprofessional Education ...
Quotes from the "Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education & Collaborative Practice", published by the World Health Organisation in 2010:
- "Interprofessional collaboration is key to providing the best in patient care. That means we need to ensure our health and human services students gain the knowledge and skills they need through interprofessional education that begins at the earliest stages of their schooling."
- "Interprofessional education is a necessary step in preparing a collaborative, practice-ready health workforce that is better prepared to respond to local health needs."
- "A collaborative practice-ready health worker is someone who has learned how to work in an interprofessional team and is competent to do so."
* The Centre for Interprofessional Practice is a corporate member of CAIPE (the UK Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education) (www.caipe.org.uk).
