Designing and delivering bespoke inter-professional clinical supervision training in health care organizations.

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the development, delivery and outcomes of a training programme aimed at improving the quality of clinical supervision within local health care provider organizations.
The programme was developed using a School of Human and Health Sciences innovation award in 2007 and has been delivered in primary care, acute health care and third sector organizations to inter-professional groups including nurses (various fields and specialties) allied health professional and practitioners in drug and alcohol services over the last 4 years.
Current definitions used as the basis for organizational clinical supervision policy reflect definitions supported by professional bodies and regulators. A broadly accepted definition of clinical supervision is offered by Bond and Holland and captures key elements of the activity:
‘Clinical supervision is regular protected time for facilitated, in-depth reflection on complex issues influencing clinical practice......’
(Bond & Holland 2010 pg15)
Over recent years the notion of clinical and professional supervision has re-emerged as a focus for professional policy development in health care practise. This reflects increasing concern about quality of care and the serious errors and mistakes that have led to serious case reviews and inquiries regarding child deaths such a ‘Baby ‘P’ and in the broader context of the Stafford inquiry (2010).
This paper explores the integration of theoretical frameworks and experiential learning strategies informing the training programme. Key themes emerging from programme evaluation are considered including the benefits of inter-professional learning in the context of supervision and the demands placed on supervision to provide both support for practitioners and a monitoring role for the organization. The experience of facilitators and participants in developing quality clinical supervision within the local health care economy is discussed.