An interprofessional practice development group for newly qualified and new-to-role clinicians in community mental health

Abstract

There is a wealth of literature focusing on the transition from being a new graduate to being a newly qualified member of staff. However, the needs of the new-to-role practitioner, who may be expected to manage challenging caseloads and coordinate care, are rarely explored. New-to-role mental health clinicians, particularly in the community, can work alone and experience complex challenges. To meet these demands, an interprofessional practice development group was formed. Clinical practice educators, alongside clinical team managers, designed a programme of six sessions of three hours to be delivered over a six-month period. The programme was delivered to two cohorts of new-to-role or newly qualified mental health staff from a nursing, occupational therapy or social work background. The sessions focused on the role of the care coordinator, on how the last month had been for participants and on discussing relevant articles and case studies. To evaluate the course, participants completed a pre- and post-group questionnaire. There was an improvement in their confidence and competence, but not in their skills.