ACE scheme

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The Accreditation of Clinical Educators (ACE) scheme has been implemented by the CSP to recognise and formalise current good practice in clinical education and to raise the standard and quality of clinical education experiences nationwide. Members can gain ACE status by successfully completing one of a choice of two routes, supported and assessed by a Higher Education Institute (HEI). Use the links directly below to find out more about the scheme:

Introduction

The ACE Scheme provides an unprecedented opportunity for you as a clinical educator, offering you:

  • national and transferable recognition of your professional status as a clinical educator making a significant contribution to the clinical education of:
    • qualifying physiotherapy students
    • qualified physiotherapists
    • assistants
    • other health professional students
    • social care students
    • other learners
  • evidence to demonstrate your involvement in CPD, in a way which shows how supporting the learning of others forms a significant dimension of your own CPD
  • potential benefits related to your job evaluation and the application of the knowledge and skills framework within the Agenda for Change initiative
Accredited clinical educator status is gained by successfully completing one of a choice of two routes, supported and assessed by a Higher Education Institute (HEI): the experiential and programme routes. Find out more about the scheme by reading the guidance further down this page.

It has been designed and developed by and for chartered physiotherapists, in collaboration with all UK higher education institutions (HEIs) offering qualifying physiotherapy education, to give greater recognition to the important role of the clinical educator and to raise the quality of physiotherapy clinical education in the UK. The Scheme builds on current good practice.

Routes

The ACE Scheme is underpinned by six learning outcomes and offers clinical educators a choice of two routes by which they can demonstrate that these learning outcomes have been met:

  • experiential route - profile (portfolio) based
  • programme route - taught course/module, which may also carry academic credit.

Both routes are offered and assessed by HEIs as part of their schedule of activities to support the development of their clinical education community. HEIs already have systems in place to recruit, prepare and update clinicians as educators and the introduction of the ACE Scheme offers an aspirational opportunity for clinicians who so wish to:

  • gain national recognition for their work in the role of clinical educator in a way which demonstrates that supporting the learning of others forms a significant dimension of an individuals' own continuing professional development (CPD).
  • pursue their personal development as a clinical educator, with work that may be linked to academic credit if appropriate for their CPD
  • examine potential benefits related to their job evaluation and the application of the Knowledge and Skills Framework within the Agenda for Change initiative (AfC).

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Learning outcomes

The clinical educator should provide evidence that s/he is able to:
  1. Describe the role and identify the attributes of the effective clinical educator
  2. Apply learning theories that are appropriate for adult and professional learners
  3. Plan, implement and facilitate learning in the clinical setting
  4. Apply sound principles and judgement in the assessment of performance in the clinical setting
  5. Evaluate the learning experience
  6. Reflect on experience and formulate action plans to improve future practice

Registration

When a clinical educator successfully completes their chosen route the supporting HEI will recognise their accredited status as a clinical educator and will recommend their entry to the CSP national register of accredited clinical educators (ACE register).

Entry on the ACE register will be for a concurrent 5-year period, at the end of which it will be the clinical educator's responsibility to demonstrate how they have maintained their professional status as a clinical educator.

Accredited status recommended through one HEI and registered by the CSP will be recognised by all HEIs with physiotherapy programmes in UK, making the Scheme accessible and the status nationally recognisable and transferable.

Background to the scheme

Around 1000 hours of physiotherapy qualifying education are work-based, where clinical physiotherapists have a crucial role as educators. This role is one that most physiotherapists fulfil frequently in their working lives. Wherever they work, at whatever career stage, most are likely to have responsibility for the education of others in their work place. This may include pre- or post-qualifying physiotherapy and other health and/or social care students. Traditionally this is a role that many practitioners have assumed, in addition to others, with relatively little preparation, ongoing support or recognition.

In 2000 CSP Council 1 agreed five key principles as a basis for good practice in practice-based learning, including that:

  • Clinical education is part of the responsibility and role of all clinical practitioners.
  • Anywhere a physiotherapist works is potentially suitable for a clinical education placement as a means of gaining a broad range of skills.
1 CSP Council Minutes, C005, Minute 355

Moreover, the CSP Curriculum Framework, 2002 recognises that:

  • 'Practice based learning forms an indispensable and integral part of the learning process.
  • Learning gained in practice settings is vital to students' educational and professional development...
  • Students are therefore required to undertake…. within the practice environment... approximately 1000 hours of learning.'

These statements recognise the work and role of clinical educators throughout the UK yet so far this unceasing work, so vital for the continuance of the physiotherapy profession, has received little national formal recognition.

All clinicians who regularly participate in educating qualifying students are registered with the host HEI and authorised to provide clinical placements.

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Good practice

Through implementing the ACE Scheme, the CSP seeks to recognise and formalise current good practice in clinical education and to raise the standard and quality of clinical education experiences nationwide by:

  • assisting individual clinical educators to enhance their learning and role as clinical educators
  • offering recognition and value to the role of the clinical educator
  • acknowledging that fulfilment of the clinical educator role provides significant opportunity to demonstrate involvement in CPD increasing consistency in the quality of the clinical education process
  • contributing to maintenance and improvement in standards of patient care
  • encouraging collaboration amongst clinical education stakeholders.

Supporting clinical educators

HEIs with qualifying physiotherapy education have an identified staff member(s) responsible for managing the clinical education component of courses and local systems in place to recruit and prepare clinicians in their role as clinical educators. HEIs should offer a schedule of activities to support the development of their clinical education community, built on:

  • Clinical Education Placement Guidelines Information Paper No. CE2, CSP, 2002
  • Guidelines for Good practice for the Education of Clinical Educators, Information Paper No. CPD 14 and CE5, CSP 1997   (Being revised as at March 2005.)

Such activities are likely to include:

  • bespoke sessions for individuals, small groups or department staff
  • course specific induction information sessions
  • ongoing regular update sessions
  • specific current issue sessions for departments or clinicians with shared clinical or service interests
  • collaborative sessions offered by HEIs who share members of the same clinical education community e.g. shared assessment procedures
  • relevant modules with academic currency, e.g. role development as a professional work based educator

Many of these activities are informal, course specific and greatly valued by service and education providers as a means of enhancing their partnership and good practice in clinical education.

The introduction of the ACE Scheme builds on this current good practice by providing a new and accessible opportunity for interested clinical educators to pursue their professional development in this role, by the route which best suits their personal circumstances.

It is recognised that only some clinical educators will identify pursuing accredited status as a priority for their CPD. Clinical education will continue to be part of the responsibility and role of all clinical practitioners and opportunities to engage in work based education will remain open to all, regardless of accredited status, in the same way as they are to diplomates, BSc or MSc practitioners.

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Pursuing accredited status

The ACE Scheme guidance document is in 4 parts. Everyone interested in knowing more about the Scheme is advised to first read:
ACE 01 Accreditation of Clinical Educators Scheme Guidance

Clinical Educators interested in gaining accredited status have a choice of pursuing two routes:

  1. Taught programme route - seek available options from local HEIs and/or LLL/post-qualifying programmes/online database or CSP endorsed projects
  2. Experiential Route - members wishing to pursue the experiential route should read (Both documents are comprised within National Guidelines for the Accreditation of Clinical Educators):
    • ACE 02 - Guidance Notes for CSP members
    • ACE 03 Accreditation of Clinical Educators Experiential Route: application form

Members choosing to fill in the application form need to:

  1. first make sure they are logged in - to access all document downloads on this page
  2. ensure they have read the scheme guidance document (PDF download - file size 300kb)
  3. download a copy of the Word file - see below
  4. fill in the form fields in Word, saving it between sessions if need be (nb - no hand written submissions!)
  5. save the completed file in Word and submit a copy to the assessing HEI in accordance with their submissions procedure
Any queries should be directed to Learning and Development at the CSP - either by phone 020 7306 6666 or email

HEIs seeking to offer taught programme routes are advised to read:
ACE 04 Guidance for HEIs seeking CSP endorsement of postqualifying programmes leading to Accredited Clinical Educator (ACE) status

Publications

Relevant documentation produced by the CSP for the ACE scheme covers:
  • ACE 01 Accreditation of Clinical Educators Scheme Guidance
  • ACE 02 Accreditation of Clinical Educators Experiential Route: guidance notes for applicants
  • ACE 03 Accreditation of Clinical Educators Experiential Route: application form
  • ACE 04 Guidance for HEIs seeking CSP endorsement of postqualifying programmes leading to Accredited Clinical Educator (ACE) status
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