Abstract
Background: With the introduction of the integrated care systems in the United Kingdom (UK) there is a recognised need to also prioritise the training and capability development of the workforce and this calls for innovative approaches to both the teaching and assessments they are required to engage with.
Integrated care has long been a feature of health policy directives in the United Kingdom. Translating the rhetoric of the ideals of policy directives around integrated care into practical ideas in undergraduate and postgraduate health curricula has witnessed a considerable resurgence in the aftermath of the pandemic. In this paper, we discuss some of the developments in a postgraduate degree in integrated healthcare practice and strategic leadership, co-designed in partnership with local integrated healthcare partners, training providers and students.
Approach: In particular, we focus on the opportunities that a work-based learning unit framed around the capstone style project presents for developing a workforce equipped to promote the ideals of what integrated care can offer. Capstone-style projects are proposed to be effective as tools used in developing workforce capabilities, and this has been applied to the context of assessments in an MSc in Integrated healthcare practice and strategic leadership. This paper explores the dual benefits of capstone style assessments and projects, both as skill-building experiences for the students but also as a high-impact, capacity-building tools used to improve existing systems and impact community partners. Through a case study approach of specific capstone projects undertaken within integrated care settings, we examine how these projects impact the delivery of health and social care in the settings and enhance students' competencies in collaborative problem-solving, interprofessional communication, and applied critical thinking—skills that are essential for the healthcare workforce.
Results: Results indicate that the capstone projects not only prepare students for future roles within integrated care but also contribute tangible value to their settings and community partners by addressing gaps in areas such as organisational wellbeing, care delivery, efficiency, and patient outcomes.
Implications: We intend that the audience for the paper will be the likes of students, educators, practitioners, health services managers, and workforce leaders who are invested in the idea of training and managing a workforce that is literate, competent, and confident to lead on integrated care initiatives. As part of the paper session, audiences will be encouraged, as part of their learning, to explore approaches that advance the adoption of relational pedagogies as they apply in the context of co-creating teaching, learning and assessment practices on integrated care curricula. This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on experiential learning as a workforce development tool and highlights its potential to create sustainable partnerships that support and advance integrated care objectives.