Title: Journeys into interprofessional education: the case of healthy urban planning
1Journeys into inter-professional education the
case of healthy urban planning
- Geraint Ellis
- School of Planning, Architecture and Civil
Engineering, QUB
2Overview
- Inter-professional education
- The concept of Healthy Urban Planning
- The HUP Westlink pilot project and its evaluation
- Discussion
3Inter-professional education
- The broader benefits of inter-professional
education - Preparation for professional practice
- Team work works
- Enhanced awareness of professional competencies
- Improved communication skills
- More efficient service delivery and effective use
of resources - Barriers in HE
- Disciplinary organisation (programmes, schools
etc) - Professional cultures, educational cultures
- Accreditation requirements
- Logistical issues (timetabling, assessment etc)
4Healthy Urban Planning Module 2006-07
- Partnership of Belfast Healthy Cities and three
University units. - 15 students from BSc Environmental planning (8)
and Bachelor of Medicine (7). Placed in three
interdisciplinary teams. - Enquiry-Based Learning Approach
- Aim
- To provide students with an understanding of
interprofessional learning and insights into the
health implications of development in the built
environment.
5Learning outcomes
- Knowledge and understanding
- Demonstrate an awareness of the links between
health, planning and the built environment. - Understand the process of health impact
assessment and demonstrate the how this can
improve decision-making in the built environment.
- Discuss the role of different professional groups
in improving public health. - Reflect on the outlook, approach and skills
embedded in the medical and planning professions
related to health and development of the built
environment. - Attitudes
- Appreciate the benefits and constraints of
interprofessional learning and working. - Understand the wide range of perspectives on
health held by different stakeholders in society. - Transferable skills
- Work effectively and creatively in an
interprofessional team working reflective
writing oral presentation independent research
critical analysis of information. critical
6The aims of Healthy Urban Planning
- To address a range of social, environmental,
economic and health related issues. By - Re-orientating the primary policy objective of
land use planning from property to peoples well
being. - Further engaging health professionals with the
policy processes that shape the social
determinants of health.
7The social determinants of health
Source Dahlgren G, Whitehead M. Policies and
Strategies to Promote Social Equity in Health.
Stockholm Institute of Futures Studies, 1991
cited in Acheson D, 1998.
8Evolving challenge of public health
- 19th century
- Malnutrition
- Overcrowding
- Poor housing
- Water supply
- Sewage disposal
- 21st century
- Obesity
- Asthma
- Mental health
- Cancer
- Heart disease.
9Some of the institutional barriers to HUP
- Altering conventional approaches to problem
framing in planning and healthcare. - Lack of statutory/policy provision.
- Low awareness of health issues amongst built
environment professionals. - Low awareness of planning processes amongst
health professionals. - Limited interdisciplinary interaction.
10Health impacts of the Westlink Extension?
11Project Schedule 12 weeks
- Initial briefing sessions
- Enquiry based Learning
- Health Impact Assessment
- Briefing on the Westlink project
- Brainstorming session to identify topics
(community impacts health and vehicle emissions
strategic transport alternatives) - Site visit
- Facilitated meetings 2X2 hours a week
- Interim presentations
- Final Presentations/Report
12- Source
- RCEP (2007) Report on the Urban Environment
13Student Assessment
- Written report (50)
- 3,000 words per team
- Presentation (30)
- To an high profile audience
- Reflective Commentary (20)
- Strengths and weaknesses of their performance and
experience of inter-professional working
14Project evaluation
- Highly favourable comments from staff and
students - Appreciation of the broader aspects of health and
increased interest in public health. - Reflections on nature of their discipline and the
purpose of the planning system. - Enjoyed the engaged nature of the project and
different types of learning.
15Some student comments
- It has a massive impact - a lot more than I had
previously thought. (Medical Student 1) - Its kind of humbling to realise that that you
dont know everything and it is of benefit to you
to work with other people (Planning Student 2) - it was just good to get a general sense of how
medicine is applicable to all kinds of different
things (Medical Student 3) - I am seriously considering the more general
and population-based medical approach the
public health approach has a lot more scope -
not to saving lives - but improving health.
(Medical Student 1) - ... It has got me thinking about the role of the
government, what theyre doing and what their
trying to facilitate. Are they just moneymaking
or are they concerned with the wider issues,
about the people who are most effected?
(Planning Student 2)
16Reflections
- Project adds to growing evidence of the
effectiveness of IPE. - Underlines the need to challenge entrenched
professional cultures through - promotion of HUP and public health
- affirmative action by professional bodies
- Inter-professional education.
17Discussion
- Other examples of inter-professional education in
QUB? - Understanding the benefits of IPE
- Identifying the barriers
- Overcoming logistical problems