This article examines the arguments for and against charging for occupational therapy fieldwork education. Managers see advantages in separating the cost of education from service costs, but evidence from a study into the costs and benefits of student placements, undertaken by the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University College of Ripon & York St John in collaboration with the Yorkshire Regional Health Authority, highlights some of the disadvantages. A major finding of this study is that students bring both direct and indirect benefits to the service unit in which they are placed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Department of Health.Working for patients. Education and training — Working paper 10.London: HMSO, 1989.
2.
WalkerCHICooperFM. The costs and benefits of clinical placements in occupational therapy: A collaborative study based within the Yorkshire Region.York: Yorkshire Regional Health Authority and the University College of Ripon & York St John, 1992.
3.
MacKinnonJRPageGG. An analysis and comparison of the educational costs of clinical placements for occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech pathology and audiology students. J Allied Health1986; Aug: 225–38.
4.
MacKinnonJRPageGG. Estimating educational costs of clinical placements for occupational therapy students. Occup Ther J Res1986; 6(6): 349–64.
5.
ShalikL.Cost-benefit analysis of level II fieldwork in occupational therapy. Am J Occup Ther1987; 41(10): 638–45.
6.
HillestadEAHawkenP.Weighing the costs and benefits of student education to service agencies — Part 2. Nurs Health Care1987; May: 277–81.
7.
MulhausenRKaemmererMSWFoleyJSchultzA.Education costs in two public teaching hospitals. Academic Med1989; 64: 314–19.
8.
GreenMRostanceMGittinsA(Gwent, Pembrokeshire and East Dyfed HAs). Business Solutions Consortium of Health Management Consultants. A review of clinical placements: Survey of occupational therapy services in Wales (draft). BSC, 1990.
9.
South West Thames Regional Health Authority.Working paper 10 — Education and training (survey on costs of clinical placements). London: SWTRHA, 1990.
10.
WoodfordFP. The case for charging for clinical placements during the pre-registration training of clinical scientists and technicians in the NHS.Chief Scientific Officer, 1991.
11.
GreenD.Clinical psychology: Audit of clinical placements 1989–90.Leeds: University of Leeds, Department of Psychiatry. 1990.
12.
OakleyPNelsonA(NWTRHA/NWRHA). Clinical Placements Working Party. Discussion paper.CPWP, 1991.
13.
MooneyGPRusselEMWeirRD. Choices for health care: A practical introduction to the economics of health provision.2nd ed.Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1986.
