Developing programme specifications with professional bodies and statutory regulators in health and social care

Abstract

This article describes a collaborative and ambitious project involving academics and colleagues in the health‐ and social care professional body and statutory regulatory body community to develop a consistent approach to programme specifications and transcripts. Through an iterative consultative process a consensus emerged amongst the majority of relevant professional bodies and statutory regulatory bodies that, over a period of time, consistent programme specification and transcripts could be integrated into their accreditation and regulatory processes. The implementation of higher education policy on programme specification and transcripts must be seen in the context of rapid and profound change in the health‐ and social care professions. It concludes that the adoption of programme specifications will promote greater clarity about the objectives for education and training for health‐ and social care professionals which in turn will help ensure a supply of fit for practice and purpose professionals to form the future health‐ and social care workforce essential to meet the government’s ambitious modernisation agenda.