Globally WHO (2021) recognises the importance of well-organized and funded primary health care provision calling it a "whole of society approach that aims at ensuring the highest possible level of health and well-being and their equitable distribution by focusing on people's needs". The principles of the recent NHS reforms are to follow the global model to build on a strong primary care (general practice). In the Long-Term plan (NHS 2019-23) 26,000 additional roles in general practice have been created to provide a multi-disciplinary team. Providing more student clinical placements within the primary care environment is expected to improve recruitment.
This thesis examines the benefits of different models of student clinical placement, one of which is a dedicated centralised model which was born out of the problems associated with providing placements within primary care. The thesis compares, with other models, the centre's impact on recruiting to clinical posts.
I trained and worked as a radiographer and then ultrasonographer for 20 years within the NHS and private health sector. In 1998 I moved into NHS management mainly within secondary/tertiary settings both at middle and senior until taking early retirement in 2011. During this period I also worked for Siemens on their new PFI hospital projects in Worcester and Outer London. For the last ten years I have been working as the chief operating officer within a GP federation managing extended and enhanced access, specialist GP services and providing support to practices including hosting the Training Hub (CEPN) whose remit is to support training, education and recruitment to general practice. As the primary care workforce grew so did my interest in encouraging the healthcare student population to view primary care (and general practice) as an attractive career destination through providing student clinical placements.