Teesside academic leads the way in setting professional standards for Interprofessional Education

A Teesside University academic is playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of health and social care education.

Dr Vikki Park, a Senior Lecturer in Patient Experience, Outcomes and Healthcare Leadership in the School of Health & Life Sciences, has been instrumental in developing the CAIPE Quality Standards for Pre-Registration Interprofessional Education (IPE), which were officially launched at a landmark event at the House of Lords.

The new standards, created by the Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE), provide the first nationally and internationally published framework to embed interprofessional education into health and social care curricula.

They aim to prepare future professionals to work collaboratively across disciplines, ensuring patient-centred care and improving safety and quality.

Dr Park, who serves as a CAIPE Trustee and UK Lead for the CAIPE Research Priority Group, played an integral role in the lead-up to the launch supporting the delivery of the CAIPE strategy, contributing to quality standard development, and leading the research priority group.

She said: 'The launch of CAIPE Quality Standards is a defining moment for IPE in the UK and globally.

'Since 2021, I have served as a CAIPE trustee and am proud to have contributed to the creation of the IPE Quality Standards. Their launch marks an important milestone, offering a practical framework to embed collaboration in education and enhance person-centred care.

'As UK Lead for the CAIPE Research Priority Group, I am excited to lead the next steps to advance IPE in health and social care education and practice, enhancing safety, quality of care and collaboration.'

The launch event, hosted by Baroness Parminter, brought together regulators, educators, practitioners, and policy leaders to celebrate this milestone.

Among those attending was Dr Erica Clough, Principal Lecturer in Learning and Teaching at Teesside University, who said: 'The event was both engaging and enlightening, offering valuable insights into how these standards will positively influence patient care, safety, and collaborative organisational culture.

'The afternoon provided a rich opportunity to connect with representatives from a range of universities and professional bodies.

'Through these conversations, the importance and significance of interprofessional education was reinforced, particularly in relation to the transformative potential of the new quality standards across health and social care settings.'

Teesside University was recently voted Times Higher Education University of the Year and is renowned globally for its expertise in driving innovation and excellence in education and practice.

The CAIPE Quality Standards represent a major step forward in promoting integrated, person-centred care and fostering collaboration among health and social care professionals and their development aligns with Teesside University’s core mission to transform lives and economies.

---