| Title: | Creating an Effective Training Tool to Champion Racial Inclusivity in Physiotherapy Education: Learnings from Initial Implementation and Evaluation | ||||||||||
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| Topic(s): | General Topics | ||||||||||
| Keywords: | racial minority, practice education, students, physiotherapy, inclusivity, higher education | ||||||||||
| Abstract: | The strategic objective of widening participation in UK higher education aims to include historically underrepresented groups, such as students from socio-economically deprived backgrounds and Black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. This objective is pertinent to pre-registration physiotherapy programmes, which have traditionally been dominated by white middle-class women. Despite the growing emphasis on diversity, the profession still shows a significant racial imbalance, with only 8% of qualified physiotherapists identifying as BAME compared to 14% of the general population in England and Wales. This disparity, coupled with an attainment gap and reports of prejudice and racism within physiotherapy education, underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions.
This project aimed to develop, pilot, and evaluate an evidence-informed, co-produced training resource to promote racial inclusivity in physiotherapy practice education. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, the project included the development of the training tool, a pilot study, and subsequent evaluation through surveys and focus group interviews. Key steps in the tool's development involved gathering student testimonies, recruiting a diverse co-creator group, and creating video vignettes of these testimonies to facilitate discussion. Pilot testing was conducted through online and face-to-face sessions hosted by local NHS Trusts. The evaluation included pre- and post-training questionnaires assessing participants' attitudes, behaviour, and confidence regarding racial allyship, supplemented by focus group discussions. Quantitative analysis indicated significant positive changes in participants' confidence in identifying and addressing racism, with no notable differences based on demographic variables or delivery mode. Qualitative analysis revealed three main themes: understanding microaggressions, recognising the impact of racism on students, and uncertainty about handling identified issues. Participants reported increased awareness and confidence in addressing microaggressions and supporting students who experience racism. However, they also expressed a need for more practical guidance on managing these situations. The co-creation process was highlighted as a strength, fostering a sense of community and ongoing professional development among participants. The training resource demonstrated efficacy in enhancing educators' confidence and awareness but faced limitations such as small sample size and the need for long-term evaluation. The resource's non-prescriptive nature was intended to accommodate context-dependent responses, but future work should focus on developing practical strategies for behaviour change. |