Speech and Language Therapy

Practice Placement Report (PPR) Forms

A short training video is available to explain how to use the new PPR form.

Please download either the undergraduate or postgraduate PPR form. There are also printable versions of each form available should the PE(s) prefer to complete them by hand.

Please note, you will need to download the PPR form (rather than used the web-based version of Word) in order to access the interactive features.

PPR Form: Undergraduate

PPR Form: Undergraduate (Printable)

PPR Form: Postgraduate

PPR Form: Postgraduate (Printable)

Student Information for Practice Educators Form

Student Information For Practice Educators form for students to complete and take on the first day of placement

Undergraduate Placement Handbook

Postgraduate Placement Handbook

The RCSLT pre-registration eating, drinking and swallowing competencies 

The RCSLT pre-registration eating, drinking and swallowing (EDS) competencies have been developed to ensure that SLT pre-registration learners are acquiring the same entry-level knowledge and skills of dysphagia, regardless of where they are undertaking their pre-registration education and training. The competencies were published in February 2021 and now form a mandatory part of pre-registration training: students graduating in 2026 and beyond must achieve them to graduate. 

The full competency document can be found on the RCSLT website. You can also read an overview article about the EDS Competencies on pages 54-55 of the Autumn 2023 edition of the RCSLT bulletin. 

The competencies are designed to reflect all aspects of an SLT episode of care with a service user with EDS difficulties. 

The pre-registration EDS competency requirements 

There are two parts to the pre-registration EDS competency requirements:  

1. Specific competency achievement evidenced by sign-offs
2. Accumulation of EDS exposure hours, also evidenced by sign-offs

1. Competencies

There are 20 pre-registration EDS competencies in total. 

For a specific competency to be signed off, students must demonstrate that competency on two separate occasions, achieving a signature each time. Students must achieve this ‘double sign-off’ for a minimum of 16 competencies to graduate. Which competencies make up the 16 minimum is not stipulated by RCSLT, so students may have different competency profiles. 

2. EDS exposure hours 

There is also an EDS exposure hourage requirement: this is a mandatory minimum of 60 hours in total, with a minimum of 30 hours adult and a minimum of 10 hours paediatric exposure. 

The competencies are supported on campus at QMU by dysphagia teaching and the RCSLT EDS competencies e-learning resource. 

We suggest a focus on aiming to achieve one signature for the following competencies with students on their placements: 

This will facilitate the potential for the required double sign-offs in combination with campus-based learning. 

The QMU pre-registration EDS competencies handbooks 

The QMU EDS competencies team have developed handbooks for Practice Educators which contain guidance for EDS competency assessment and EDS exposure hours sign-off on placement. There are separate handbooks for PEs working with an adult caseload and PEs working with a paediatric caseload. 

Paediatric EDS Placement Handbook 

Adult EDS Placement Handbook

The overall QMU placement handbook has been updated with additional new CPD tasks focussed on EDS/dysphagia that can be used for students to help evidence their competency in specific areas. These tasks are also included in the QMU EDS competency handbooks. 

QMU students will collect EDS competency and hourage sign-offs electronically using the PebblePad/PebblePocket website. All signatures will be collected via the students’ own accounts. There is a ‘how-to’ video  which explains the process of students using this software. 

Please see our FAQ page for more information.

• QMU have developed a helpful Wellbeing Toolkit for students on placement
• Information on reasonable adjustments and supporting underperforming students
• QMU Social Media Policy

• Supporting students with disabilities
• Supporting colleagues/students during Ramadan
• LGBTQIA+ inclusivity 

Practice Educator Training

The next online training session will take place on Wednesday 21st August 2024 at 10am - 12pm. The Teams link will be emailed to all of our Practice Educators in due course.

Practice Educator Workshops

Queen Margaret University are running a series of Practice Educator workshops. These include topics such as, 'Reasonable Adjustments', 'Supporting Failing Students', 'Assessment and Feedback', and more. Please see the poster for a link to register and to find out more information about the workshops.

The Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Resource Library provides students with the opportunity to look through different assessments and therapy resources used within clinical practice and research. The resources aim to help students prepare for placements, or extend their knowledge of resources used within research. 

The SLT Resource Library can be found within the QMU library. 

The SLT Resource Library Reference Guide has been designed to help you navigate the resources. The Reference Guide provides you with the names of all resources available, a brief description on the focus of the resource (e.g. phonology, stammering, aphasia etc.), and where to find them.

• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• The Health and Care Professions Council