Growing practice based mental health learning opportunities for AHP students

Published 23/03/2026

Health Education Improvement Wales (HEIW) has worked with partners to create 45 new mental health practice based learning opportunities for Allied Health Professions (AHPs) across Wales. These real world experiences strengthen students’ understanding of mental health and wellbeing, enabling them to better support people across all work settings. Aligned to the Strategic Mental Health Workforce Plan for Health and Social Care, these placements demonstrate how community designed, integrated care works in practice, supporting people to receive the right support, in the right place, first time.

Being present where mental health and wellbeing support is delivered gives students the opportunity to learn directly from individuals with lived experience, as well as from the professionals who support them. It helps them build real world understanding, confidence and skills and raises awareness of mental health career opportunities for allied health professions.

To support and grow these placement opportunities, new partnerships have been established across Wales. These collaborations are helping to create more meaningful, high quality learning experiences for students. Placements in development include:

• Digital Health and Care Wales
• The Rainbow Foundation
• Ivolve
• North East Wales Mind
• The BCUHB Health Improvement Team
• Age Cymru Dyfed
• Mental Health for Veterans
• The Cardiff and Vale Recovery College
• Outside Lives
• Wrexham food bank
• NYTH / NEST Framework Team in Welsh Government.

Student feedback

Students described how their experiences have increased their awareness of and intention to pursue an allied health professional job in mental health:
"This would be a dream job for me. It has really opened my eyes to a career in mental health" 

Students described how the skills developed are transferable to support people’s mental health and wellbeing, wherever they work in the future:
“I’m really glad to have had the opportunity to do this placement because mental health is all around us. It’s not just in one ward, one Older Adult Mental Health Unit or one Mental Health Hospital. If I was working in outpatients, I wouldn’t be nervous now about treating someone with any sort of mental health condition.”

Students described how the placement has increased their awareness of third sector services and intention to work in a more integrated way going forward:
“As a future practitioner it was extremely useful for me to find out more about third sector services. I will definitely signpost patients and their carers to Age Cymru Dyfed, seeing how passionate the team is about their mission.”

Students described how much they valued being able to be part of the care provided by third sector organisation, enabling them to see the benefit to the person:
“The home visit is the part that I enjoyed the most as it helped me understand more about the struggles of carers and it seemed like they really appreciate the support they've received from the service, the compassion, kindness and just a conversation with someone who is willing to listen. I could tell it meant a lot for them when visited and it was a meaningful experience for me too, being able to be a part of it.” 

Placement facilitator feedback

The third sector organisations valued the project work undertaken by students, enabling them to benefit from the AHP expertise

An operational lead at the Rainbow Foundation commented:
“Working in partnership with an AHP student was fantastic, she assisted in reviewing the nutritional offer we have through our meals on wheels service and daily meals within the day centres. Her insight gave us a lot of food for thought and allowed us to make some amendments to recipes and menu design. From working with the kitchen team directly to engaging with older people who use our services to get their feedback, our student communicated well with all who she worked with and gave us a well rounded report to use.

Third sector organisations have a large part to play in the health and social care sector and we are delighted to offer opportunities for those preparing for a career within the NHS to experience what we have on offer in our communities.”

Health board supervisor feedback

Students are typically supervised by health board allied health professional educators who value the complimentary perspective such learning experiences provide.

A health board practice educator in Swansea Bay commented:
“Having students on an alternative placement in the Swansea Dementia Hwb was a great opportunity to boost the health board’s links with the third sector. It gave the students a broader understanding of third sector services and their role. The students had the chance to spend time talking with staff, volunteers and service users and to develop their communication skills. They gained more insight into the impacts of being diagnosed with and living with dementia.

During the placement the students co-produced a practical resource that could be used by the Dietetic Department and the Dementia Hwb. They also made suggestions for further joint work that we could take forward with the Hwb. The whole experience felt collaborative, creative and genuinely useful for everyone involved.”

Simon Cassidy Head of Placement Experience and Improvement at HEIW, said:
“This work is critical to ensuring students access learning opportunities across a diverse a range of health and care settings, to see how services operate and most importantly, better understand the health and care needs of the populations they will go on to serve.”

To learn more please contact HEIW’s Allied Health Professional Practice Education Facilitators.