Educational principles underpinning successful shared learning

Changes taking place within the National Health Service (NHS) are influencing the content and format of health care education at both pre- and past-qualification levels. Greater emphasis is being placed on the need for healthcare practitioners robe able to integrate and collaborate with their colleagues. Multi-professional learning is one important strategy being increasingly used to develop these skills. This paper focuses on three aspects of multi-professional shared learning. First the central role of the learner in the educational process if described and the levels of knowledge, skills and attitudes that comprise a learner's 'Readiness' for Inter-Professional Learning (RIPLS) are discussed. Second, the authors experiences of designing and implementing a multi-professional shared learning course are discussed. Finally, the rationale for shared learning and the wider context in which shared learning takes place are explained, and the underlying educational principles are identified. The resulting guidelines, summarized as a checklist, can be used as a framework when planning and organizing shared learning programmes.