INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED ALLIED HEALTH STUDIES
The Institute of Advanced Allied Health Studies (IAAHS) was established since 2007 to elevate the standards and quality of AH practices by facilitating the continuing learning and professional development of all AH staff. The IAAHS develops training strategies, oversees the programmes and monitors the quality and standards of AH-related training in HA. Training needs are identified through the engagement of internal and external stakeholders, including AH Coordinating Committee (COC)-Grade, cluster management and related clinical COCs/ Central Committees (CCs), in line with corporate strategic directions and annual plan initiatives. The Institute also partners with local and overseas training institutes and professional bodies to provide a wide spectrum of training opportunities for AH disciplines at all ranks.
Vision
Competent Allied Health Professionals for quality health care services
Mission
The IAAHS endeavors to:
- Facilitate training and development of
- Allied Health Professionals
- Promote evidence-based practice
- Team up Allied Health Professionals
- Build up training partnership
Values
- Professional collaboration
- Continuing professional development
- Professional service
Allied Health Training Curriculum Framework
To facilitate the continuing professional development of AH staff to meet service need in HA, an AH-specific training curriculum framework comprising of discipline-based functional competency training provided by IAAHS, as well as generic soft skills programmes provided by the Head Office (HO) Human Resources Training programmes were established.
Based on the framework, grade-specific training curriculums have been developed for AH professionals of 16 grades. The standardised three-level competency-based framework, namely basic, intermediate and advanced level serves to meet the training needs of different AH grade staff at different ranks and years of working experience. Training programmes under different curriculum levels are organised with reference to the multi-dimensional core competence of respective AH grades to ascertain organisation service needs are met. Under each curriculum level, the target group, intended competence-based learning outcomes, training requirements and the completion criteria are clearly described. In view of the diversified scope, nature, demand and training needs of different AH grades, the training curriculums of respective disciplines were developed by phases since 2017 with full rollout to all AH professionals in 2021/22.
Programmes under the functional competencies training series include but not limited to the followings:
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Basic Level I: Training for Newly Recruited Entry Rank – Facilitation of Role Adaptation
The Training and Development Programme for Newly Recruited AH Professionals (NR Programme) is a three-year structured training program. The NR Programme provides new recruits with extensive clinical exposure and various continuing professional development activities for them to familiarise with the HA environment, refine their clinical practices and prepare for taking up future career challenges.
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Basic Level II: Training for AH Basic Rank with Three Years of Experience or above – Competency Enhancement & Specialty Practice
In view of the rapid development in health care service and technological advancements, the demand on specialised AH services has significantly increased. Upon completion of the Basic Level I, a higher level curriculum (Basic Level II) aiming at enhancement of core competency is designed to enhance the professional-specific practices for different case mix / modalities. In addition, the IAAHS provides a spectrum of specialty programmes that are clinically focused and responsive to service needs for experienced basic rank AH. Moreover, to facilitate better integration of learnt knowledge and skills into daily practices, work-based training covering intra/inter-cluster job rotation or clinical attachment to different specialties/ modalities are organised.
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Intermediate Level: Training for AH I or equivalent – Advanced Specialty Practices
To meet the service needs in HA and in line with the world-wide professional development trend, different advanced specialty programmes (ASP) have been developed for experienced AH professionals to advance their knowledge and skills to handle complex service demands and deliver different specialised clinical practices with significant impact, e.g. interventional radiology for DR, mental health for OT and cardiopulmonary service for PT.
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Advanced Level: Training for Senior AH – Clinical Leadership & Succession Planning
Senior AH professionals are clinical leaders and change agents who provide expert patient care, lead and drive professional development and monitor service quality. To facilitate succession planning and nurture competent clinical leaders to address the imminent retirement wave of senior AH rank staff in HA, three tailored-made flagship training programmes, namely Core Practice Skills Training Series, Overseas Training Programme for Senior AH Professionals and Senior AH Staff Development Programme are provided.
Teaching Mode
IAAHS endeavors to provide comprehensive learning experience through various mode of training, such as classroom-based teaching, lectures and workshops. To cater for the rising training demand, alternative mode of training delivery by making use of information technology as an enabler has been developed to improve the training capacity, accessibility and flexibility via online learning platforms. Besides, IAAHS also provides simulation training and work-based programmes for better integration of knowledge and skills into daily practice.
Experienced Trainers
Our teaching team consists of experienced clinical practitioners with advanced professional and academic qualifications from various local and overseas tertiary institutes, health care professions and specialties.
Recognition of Programmes
The IAAHS coordinates, develops and organises service-related professional training programmes for AH professionals at all ranks and levels. The Institute has collaborated with local/overseas tertiary institutions, professional organisations and renowned experts to uphold the standard of the training activities and ensure the quality of the programmes. The programmes obtaining external recognition are set out in the ensuing paragraphs.
Accredited Programme Providers
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The Hospital Authority (Allied health Grade Department) has been accredited as “Accredited Programme Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Provider” by the following Boards under the Supplementary Medical Professions Council:
- Medical Laboratory Technologists Board
- Occupational Therapists Board
- Physiotherapists Board
- Radiographers Board
- The IAAHS has been re-approved as “Continuing Professional Development Programme Sponsor” (30 October 2021 – 30 October 2024) by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) Accepted Continuing Education Evaluation Model System (AACEEMS)
Award
The Training and Development Programme for Newly Recruited Allied Health Professionals is one of the flagship programs of the IAAHS. Out of over 400 competitors from 102 hospitals in 17 countries, the Programme had won the Excellence Award in the Talent Development Category at the Asian Hospital Management Award in 2017.
Hong Kong Qualifications Framework
The IAAHS has collaborated with local universities and overseas renowned experts to conduct structured advanced specialty programmes (ASPs) to experienced Allied Health professionals since 2014. The ASPs have been accredited as level 6 programmes under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications are tabulated below:
| Programme Name | HK QF Level | QF Credits | Year of Award | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASP in Orthopaedics & Traumatology for Occupational Therapists | 6 | 18 | 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASP in Cardiopulmonary Service for Physiotherapists | 6 | 18 | 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASP in Medical and Geriatric Services for Occupational Therapists | 6 | 18 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASP in Neurological Services for Physiotherapists | 6 | 18 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASP in Mental Health Service for Occupational Therapists | 6 | 18 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASP in Musculoskeletal Specialty for Physiotherapists | 6 | 18 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASP in Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Diagnostic Radiographers | 6 | 18 | 2023 |
Credit Exemption
In 2023, the following two ASPs have also obtained additional recognition form the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Each ASP bears 5 PolyU credits and credit exemption would be considered for graduates of the Programme applying for relevant Master Programmes, subject to discretion and final approval of the Program Offering Department of the PolyU.
| Programme Name | HK QF Level | PolyU Credits | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASP in Mental Health Service for Occupational Therapists | 6 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASP in Musculoskeletal Specialty for Physiotherapists | 6 | 5 |
Contact Us
Room 109, 1/F, Block M, Kowloon Hospital,
147A Argyle Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Telephone : (852) 2300 7015 / 2300 6908
Facsimile : (852) 2300 8480
E-mail : iaahs@ha.org.hk
