In accordance with the new EU directive concerning website cookies and internet privacy, UKPHR has made available a cookies policy to outline the way that we use cookies to improve the user experience of our website.

Accept
 

UKPHR Practitioner Mentor

Public health practitioners are key members of the public health workforce and can have a great influence on the health and wellbeing of individuals, groups, communities, and populations. They work across the full breadth of public health from health improvement and health protection to health information, community development, and nutrition, in a wide range of settings from the NHS and local government to the voluntary, and private sectors.

There are 12 practitioner schemes in the UK and practitioners develop portfolios over a period of 12-18 months in a supported learning environment to meet the 34 UKPHR Practitioner Standards.

Demand for registration has increased with more employers and individuals recognising the benefit of UKPHR registration – however the regional schemes rely on Assessors and Verifiers to review practitioner portfolios, and mentors to support practitioners through the development of their portfolios.  

Embedding registration in a workforce requires support from all levels, and the assessor and verifier roles are an essential part of this. The Employer toolkit shows how this can be achieved.

UKPHR portfolio development is a challenging activity to undertake, especially alongside full-time employment. Therefore, mentors can offer practitioners support whilst compiling their portfolio. Mentors may provide feedback on specific commentaries, help the practitioner develop skills appropriate to compiling their portfolio or act as a sounding board for ideas of projects and work to be used as evidence in their portfolio. The amount of support offered, and time commitment for this role are dependent on the mentor and the practitioner and therefore this role is relatively flexible.

Benefits of becoming a mentor

  • Can contribute towards your own CPD if it constitutes new learning and contributes to your personal development
  • Develops a sound grasp of retrospective portfolio building which can help with your own future portfolio development  
  • Broadens learning and understanding of public health agendas, policies, roles, services, and interventions in other areas through the assessment and verification process and gives interesting insight into the varied workstreams of the practitioner workforce. 
  • Actively contributing to the development of public health careers of other professionals 

The Role

  • Facilitate the process of self-directed learning of the practitioner throughout the portfolio development process (this may include the points below)
  • Facilitate / give advice on self-assessment against the practitioner standards (how standards may be demonstrated, identifying relevant development opportunities for filling competency gaps)
  • Informally review evidence and draft commentaries providing advice and guidance through a dialogue with the mentee. This may include advising on competences / standards not claimed that could be claimed and strengthening those being claimed.

The Requirements

  • To have undertaken mentor training – provided by UKPHR
  • To be thoroughly conversant with the UKPHR Public Health Standards
  • To be willing and able to devote the necessary time and to give the role appropriate priority
  • To be able to provide appropriate references
Back to Top