Differences were found between the perceptions of occupational therapy students and clinical supervisors in response to four topics: preparation from the university for their placements; consistency across placement sites; instances of supervisors seeking feedback from students; and the burden associated with the placement-related workload for clinicians. Differences were found between the perceptions of occupational therapy students and clinical supervisors in response to four topics DISCUSSION: Different perceptions around preparation from universities and consistency across placement sites relate to the existing roles of each group: students are more aware of university preparation and clinical supervisors are more aware of organisational inconsistencies in their respective usual work environments. The discrepancy in the perceived seeking of feedback from students has also been reported in student debriefing sessions. The burdens perceived by clinical supervisors appear to be influenced by a belief that clinical education is an additional duty rather than a core role.

General community occupational therapists (OTs) work with clients experiencing chronic and complex conditions, some living with one or more comorbid common mental health issues (such as anxiety, depression or distress). This study aimed to describe the perspectives of general community OTs of their engagement with clients experiencing mental health issues; their perceptions of the implementation of routine screening in their practice, and the knowledge, skills and support they need to identify and support their clients' mental health needs. Six focus groups were undertaken with general community OTs (n = 21) from three Australian health services in rural, regional and metropolitan settings, between December 2020 and January 2021. Data were analysed using a team-based framework approach. Three key themes were identified: (1) OTs' experiences working with people with mental health issues; (2) impacts of engaging with clients experiencing mental health issues on OTs; and (3) implementing routine mental health screening in general community OT practice. The latter had two sub-themes: (i) identified considerations and (ii) education and system-level support needs. General community OTs frequently work with clients with mental health issues. These experiences impact their practice in multiple ways. This study highlights opportunities for integrating routine mental health screening into general community OT practice and identifies the system and educational development required to support this enhancement to practice. Supporting general community OTs to routinely screen for mental health issues will enhance collaborative client-centred care. Our findings may also have implications for other community-based health professionals and services, particularly those delivered in clients' homes.

It has been suggested that to provide occupational therapy students with the best opportunities to learn while on a placement, it is important that they enter a supportive and welcoming environment that fosters quality learning experiences. To achieve a quality practice education experience, the occupational therapy team at Barwon Health developed and implemented the Barwon Health Occupational Therapy Enhanced Practice Education Approach (BHOTEPEA). The aim of this research was to ascertain occupational therapy students' perceptions of the impact of the implementation of three core components of the BHOTEPEA: the student orientation process, facilitated practicums and reflective practice sessions. The method utilised by this study was an on-line survey to collect quantitative and qualitative data from occupational therapy students who had undertaken placements at Barwon Health between December 2014 and December 2015. Thirty-six out of 125 occupational therapy students responded to the survey (response rate of 29.8%). Students indicated that the approach assisted them to feel welcomed and prepared for placement, develop their practice skills and abilities, and develop their reflective practice skills. In conclusion, it appears that the BHOTEPEA supports the key elements of a quality practice education experience for occupational therapy students identified in the literature, including a welcoming learning environment, detailed orientation, clear expectations and a graded program of learning experiences. The findings from this research suggest other placement sites may be able to enhance the quality of their student placement experiences by adopting the three core components of the BHOTEPEA.