Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

Abstract

For some time, and in response to the expressed needs of its members, the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT) has offered a programme of post qualification education based on validated courses in Hand Therapy. Successful course attendants are awarded a certificate for each course, together with the appropriate number of BAHT credit points which contribute to the qualification of Accredited Hand Therapist (BAHT). However, many of our leading hand therapists, through years of dedicated service to the management and care of people with disorders of the hand, have already achieved the learning objectives of these courses. The numbers of such highly skilled and experienced therapists is increasing within the UK. It is not appropriate that attendance at BAHT courses should be their sole means of gaining recognition for their undoubted expertise. BAHT is extended its post qualification education programme in order to recognise these highly experienced therapists. It has taken a considerable amount of preparation but a reliable and consistent system for evaluating the expertise of hand therapists has now been developed. The system is known as the BAHT accreditation of prior learning (BAHT APL).