What is Long Arm Supervision (LAS)?

Long arm supervision happens where supervision is provided by an experienced Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered practice educator who is not based at the same location as the student or students.

• The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered practice educator oversees a Practice Based Learning (PrBL) placement but is based in a different location, for either all or part of the time. The placement may be within a healthcare, education, local authority, voluntary sector, or other setting.
• The HCPC registered practice educator remains responsible for the student’s learning and development throughout.
• Day-to-day mentorship is provided by designated staff within the host organisation, typically based in the area where the student is placed. If the placement includes a project component, day-to-day support may be offered by the practice educator or another member of the project team. In cases where the student is split across multiple sites, the host organisation may vary accordingly.
• All involved in the placement—including the practice educator, mentor, and service users/carers—contribute feedback for the student’s mid-point and final assessments. It is the HCPC-registered practice educator who leads the assessment process and is responsible for completing the assessment documentation.