Improvement in the Short-Term Effectiveness of the Clinical Supervision of Physiotherapists Who Have Taken Part in a Clinical Supervision Training Programme

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate change in the effectiveness of clinical supervision of physiotherapists who took part in a clinical supervision training programme. Method: Our pre-post study design used both quantitative and qualitative methods. The programme consisted of three interactive sessions held with physiotherapists from a metropolitan public health network in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The effectiveness of clinical supervision of supervisees was measured using the Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCSS-26). The effectiveness of clinical supervision from the supervisors' perspective was measured using a clinical supervisor questionnaire. The physiotherapists' experience of participating in the training programme was then explored in focus groups. Results: A total of 36 physiotherapists participated in the training programme. Twelve weeks later, the physiotherapists (35) reported a moderate improvement in the effectiveness of clinical supervision, with a mean improvement of 5.4 units (95% CI: 2.0, 8.9; p =  0.003) on the MCSS-26 (score range 0-104). After training, a higher proportion of physiotherapists reported receiving effective clinical supervision (97% after vs. 53% before; p =  0.001). In the focus groups, the physiotherapists reported greater flexibility in their approach to clinical supervision and a more effective supervisory relationship. However, difficulty finding time for supervision remained a barrier. Conclusions: Physiotherapists reported an improvement in the effectiveness of clinical supervision after a clinical supervision training programme.