Supporting learner well-being

Promoting well-being is now acknowledged as an issue that requires dedicated resources and effective strategy. This chapter explains why the well-being of learners is a priority for all education providers; many examples refer to medical schools and their students but the information is relevant to the well-being of all allied health learners. It outlines a range of approaches and strategies to be considered when developing a robust system of learner support that will promote a healthy and sustainable workforce to care for future patients. The chapter highlights some specific examples of ways in which universities and medical schools around the world have developed and implemented interventions to improve learner support. It also overviews of the importance of learner well-being in the education of future health professionals; the focus has been on the literature for medical students with the principles being applicable to all allied health learners from undergraduate to postgraduate.