Evaluating the co-production of specialist online education: A comparative case study of interventional radiology and cardiac catheter laboratory practice.

Introduction: Accredited continuing professional development opportunities for healthcare professionals working in Interventional Radiology and Cardiac Catheter Laboratory settings are limited. To address this gap, a Higher Education Institution, in partnership with clinical stakeholders, co-developed bespoke online distance-learning modules for nurses, radiographers, and cardiac physiologists. This study explores the development, implementation, and perceived value of these modules.

Methods: A comparative case study explored the development, delivery, and early outcomes of two co-produced online continuing professional development modules. Delivered over twelve weeks, each module comprised six multidisciplinary learning blocks with a shared curriculum for nurses, radiographers, and cardiac physiologists. Participants included ten clinical, managerial, and educational stakeholders and twenty post-registration healthcare professionals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and document analysis. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis, with triangulation enhancing credibility.

Results: Findings from interviews, questionnaires, and document analysis were consistent, showing that both modules supported interprofessional learning, specialist knowledge development, and workforce flexibility. Co-production between the Higher Education Institution and clinical stakeholders enhanced curriculum authenticity by aligning learning with real-world service needs. Clinician-led delivery increased credibility and subject expertise but presented sustainability and succession planning challenges.

Conclusion: Co-production between Higher Education Institutions and clinical stakeholders can meaningfully support workforce development at local, national, and international levels. However, within a market-driven higher education context, such initiatives represent high-risk investments and require strategic planning to ensure long-term sustainability.

Implications for practice: Partnerships between Higher Education Institutions and clinical stakeholders can strengthen specialist workforce development through relevant accredited continuing professional development. Sustaining provision requires succession planning, educator capacity, and long-term investment to reduce reliance on individual clinical champions and maintain workforce flexibility.