The increase in long-term conditions and healthcare costs in Europe requires a strategic approach, prioritizing the establishment of Community-Based Interprofessional Teams (CBIT). Health and social care professionals (HSCP) in community primary care and CBIT require specific transversal skills and competencies (S&C). This rapid review synthesized the essential transversal S&C across European countries and identified corresponding curricula learning objectives. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was adopted to assess quality evidence. Identified S&C were clustered following the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications, and Occupations (ESCO) Framework, which clusters transversal S&C into six groups: Social and Communication, Self-Management, Thinking, Life, Core, and Physical & Manual S&C. Eight qualitative studies met our coherence eligibility criteria. 

Among ESCO clusters, Social and Communication S&C was emphasized as crucial, encompassing effective communication, team support, collaboration, leadership, and adherence to ethical codes. Self-management S&C highlighted efficient work and a learning-oriented mind-set, while Thinking S&C emphasized information processing, holistic thinking, and planning. Life S&C focused emphasized health-related applications, and Core S&C highlighted digital proficiency. No skills from the Physical and Manual S&C cluster were reported. To classify these S&C in learning objectives, Bloom’s Taxonomy was adopted. Most learning objectives fell under “Procedural Knowledge,” emphasizing understanding “How to do something.” Future studies should explore the benefits of transversal S&C to enhance work in community primary care and CBIT practices.

Read the full study: "The transversal skills and competencies of health and social care professionals in community-based interprofessional teams: a rapid review"

This article contributes to the broader collection of external ESCO publications, showcasing the use of ESCO within various methodologies or its presentation in both European and International contexts. As ESCO becomes increasingly used in applications and research projects across Europe and beyond, it is valuable to collect such sources and share best practices by diverse stakeholders. Therefore, this collection of external publications strengthens the exchange of knowledge within the ESCO community and can contribute to mutual learning in the field of skills, occupations and qualifications among European and international actors. If you are interested in sharing your publication, please write to [email protected]