Step-by-step process of setting up a new placement provider

Step 1	After you have expressed an interest in providing student placements, a member of the Practice Learning team will contact you to arrange an initial meeting to discuss the learning opportunities available for different types of learners, training and placement process.
Step 2	Next, our Placements Quality team will send you the placement agreement to sign and request evidence of relevant contractual insurances. Once these have been submitted to the Placements Quality team, a member of the Practice Learning team will contact you to arrange a visit.
Step 3	In order to assure that the placement is a positive, effective learning environment, we use the NHSE Practice Learning Environment Assurance Toolkit (PLEAT). Practice approval is achieved by meeting with the team to discuss the suitability of the learning environment in detail. The Practice approval process may identify actions to be taken prior to placements starting, and we will support you with these actions. A profile of the placement is developed for students to learn about your service and team prior to commencing a placement with you.
Step 4	The set up of the placement tariff will be completed, which allows your organisation to receive the tariff payment.
Step 5	A named person will be allocated to your service to provide ongoing support.
Step 6	You will then be allocated your first student/s.

Resources to support new placements

Placement Profile Template

This is a placement profile of your service and provides students with information about the service philosophy, speciality, who to contact, usual working day and about the learning opportunities available. Students will access the profile before they contact you and it helps prepare them for their placement learning experience.

Student Welcome/Orientation Pack Example

The student welcome pack aims to help students settle into their placement, provides relevant information about the service and staff.

Student Evaluation Form

The University collates feedback from students about their practice learning experiences this is monitored and shared with placement providers. You may like to develop your own student evaluation form which will help you monitor, improve and further develop the placement learning experience. You can find an example student placement feedback form here.

Student Education Board

Some practice areas have student education boards on display which provide relevant information for students while on placement. The information may include learning opportunities, training sessions, examples of student feedback, regulatory information about roles and responsibilities and relevant posters.

Practice Learning Environment Assurance

The practice learning environment assurance (PLEAT) is to review, monitor and enhance the quality of the practice learning environment, in line with professional body regulations.

The PLEAT ensures that there is a process evident for student learning, supervision and assessment, and that areas are adhering to professional body standards. It is also an opportunity to identify any learning or support needs required which academic staff could help with. A PLEAT is also an opportunity to give recognition to the staff working in areas of excellence.

The PLEAT is undertaken every 3 years, unless there is a significant change in the learning environment and PLEATs can be shared between universities. The academic from CCCU will complete the PLEAT with a placement representative (manager, matron, or educational/student lead). Students on placements are encouraged to be included.

For further information, please visit the below links:

Here you will find information about the safe learning environment charter designed for those responsible for supporting placement learning.

Placement feedback

CCCU wants to hear and learn from students’ experiences of their practice placement. It is important for us and our practice partners to hear and learn from student feedback, which is regularly gathered through direct conversations and evaluation forms. This feedback is monitored and shared with the relevant practice areas.