Practice Learning Experiences

All of our Health and Social Care courses leading to professional registration require practice learning experiences (placements). Most placements are in organisations providing care and support in local communities, hospitals, and social care settings. Practice learning experiences start in the first year of your course (or the second year of study for those undertaking a Foundation Year). It is part of preparing you for the world of work and supporting you to succeed in your chosen profession.

Preparing you for placements

Our priority is to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our students and the public during placements.

Before you attend placement, the University will help you to understand your personal health risk profile. We do this using a risk assessment of your fitness to go on placement. Where necessary, this includes an Occupational Health Assessment. It may mean identifying precautionary actions before we can allow you to undertake the placement. It is because your health and wellbeing, and those in the placement setting, are vital to us.

As a health and social care student, our preparation also includes ensuring your safety and that of patients/ clients through a standard immunisation schedule against infectious diseases, in line with HM Government Green Book (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book). The preparation varies according to your course of study and is updated according to government legislation changes. These changes may require additional immunisations before you being able to access placement opportunities at any time during your course.

The University and placement providers will continue to follow government health and safety advice. As a student, you must comply with all local risk management requirements to minimise risks while at the University and on placement.

Students with high-level risk profiles

Some students may have, or develop, personal or health circumstances that place them at increased risk within placement settings that cannot be managed. This level of risk may prevent a student from completing their chosen course. If this happens, we will discuss your study options with you. Such options include:

An interruption until the circumstance changes and the risk is reduced
An interruption until additional health measures become available to reduce the risk.
Transfer to an alternative course where we can manage the personal level of risk, which may not lead to professional recognition.

The continuing impact of Covid-19

You will be aware the Covid-19 pandemic has affected all health and social care services. We will continue to manage the continuing Covid-19 risks using the risk assessments we have described. We follow government and professional guidelines, which will change as the risks alter over time.

The University reserves the right to cease placements for students where risks are increased and cannot be reasonably managed. This action will take account of placement organisations’ requests and guidance from the government or Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Bodies (PSRB). If this happens, we will make all reasonable efforts to enable you to complete your course within the expected time frame. It may require changes to the curriculum design and placement schedules. We will only take such action as a last resort. We will explain why we need to take this action and its effect on your study.

The impact of Covid-19 means all universities and placement providers have been innovative in developing new approaches to placements. It includes ‘virtual placement opportunities’ and ‘simulated placement opportunities’. These will continue to feature in our placement planning in line with PSRB requirements.

What do I need to do next?

Applicants do not need to do anything in response to this communication. It is simply to keep you informed about the current situation. However, additional information from Health Education England for applicants is available here: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/news-blogs-events/news/students-encouraged-have-both-covid-jabs-summer

Return to Practice.