Fitness to practice and study

Being fit to practise requires you as a Nursing Associate to have the skills, knowledge, character and health to practise your profession safely and effectively. As you are a student on a programme leading to registration with a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB), you are expected to demonstrate that you will be able to meet the standards expected by your profession.

Developing your skills, knowledge and professional values for safe and effective practice are part of your overall programme of education. You receive feedback and are regularly assessed on these aspects of your Fitness to Practise, both in theory and during your practice experiences. However, your Fitness to Practise is not just about your skills and knowledge.

Fitness to Practise also includes issues relating to your health, conduct and character. This involves anything that you do in your professional or personal life that may impact upon the public – particularly their safety or the trust and confidence that they place in the health professions. Your own health and wellbeing are another important part of your Fitness to Practise. Therefore, the Fitness to Practise Committee have a remit to support you to maintain sufficient health and wellbeing to practise safely and effectively, and to address any issues of concern in relation to your health, conduct and character.

For full policy details and procedures visit the Fitness to Practise Committee website.

The Fitness to Practise Committee may also be involved in any instances of the University’s Support to Study/ Attend Policy being initiated for a Department of Health Sciences student. 

Tripartite reviews

Tripartite reviews will be conducted every 12 weeks as per ESFA guidelines. The purpose of tripartite reviews is to monitor and review clear goals that have been set by yourself, your practice assessor and your academic assessor (see section on Assessment Supervision for Practice Modules). It is extremely important for you and your practice assessor to diarise these tripartite reviews in advance and plan for them. Any issues regarding availability for those scheduled tripartite review dates must be raised immediately with the tripartite review coordinator. If your practice assessor is unavailable then an alternative cover arrangement must be made to comply with the 12-week rule. You must set clear goals for your tripartite in advance of the meeting in Section A or Part B of your e-portfolio. All tripartite documentation meeting notes must be recorded in Part B of your e-portfolio. Your supervisor must also complete section C or Part B of the e-portfolio.

If your Practice Assessor or Practice Supervisor has concerns regarding your conduct, competence or achievement they will in the first instance meet with you to discuss this. An additional tripartite review meeting can then be arranged which will also involve your Academic Assessor, your Practice Assessor, and if necessary the Practice Placement Facilitator (PPF) or Practice Education Facilitators (PEF). The PPF and PEFs will be your nominated person within your organisation to address concerns raised. It may be decided at that point than an action plan is required with clear timescales for improvement given. This will then be documented within your e-OAR and signed by all parties. It may be necessary for your personal supervisor to make a referral to the Fitness to Practise Committee.

A flow chart is provided within the NAPAD which details this process. 

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

As a learner and employee on an apprenticeship route or a student on a direct entry route you will be required to have a current, enhanced DBS disclosure check.

Apprenticeship routes

The Department will arrange for you to have an enhanced DBS check on application if your employer DBS is older than 3 months.

You will also be required by your employer and the Department of Health Sciences to make an online declaration of your Good Health and Good Character as part of the admissions process, consistent with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Guidance. An online occupational health screening questionnaire will be undertaken and OH assessment may need to be undertaken if you have declared a disability or health condition at the application stage. For further information visit the Fitness to Practise Committee website. You will be required to make a further declaration at the start of Year 2. Information will be shared between your employer and the Department of Health Sciences.

Any positive disclosures or changes to your DBS status must be reported to the Head of Student & Academic Services (Department of Health Sciences) in the first instance. Following this disclosure, the Head of Student & Academic Services (Department of Health Sciences) may liaise with the learner's employer (where necessary) and will copy in the Departmental Fitness to Practise committee. This may affect your place on the programme.

Direct entry routes

As part of the admission process you will be required to make a declaration of good health and good character. An online occupational health screening questionnaire will be undertaken and OH assessment may need to be undertaken if you have declared a disability or health condition at the application stage. For further information visit the Fitness to Practise Committee website. You will also be required to make a further declaration at the start of Year 2.

You will also be required to have a DBS enhanced disclosure check during your application process to the University.

Any positive disclosures or changes to your DBS status must be reported the Head of Student and Academic Services who will refer this to the Fitness to Practise committee. This may affect your place on the programme.