Fitness to practise and study

Being fit to practise requires you 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. 

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks 

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

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. You will be required to make a further declaration at the start of Stage 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.