Practice Experience Concerns (for students)

The Practice Learning Team takes your concerns seriously and will support you to address these professionally. Please follow the guidance below:

What do I do if I am concerned about practice I have witnessed or experienced?

A concern about patient-related care or conduct: We recognise it is not easy raising concerns about practice, but speaking up for the vulnerable individuals in our care is our professional responsibility. You may feel disloyal to the team or worried about how this might affect your relationships on placement, but raising concerns early can often stop a smaller problem escalating into a major concern.
A concern about behaviour or attitudes towards you: You may have concerns regarding your own experience in practice - for example bullying, harassment or inequality (including all protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010). These should also be reported, so that they can be addressed and you can receive appropriate support.

NMC guidance on Raising and Escalating Concerns can be found here: www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/NMC-Publications/NMC-Raising-and-escalating-concerns.pdf

For all concerns, the NMC recommends raising these first of all with the person concerned or line manager (this would be your Practice Assessor or Supervisor in the clinical area). However this may not always be possible and/or may not resolve the situation. If you feel uncomfortable speaking alone, please contact the Practice Learning Link Team - our team of Nurse Lecturers are dedicated to supporting you in practice.

A Flowchart - raising concerns in practice (PDF , 116kb) sets out the process in a visual form for you.

What if I have followed this guidance and feel my concerns were not resolved?

Please contact the Practice Learning Link (PLL) Team - our PLL Lecturers are dedicated to supporting you in practice. Outline your concerns as factually as possible.

Initially they may offer to facilitate a meeting with the placement manager, which could help to resolve any misunderstanding.

If the situation does not resolve and the matter needs to be escalated, you will be asked to document your concerns in writing.

What if I am asked by practice staff to write a statement?

You should not do this without university support. Please contact the Practice Learning Link Team - or your personal supervisor if you prefer. You will be supported to complete a statement, using the statement template (MS Word , 46kb), by a member of the Practice Learning Link Team - or your personal supervisor if you prefer.

The statement writing guide (PDF , 405kb) takes you through the process simply.

What if I am asked to attend a meeting?

If you are asked to attend a meeting, interview or investigation you should not do so unaccompanied. You must be supported by a member of the Practice Learning Team - or your Personal Supervisor if you prefer.

Can I write anonymously?

No, this is a formal account of events and you must own your statement. To ensure that your concerns are taken seriously and investigated fully, we would need to share these with the Director of Practice Learning, The Head of Nursing, Midwifery & Professional Programmes (as appropriate) and Practice Education Facilitators/senior members of the Trust/Practice organisation, who might need to contact you for further information. If you are unwilling to put your concerns in writing it is unlikely they will be able to take these concerns further.

What happens next?

The process following completion of your statement will depend upon the nature of the concern raised. Whether this is for safeguarding, workplace disciplinary or any other issue, you will be supported throughout by a member of our team.

Everyone involved appreciates the effort it takes for students to raise concerns. Please be assured any interviews will be as supportive as possible and only intended to clarify the facts.

We will retain a copy of your statement securely for the purpose of monitoring and reporting for quality assurance to professional and regulatory bodies (reports would be anonymised summaries). The practice body dealing with the issue will retain a copy for the investigation record (if required).

Should you be asked to attend an interview you will be given a copy of your statement in advance; however, it is recommended you return this to us for shredding afterwards to avoid inadvertent disclosure of sensitive information.

If you are a member of staff raising concerns, please visit the practice staff raising concerns webpage.