Student Support & Information
Services
Student Wellbeing Service
Policies, Procedures & Protocols
Document control
Title
Version
Supporting procedure
Target Audience
Team & reviewer
Date of Impact
assessment
Review date
Occupational health Policy
2011
1) Occupational Health Procedure
2) Administration of Vaccines
3) Anaphylaxis
Students
Wellbeing Service
June 2011
June 2012
www.derby.ac.uk
S
S
I
S
INTRODUCTION
In March 2007, England's Department of Health published definitive guidance
on health clearance for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, MMR, chickenpox, hepatitis
C and HIV for new health care workers. This guidance recommends that all
new health care workers have checks for tuberculosis disease and immunity.
They are offered MMR, Varicella and Hepatitis B immunisations, postimmunisation blood tests and screening for hepatitis C and HIV risk and this is
termed ‘standard’ health clearance.
For the purposes of this guidance, a new healthcare worker is defined as an
individual who has direct clinical contact with NHS patients, whether as an
employee of a trust or with the trust’s agreement and this includes students
who have clinical placement.
Health screening is carried out for the University of Derby students enrolled
on programmes within the faculty of Education Health and Sciences
MSC Occupational Therapy
BSc H Diagnostic Radiography
MA Art Therapy
BSc H Occupational Therapy
BSc H Nursing Adult & Mental Health
MA Dramatherapy
:
The Screening involves
a) Students completing a health questionnaire that will
 Identify mental health, health and mobility issues
 Identify areas that may affect a student’s ability to participate in
their programme.
 Identify Blood Borne Viruses
 Identify MRI safety risks
b) Students consenting to the screening process.
c) Medical assessments for fitness for clinical placement issues
d) Occupational health immunisation programme that
 Identifies screening requirements
 Provides a programme of immunisations and testing
The Health Team
Signature
_________________
Medical officer Dr John Spincer
_________________
Nurse Caroline Hunter
Date:
Review:
June 2011
June 2012
__________________
Nurse Senior Mary Reay
__________________
Nurse Rachael Pincombe
Policy Statement
The specialist field of occupational health provided by the Student Health
Team covers:

The health and welfare of student’s who have clinical placements

The effect of clinical placements on the health of the student

Providing protection through immunisation and blood screening for
students and their clients/patients
This service is to provide a professional, effective and efficient resource to
students on professional health programmes that are registered with the
Health Professions Council.
The student health team will develop, implement, monitor and deliver
occupational health to the faculty of Education Health and Science.
It is not a replacement or substitute for the services provided by General
Practitioners or other specialists. The health team takes an impartial view
and remains objective in the advice given to students.
The Scope and Duties of the Student Health Team
The main duties within this specialist field are: Setting, implementing and reviewing service policies and procedures that
are evidence base and best practice.
Provide health assessments related to fitness to practice for students on
professional health programmes Appendix1
Provide a vaccination programme and blood screening service relevant to
clinical placement Appendix2
Provide a referral system relevant to clinical placement Appendix3
Provide counselling for students who have concerns regarding their blood
status.
Maintaining medical records
Provide advice and guidance.
Confidentiality
The Student Health team works within strict guidelines relating to ethics
and confidentiality laid down by their professional bodies.
The student Health Team we will not share information with other university
departments or students programme without the consent of the individual
concerned.
The Wellbeing Service may share information to ensure consistency of
support where support plans are put in place for students with clinical
placements. We will always seek a student’s permission before sharing any
information in this way. However, where permission cannot be gained limited
factual information may still be shared where it is clearly in the best interest of
the student.
The student health team will inform Programme Leaders, Clinical Placement
Facilitators or Occupational Health Department at the student’s placement
that the student is fit/unfit for practice Appendix1 and has received the
required vaccinations for this placement Appendix2 Where there are concerns
about a students fitness to practice we will always seek a student’s
permission before sharing any information however, where permission cannot
be gained, we may choose to share information to fulfil our responsibilities on
protecting patients/public..
The Student Health Team will only share information with external services
with the student’s expressed permission or in exceptional circumstances
where:


The student poses a serious and imminent risk to themselves or others
There is a risk to a person who is under the age of 18 or a vulnerable
adult
 The student discloses information relating to a possible act of terrorism
or drug trafficking
In these cases, where possible, the student health team will first discuss their
concern with the student before making any disclosure outside the service.
Any disclosure of confidential information will be restricted to relevant
information and conveyed only to appropriate people for appropriate reasons,
which are likely to alleviate the exceptional circumstances.
Record Keeping and Expressing Concerns
Student data including health questionnaires, letters, referral forms and
immunisation records are held electronically and can only be accessed by the
health team. Access is through the University Network, and staff are provided
with discrete access when they become members of the team. Any hard
copies that can not be kept electronically are stored in a locked filing cabinet
and the keys are held in a secure area. This storage will be subject to annual
internal audit. Immunisation records will be kept for 10 years and the student’s
health questionnaire and any subsequent information will be kept for 8 years.
All records are maintained securely before destroying under confidential
conditions. Information held on any students who fail to enrol on a programme
will be deleted from the electronic file.
Graduates or current students wishing to access their records or make an
expression of concern should initially contact the department and complete
an access request form, if the concern has not been resolved to the
student’s satisfaction there is a university complaints procedure.
Students Responsibility
Students have a responsibility to complete the health questionnaire fully
and professionally and to inform the student health team of any changes to
their health from the initial completion of the health questionnaire to
completing their programme.
Students have a responsibility to provide the student health team with
medical evidence of previous immunisations and blood tests relevant to
their programme Appendix2 and to attend all health screening sessions.
Students declaring previous history to blood borne viruses or latex allergy
are required to provide medical evidence confirming the diagnosis or
consent to retesting and referral to relevant medical departments.
Students have a personal responsibility towards health and safety provision
while on clinical placement. Student should familiarise themselves with
local policy before their placement starts and follow the policy in the event
of an incident. This includes contact with body fluids, inoculation accidents
or used needles, informing the student health team after initial action has
taken place.
Health & Safety Provision for Students while on
Clinical Placement
When a student is away from the University of Derby on clinical placement
they can expect to be treated the same as employees at the placement with
regards to their health, safety and welfare. During this period the student is
under the control of the placement provider who has a statutory duty of
care towards the student. The placement provider will have systems in
place to record and investigate accidents and incidents.
Appendix 1: Health Assessment for Fitness to Practice on Placement
The student health team will send an online health questionnaire to
students enrolling on professional programmes registered with the Health
Professionals
Council.
The
email
will
come
from
healthscreening@derby.ac.uk containing the link to the web-based health
questionnaire. This link contains all the information a student needs with
regard to their health clearance and provision of their immunisation history.
Students are required to complete the questionnaire fully and professionally
giving supplementary information as requested. Students submit the
completed questionnaires online and receive an automated receipt.
Standardise check for reviewing questionnaires
All health information provided is read and considered
Any students with blood borne viruses (BBV) risks are identified
Any students with possible tuberculosis (TB) symptoms are identified
Those students with significant health history are seen by the medical officer
when they start their programme or earlier on request if appropriate.
Consultation with medical officer
Those students with a significant history will be seen by the medical officer
who will assess the student’s fitness for practice. Where with medical officer
requires further information before making this decision the student will be
asked to consent to this information being requested from their GP of Hospital
Consultant Appendix3 A further appointment will be arranged for 4 weeks to
coincide with the next vaccination session.
All students will be assessed for their fitness to practice on placements any
student that is unfit for placement will not be allowed to progress. Where a
student is given time to reflect on their options an appointment will be set
for 4 wks.
Appendix 2: Vaccination Programme and Blood Screening
Students undertaking health professional programmes will be informed of
the necessary vaccinations and blood tests for their clinical placement as
recommended by the Department of Health
Vaccinations and blood tests required are:
Hepatitis B primary course of vaccinations and blood test
MMR x 2 (Mumps, Measles & Rubella)
TB screening, BCG vaccination or a positive Mantoux skin test within the
last 5 years
Chickenpox screening, Varicella blood test or personal history of
Chickenpox infection or household contact with someone with Chickenpox
Previous Immunisation records
Students have a responsibility to provide the student health team with
medical evidence of previous immunisations from there GP and other
health specialists where they have received vaccinations. Occupational
Health Department (if they have worked for the NHS or agencies) or School
Health for BCG records, providing the student health team with a computer
print out or paper copy for:
Hepatitis B - vaccinations and blood test
MMR (Mumps, Measles & Rubella)
Chickenpox – history of infection or blood test
BCG (TB screening)
The health team will provide all vaccinations and blood tests relevant to the
individual's training programme to students who have not provided medical
evidence of previous history by the start of the students programme.
Appendix 3; Referrals to Student Health Team
Referrals by Programme Leaders or lecturing Staff
The student health team request all referrals are made by programme
leaders or lecturing staff via the student health referral form providing up to
date detailed information regarding the concerns. Referrals should be made
where there are concerns raised about a student’s fitness to practice on
placement. Where a student’s health may impact on their clinical placement
or clinical placement may have an impact on a student’s health.
On receiving a referral the student health team will send a confirmation
email within 1-2 working days. The health team will aim to arrange an
appointment for the student with the medical officer within one working
week during term time. The medical officer will assess the students’ fitness
for clinical placement and record the findings on the student’s occupational
health records. Where a student is given time to reflect on their options an
appointment will be set for 4 wks. Following this appointment the health
team will notify the referring member of staff of the outcome.
Where the medical officer requires further information the student will be
asked to consent to this information being requested from their GP or Hospital
Consultant. A further appointment will be arranged within 3 weeks or
extended if still waiting for medical evidence, the students will be kept
informed.
Students referring themselves
Students concerned that their clinical placement may be affecting their
health or their health is affecting their clinical placement can self refer to the
student health team by email, telephone or in person and they will be given
an appointment at the first available opportunity within one working week
during term time.
Ref:
The Department of Health - Immunisation against infectious disease - 'The
Green Book’ 1996 edition
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/Publications
PolicyAndGuidance/DH_113027
Health Clearance for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV: New
healthcare workers – DH 2007 http://www.dh.dov.uk/en/index.htm
June 2011