Minimum standards of accommodation for clinical placements
for students undertaking a medicine degree in NI
Medical students who work long hours at a location situated a substantial distance from the University should
be provided with accommodation provided by the Health and Social Care Trust responsible for the clinical
placement. This accommodation is supplied as part of the service level agreements drawn up between the
relevant Health and Social Care Trusts, Queens University Belfast and the DHSSPSNI. The type of
accommodation can vary depending on the Trust and type of placement (in primary or secondary care).
Accommodation provided must be of a standard that ensures students are able to study, carry out domestic
duties and rest adequately at the end of every working day.
The purpose of this guidance is to recommend minimum standards of accommodation at minimal cost and
inconvenience to medical students and Health and Social Care Trusts, as possible.
Principles:
General
- Wherever possible, students should be provided with the option to share accommodation with other
students, especially in rural placements. Options to share accommodation should take into account the
cultural sensitivities of the student cohort. Sharing student accommodation between neighbouring GP
practices should be encouraged.
- All accommodation and facilities must be in good working and decorative order and condition.
- All furniture, fixtures, fittings and equipment must be in good condition and repair,
- All appropriate fire, smoke, carbon monoxide precautions must be installed according to the relevant fire
regulations.
- There should be a requirement within any service level agreement that accommodation provided by Trusts
should be regularly monitored to ensure it and its contents are in good condition.
- Reasonable adjustments must be made to ensure that placement accommodation and facilities are
accessible to disabled students.
- Medical students have a responsibility to ensure that they keep accommodation clean and do not cause
damage to facilities (fabric, furnishings or equipment).
Security and Safety
- Students should be placed in accommodation with appropriate security measures (for example, appropriate
and functional locks on external and bedroom doors and windows should be available).
- Locks should be provided to the entrance to student rooms so that they can be locked from either side of
the door.
- The pathways and entrances should be well lit.
- Students should be placed in accommodation whereby travel to/from placement and other required
journeys (to shops etc.) is as safe as practicably possible (appropriate street lighting, footpaths etc.).
- Students should have 24 hour access to their accommodation, where appropriate.
Where students stay
- Students should be placed in accommodation as close to their placement base as possible, with access to
public transport services
The following is a list of venues not considered
appropriate
The following is a prioritised list of venues for
accommodation
Hospital accommodation whenever possible and when
appropriate for the placement
Residence of a patient whom they might
observe/investigate in the placement setting
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Private, approved rented accommodation (whether
shared or individual) when placement is at a distance
from hospitals (e.g. community/GP placements)
Residence of any individual involved in the education
or assessment of the student
B&Bs/Hotels
The Minimum Standards:
Hospital accommodation / Private rented accommodation
BEDROOM (per person)
 Adequate light and sound proofing, ventilation, heating and security
 A bed (3 ft minimum), clean mattress, desk, chair, wardrobe, drawers, bookcase
 Suitable floor covering
 Lined curtains or blinds
 A safe walk; under 30 mins, to relevant wards and departments
 Mobile phone reception
 There should also be a minimum of two power points; a telephone connected using a standard BT or
cable socket to the internal hospital telephone system; access to the facility for making external calls
at no higher than relevant BT rates
 Ability to regulate the temperature in individual rooms
 Waste bin
 Cleaning services once a week or suitable cleaning equipment to allow students to clean their own
bedroom areas
 Smoke alarm in the room
 Weekly linen change and at least twice weekly towel change
LIVING ROOM & DINING AREA
 No more than four people sharing
 Table with at least one chair per occupant
 Each living room should contain at least four power points, telephone connection and TV aerial
connection
 Sofas for relaxation for all occupants
 Waste bin
 Cleaning services once a week
KITCHEN
 No more than four people sharing
 Cooker (4 rings and an oven)
 Microwave
 Fridge-freezer
 Kettle, toaster, steam iron, ironing board
 Cooking, eating and drinking utensils
 Lockable cupboards
 Bins for waste disposal
 Table and chairs for eating, where space allows.
 Heat activated alarm
 Satisfactory facilities for the preparation and cooking of food including a sink with hot and cold water.
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BATHROOM + W.C
 The ratio of residents to toilets should be no greater than 2:1.
 Toilet paper in a dispenser
 Bath/shower, with hot and cold water.
OTHER FACILITIES
 Where possible, car parking at the accommodation should be secure and free if the student is
required to make use of a vehicle in order to attend placement. Please check details on each Trust
website for more information.
 Facilities on site or within walking distance for laundry.
 Broadband, WI-FI or other internet provision should be free, available 24 hours and be of sufficient
bandwidth. If the internet provision is unreliable (for example in rural, isolated areas), the student
should be provided with a ‘dongle’ for use during the placement.
 IT access that allows students to access all relevant course related learning materials, appropriate
external learning sources and other sources necessary for learning and supportive social contact.
 A secure communal cycle store where appropriate
 Access to a canteen which can cater for specific dietary requirements (for example vegetarian options
and options to cater for specific religious requirements (hospital accommodation only)
 Accommodation should provide students with appropriate access to healthy catering facilities that
would not incur an ‘above standard’* charge, either in the form of facilities within the building or
access to local shops/restaurants (private rented accommodation only)
* ‘Above standard’ is taken to mean whereby a student would pay more for catering than the weekly amount
calculated for university standard accommodation (in 2015/16 this is £69/week sharing a twin room)
Reporting a problem


Any problems with accommodation or with the equipment provided within it should be reported to
the nominated Accommodation Officer and/or nominated contact in the Trust Health Estates
Department, according to local protocol.
Where serious faults occur (eg blocked toilet, no hot water or heating etc), all efforts should be made
to rectify these within 24 hours. Apart from serious faults, only in circumstances where there is
danger or damage to the fabric of the building such as flooding or gas leaks will repair/maintenance
staff or contractors be called to the site out of working hours.
Further information
Living and working conditions for hospital doctors in training (DHSSPSNI circular HSS(TC8) 1/2002)1
HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION REGULATIONS (HIMOR); OTHER RELEVANT REGULATIONS; AND NHS
ESTATES GUIDANCE/GOOD PRACTICE. Housing (Northern Ireland) Orders 1981 and 1992, Housing
(Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 2
1
This guidance is the result of detailed national negotiations and discussion locally with junior doctors’ representatives,
the NI Housing Executive and Health Estates staff. It sets out standards for accommodation and catering. It also sets out
the steps to be taken where these standards are not met and includes case studies and examples of good practice.
2
Under Article 80 of The Housing (NI) Order 1992, the Housing Executive may serve a notice requiring the execution of
works to make houses in multiple occupation (HMO) fit for the number of occupants. Also landlords have a duty to ensure
that the premises are properly managed. There are two fitness standards which apply to HMO: fitness for human
habitation (see Article 46 of the Housing (NI) Order 1981 (as amended by the Housing (NI) Order 1992), and fitness for the
number of occupants (see Article 80 of the Housing (NI) Order 1992).
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