Procedure for Supporting Disabled students on Practice
Placement
1) A student’s disability is considered by the Practice Placement
Team when allocating practice placements in order to allow for
effective pre-placement planning/allocation of an appropriate
placement.
2) Following the allocation of practice placements, personal tutors
should arrange to meet with their students to discuss their
Personal Learning Plans (PLP) in relation to practice
placements. A copy of the pre-placement proforma and
guidelines should be emailed to the student prior to this
meeting so that they are able to consider their potential needs
in advance. A copy of the definitive procedure should also be
sent to inform the students of the processes in place and also
to highlight their responsibilities within this procedure.
3) The pre-placement proforma should be completed at this
meeting and then saved to the shared drive (with agreement
from the student) to sit alongside their individual PLP. The
importance/implications of disclosure should be discussed at
this meeting and the outcome of this discussion should be
documented within the relevant paperwork. A hard copy of the
pre-placement proforma (signed by both the student and the
personal tutor) should be kept in their personal tutee file.
4) The personal tutor and the student should then agree who is to
instigate any agreed actions arising from their meeting including
any arrangements for a pre-placement meeting if appropriate.
Normally the expectation would be for the student to instigate
any agreed actions however in some cases it may be
necessary for the Personal Tutor/Visiting tutor/University Link
Lecturer or Disability tutor to do so. This process ensures that
any necessary reasonable adjustments can be set up following
discussion with their Practice Educator and implemented prior
to the start of the placement if appropriate. Any outstanding
issues/concerns should be discussed with the programme
Disability tutor/ Learning Support Unit/Practice Placement
Team as appropriate and any further action taken as
1
necessary. Please note it is the student’s responsibility to liase
with their relevant tutor and Practice Educator if adjustments
need to be amended.
5) Following allocation of the visiting tutors/University Link
Lecturers (ULL) to their respective students, visiting tutors/ULL
should review any relevant information on the shared drive
(PLP and pre-placement proforma). This ensures they have up
to date information regarding any disabled students they may
be visiting and hence any reasonable adjustments that should
have been put in place. Please note that for those students with
a PLP in place their name on the visiting tutor list will be
followed by PLP in brackets eg Jo Bloggs (PLP). This visiting
tutor list will only be distributed to academics.
6) On visiting their students on placement the visiting tutor/ULL
should ensure that any appropriate adjustments have been
implemented and that the student and Practice Educator are
fully supported (this information should also inform the visiting
tutor/ULL if the student has chosen not to disclose). Any
outstanding issues/concerns should be addressed with the
Practice Educator in the first instance and the Programme
disability tutor and/or Practice Education Team if appropriate.
The visiting tutor (on their second visit to the student) should
encourage the student to contact their next placement (if
appropriate) to organise any necessary reasonable adjustments
in advance.
7) On completion of the placement the visiting tutor/ULL (in
agreement with the student) should note down any disability
specific issues onto the student’s initial pre-placement disability
proforma. This should relate to for example, the successful
implementation of any reasonable adjustments and any
suggested recommendations for future placements.
8) Steps 4→7 should be completed for placements 2 and 3.
Please note that the personal tutor will not have had the
opportunity to meet up with the student whilst they are on
practice placement 1 therefore the student and/or the visiting
2
tutor/ULL on practice placement 1 should be encouraged to
arrange/set up any necessary reasonable adjustments for the
forthcoming placements. The visiting tutor/ULL is responsible
for liaising with the student’s personal tutor and the student’s
next visiting tutor as appropriate. In some circumstances it may
be necessary for the student to meet up with their personal
tutor in the break between P2 and P3. Should the student wish
to do so it is their responsibility to arrange this meeting with
their personal tutor.
9) Prior to the commencement of placement 4 in the 3rd year the
student’s personal tutor should again review the student’s PLP
and modify the pre-placement proforma accordingly setting new
action plans if appropriate for placements 4, 5 and their
forthcoming elective. In exceptional circumstances this preplacement meeting could take place earlier (for example in the
summer) if appropriate, in order for any reasonable adjustments
to be implemented in time for the start of their practice
placement.
Please note
Student’s should be encouraged to take responsibility for
their own learning on practice placement for example in the
setting up of any agreed reasonable adjustments however
academic staff (personal tutors/visiting tutors/ULL) should
also be prepared to assist and support their students where
appropriate as an integral part of their role.
Jo Nicholson/Kath Botham revised 23/12/08
3