ASSESSING SUITABILITY FORADMISSION TO HEALTHCARE PRE-QUALIFYING DEGREE PROGRAMMES
Name:
May2018
1Admissions Policy Statement
The University of Lincoln is committed to providing a recruitment and admissions process which promotes equality of opportunity. The programme wishes to preserve entry to a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds and does not wish to automatically exclude students who have a criminal or disciplinary record, or have previously experienced poor health, or have had contact with social services departments. This applies to people who have committed offences where the nature of the offence is such that it is judged not to present a threat to the safety and well being of service users, other students, or members of staff at the Universityor on placement education. The University of Lincoln is also committed to ensure that processes are in place to assess individual applications as to their suitability to work with children and vulnerable people.
2Procedure for Assessing Suitability
In accord with the above statement, when considering applications to healthcarepre-qualifying degree programmes, the University is required by the relevant regulatory bodies to take account of the existence and nature of any criminal convictions, disciplinary record and current state of health. The procedure for doing so is outlined in this document and the associated appendices. In drawing up this document, attention has been paid to guidance provided by the relevant regulatory bodies, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974), together with protocol documents in relation to the Disclosure of Criminal Convictions drawn up by partner practice agencies.
2.1All applicants to healthcarepre-qualifying degree programmes will be asked to complete a Declaration of Suitability for healthcarepre-qualifying degree programmes form (Appendix 1). This requires them to declare and provide details about convictions, cautions or criminal offences that would not be filtered from the Police National Computer when it is processed by the DBSand to provide details about any disciplinary proceedings. They will also be asked to sign their consent to sharing this information with the relevant regulatory bodies and other relevant bodies such as placement providing agencies, where necessary.
2.2Prior to a selection event or interview the Declaration forms will be considered by the Admissions Tutor who will decide on the following course of action:
a) Where nothing is disclosed the usual process will be adopted to determine suitability to enter the programme. Any offers will be subject to satisfactory Enhanced DBS Disclosure, Occupational Health clearance and completion of any other requirements stipulated by the Admissions Tutor.
b) The Admissions Tutor, in liaison with the Head of School, may reject an application on the grounds that declared convictions, disciplinary record or health condition judged as presenting a high risk to others. When such a decision is made the reason will be recorded and communicated to the applicant.
c) Where declared convictions or disciplinary record issues create uncertainty about suitability, the application will be referred to a Fitness to Proceed Panel. The remit of the Fitness to Proceed Panel is given below.
2.3 Information will be managed in accordance with data protection legislation and principles. Details of this can be found at: secretariat.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk
3The Fitness to Proceed Panel
The Panel will meet at set intervals throughout the academic year to consider applications where the decision about suitability is uncertain. The Panel will make a decision whether to proceed with or reject the application.
3.1The Admissions Administrator will send copies of the Declaration of Suitability Form and any other relevant documentation to members of The Panel.
3.2The Panel will use guidance provided by the relevant regulatory body and the University’s Admissions Policy in making their decisions. The Panel may request more information or require nominated members to interview the applicant prior to final decision making. The Admissions Administrator will minute the proceedings and a clear record of decisions will be made.
3.3Where the decision is to proceed the applicant will be invited to proceed to selection. Related paperwork will be sent to the University’s central Admissions Panel for confirmation of acceptance. Where the decision is made to reject, the reason will be recorded and communicated to the applicant.
4DBS Enhanced Disclosures
The University of Lincoln is a registered body with the Disclosure and Barring Service. A member of staff with the College of Social Sciences is approved as a Registered Counter Signatory. Prospective students will be required to apply for an Enhanced Disclosure from the DBS before starting their healthcare pre-qualifying degree programme. Students will only be allowed to enrol on their healthcare pre-qualifying degree programme on obtaining a satisfactory enhanced disclosure.
4.1If the process of obtaining an enhanced disclosure reveals information of concern that has not been declared at the selection stage, prospective students may have their application withdrawn and not be allowed to enrol on their healthcare pre-qualifying degree programme.
4.2The DBS issues students with their own copy of the enhanced disclosure, which they are then able to produce at the request of the University on behalf of placement providers.
APPENDIX ONE
School of Health and Social Care
Declaration of Suitability for a Pre-Qualifying Healthcare Degree Programme
Name:
(Please print your full name here)
1Introduction
Applicants to healthcare programmes are required to have good health and good character. This requires the programme management team to:
a)Carry out an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
b)Carry out health screening. This will be undertaken by the University’s approved Occupational Health service.
c) Review previous disciplinary, capability or conduct proceedings.
This self-declaration form is intended to ensure that the programme management team has access to all relevant information when making a judgement about an applicant’s suitability to enter a healthcare programme. Please note that if you refuse to provide additional relevant information or otherwise fail to assist in this process, the offer of a place on the programme will be withdrawn. Failure to disclose anything relevant which is subsequently discovered could lead to termination of your enrolment.
The programme wishes to preserve entry to a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds and does not seek to exclude students who have a criminal or disciplinary record, or have previously experienced poor health or have had contact with health and social care departments. It recognises that in many instances there is no simple criterion of suitability and thus each case will be assessed individually. You will be informed if your declaration requires further consideration.
Please read and complete the following sections carefully. If you are unsure how to proceed or have any queries, contact the Admissions Tutor who will advise you. Information will be managed in accordance with data protection legislation and principles. Details of this can be found at: secretariat.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk.Information may be shared with healthcare regulators or other relevant bodies, for the purpose of deciding suitability for programme entry, programme management or eligibility to apply for registration.
2Criminal Convictions
Applicants to healthcare programmes are required to declare all spent and unspent criminal convictions including (but not limited to) convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings that are not ‘protected’ as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (as amended in 2013).
If you are uncertain whether an offence will be filtered from the Police National Computer when it is processed by an enhanced DBS check you may wish to consult the following:
Guidance and criteria on the filtering of cautions and convictions in the DBS filtering collection at: or
A conviction does not automatically debar an applicant and the programme management team will make an informed and considered judgement about an applicant’s suitability in such instances. You can make further representations in writing and you may be invited to discuss your application with the Admissions Tutor or other University representative.
Please tick yes or no
Yes / NoHave you ever been convicted of any offence by any Court?
Have you ever been cautioned?
Have you ever been reprimanded?
Have you ever been bound over?
Have you ever received a final warning?
Do you have any prosecutions pending?
Have you ever been disqualified from working with children by an Order under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (2000)?
If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, please give full details (date, court, offence, sentence, outcome, charge, etc)
(continue overleaf if necessary)
3Disciplinary record and unprofessional conduct
3.1 Healthcare agencies and members of the public who receive services are entitled to expect the highest standards of reliability and integrity from healthcare practitioners. It is imperative that the qualifying award is held only by those whose personal and professional conduct merits this trust. The healthcare programmes require that you make a declaration in this regard.
Please answer the following questions. If you answer “yes” to any of them you will be contacted by the Admissions Tutor who will seek further information about your circumstances and may make other relevant enquiries to colleges and former employers to enable an informed decision to be made about your application. At this stage you can make further representations in writing and you may be invited to discuss your application directly with the Admissions Tutor or other University representative.
Please tick yes or no
Yes / NoAre you currently the subject of any disciplinary investigation?
Have your ever been the subject of disciplinary proceedings?
Have your ever had your employment terminated for unprofessional behaviour, misconduct or lack of competence?
Have you ever been suspended, disqualified or discontinued from any professional training programme?
Have you ever been suspended or deregistered for professional misconduct by a professional regulator?
Have you ever been listed on the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) register, the Protection of Children Act list (POCA), or Section142 of the Education Act (2000) (formerly List 99)?
Have you previously enrolled on a professional healthcare or social care education programme, such as nursing – Adult, Mental Health, Children’s, Learning Disabilities; Midwifery; Occupational Therapy; Physiotherapy; Social Work; Paramedic Science etc?
If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, please give full details (outcome, date, employer, course, college, reason for non-completion etc)
(continue overleaf if necessary)
4Your Declaration
I understand that the information I give will be used to assess my suitability for entry to a healthcare programme and subject to data protection legislation will be shared with healthcare regulators or other relevant bodies, for the purpose of deciding suitability for programme entry, programme management or eligibility to apply for registration.
I understand that the information provided will be checked against my enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure and that my signature affirms that this is a full and accurate declaration.
I understand that if I refuse to provide additional relevant information or otherwise fail to assist in this suitability process, any conditional offer of a place on a healthcare programme will be withdrawn.
I understand that failure to disclose relevant information is regarded as a serious matter and that if found after I have been accepted on a healthcare programme, may result in disciplinary action or lead to the termination of enrolment.
Signature
Date
5Admissions Tutor Comments:
Admissions Tutor or Nominee Signature:……………………………………………..
Date:………………………………………………………………………………………
1