Health & Social Work

Induction Information

Academic Year 2009/10

If you require a copy of this handbook in an alternative format please

contact a member of the Faculty of Health & Social Work Admissions

Team who will be happy to send it to you.

Telephone 01752 586723 or

Email:

Faculty of

Health & Social Work

HELPING TO SHAPE THE FUTURE

Section

Page

Introduction and Induction Timetable

Staff Whereabouts

Registration

Practice Learning and CRB Information

Occupational Health

Students with Disabilities

7. / Timetables & structure of the course / 7

/ Finance /

Catering

10.

Car Parking

11.

Transport

12.

/ Useful Contact Numbers /

13.

/ Cashpoints /

14.

Good Luck

15.

/ Map /

Appendix A – On-line Enrolment

Appendix B – Occupational Health

1. INTRODUCTION

This booklet should contain all the information you will need before you start your degree programme with the Faculty of Health & Social Work on Monday 21 September 2009. Please take the time to read its contents BEFORE you arrive.

The following gives details of the first meeting venue. A more detailed timetable of the induction week will be issued on your first day. These will be full days from 9 am up to 4 pm on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. The remainder of the week is free for you to familiarise yourself with the campus and consolidate the topics that have been covered this week in readiness for formal teaching which begins on

Monday 28th September.

It is expected that you will attend all sessions. A map of the campus is printed at the back of this booklet.

Stage 1 Pre-course Training Period

Monday 21 September 2009

Time

Event

Co-ordinator

Location

0900 / Welcome and Introduction. / Social work staff
Admin staff / Babbage 006

** When you register with the University on 21 September, please bring with you

· The letter from your Local Education Authority / Student Loans Company if you have applied for funding

· Any notification you have received from the General Social Care Council about your Bursary.

· Cheque or credit card if you are self-funding and have not made arrangements to pay by direct debit or online.

If your fees are being met by your employer, please bring with you a letter confirming this.

2. STAFF WHEREABOUTS

Most staff are based in the Nancy Astor Building.

The Programme Administration Office is on the 1st Floor of the Nancy Astor Building. The main telephone number for Programme Admin is 01752 586999 & there is an Out of Hours Answer phone attached to the lines where you can leave a message.

3. REGISTRATION

What is University Registration?

This is when you officially register as a University of Plymouth student. Failure to register will mean that you will be unable to collect your ID card, join the library, students’ union or more importantly, start your course.

University registration is a staged process and begins with:

3.1 On-line Enrolment

The first stage is where we collect information from you about your personal details and the course you are studying. The University collects this data on-line.

Appendix A details how to access the on-line enrolment screens and guides you through the process. It is recommended that on-line enrolment is completed prior to your arrival here at Plymouth. Please note that if you have only just accepted an offer you have to wait for 24 hours to enrol online.

Once you have completed on-line enrolment an email will then automatically be sent to your computer account to confirm successful enrolment.

3.2 Student Computing Accounts

During completion of your on-line enrolment you will be asked to create your computing account. Please make sure you record your username & password in a safe place. This will enable you to access the Student Share Point. The Student Share Point is a web based utility provided to all students providing information on courses and modules.

3.3 University Registration

This is the stage of the registration process where we check (at induction) that you have completed everything you need to, and also check what arrangements you have made for the payment of your tuition fees.

If you have a Student Support Number for your Student Loan and it is not shown in the SLC Box please insert. This is necessary to activate your student loan payment.

This is a busy time and unfortunately you may have to queue for a while. Please be patient - our staff will be working as quickly as they can.

At University Registration you will be given a University ID Card which will enable you to access the Library.

3.4 What do I need to bring with me in September?

· Details of your fee assessment or proof of sponsorship (if applicable).
· Cheque or credit card to make your tuition fee payment, if you have not completed an ‘Instruction to collect Tuition fees by Credit/Debit card form’ or paid on-line (see website www.plymouth.ac.uk/essentialinfo entitled ‘Essential Information for Students’)
· Your medical card (UK students only – see Section 3.8)

3.5 ID Cards

You will recently have received a buff coloured form to apply for a University of Plymouth Identification Card. This should have been completed and returned (with a passport photo) to the University of Plymouth Card Office, by no later than 1st September 2009.

If you have not already returned this, can you please make sure you do so NOW. If you return your form on time you should be able to collect your student ID card during enrolment.

3.6 Photos

In addition to the above photo, another passport photo should be supplied to the Admissions team. It will remain on your student file for identification purposes only. Please return by 30th August 2009 in the freepost envelope provided.

3.7 Educational Qualifications

If you have not already provided us with proof of the qualifications you have achieved to gain entry to your degree programme, please send copies to:

Annie Ross

Recruitment Administrator

Room 102, Nancy Astor Building

Drake Circus

University of Plymouth

PL4 8AA

to reach us no later than 30th August 2009

3.8 Medical Registration

Students moving to the Plymouth area will need to register with a doctor whilst attending the University. It is possible to pre-register on-line or by post. Details of how to do this, together with a new patient health check card and a NHS Family doctor services registration form are included in this pack.

3.9 Additional Information

You will receive a USB data stick preloaded with the following important information during your 1st day:

· Your programme handbook

· Workbook and PDR folder

· An application form for the GSCC Register

· student handbook 2009

These are important documents and your USB stick should not be mislaid.

4. PRACTICE LEARNING & CRIMINAL RECORDS BUREAU CHECKS (CRB)

4.1 Practice Learning

Practice Learning is an integral part of your training. During the course of your study you will undertake 200 days of Practice Learning.

Whilst every effort is made to accommodate particular needs, arrangements for Practice Learning are negotiated through the Practice Learning Managers and you must be prepared to travel. Students are not permitted to make their own arrangements.

4.2 CRB Check

As part of the admissions process the University will have applied for an enhanced Disclosure through the Criminal Records Bureau. If the application has been delayed and has not been cleared by 21 September 09, we will need to consider whether / under what conditions you may join the course. A copy of the Declaration is sent to you; please keep it safe, a duplicate or photocopy cannot be provided.

5. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Please see Appendix B explaining all about Occupational Health.

All health students have to attend an occupational health appointment. You are required to attend this before you will be able to work in a practice placement area and again this should not be missed. Failure to attend occupational health appointments could result in a non attendance fee of £30.00 being charged by the Faculty of Health and Social Work. In addition, students undertaking health related courses require individual occupational health appointments for an immunisation check and update if required. You will be notified of timings of individual appointments, by Programme Administration, which will occur during induction week. Follow up appointments will occur and details of dates will be provided at your individual appointment. Thereafter further appointments will be emailed to you.

You are advised to wear loose sleeved clothing for this first appointment!

5.1 Immunisation and Fitness to Undertake Clinical Placement

As part of your induction programme you will require an Occupational Health vaccination check. In order to minimise delay in confirming your fitness to commence clinical placements, it would be helpful if you could bring any documentary evidence regarding your vaccinations/screening from your GP or current Occupational Health Service to this appointment.

We are particularly interested in:

· Hepatitis B immunisation and immunity

· Hepatitis C screening

· HIV screening

· Chickenpox screening

· TB screening (e.g. heaf/mantoux results, BCG vaccination, chest x-ray results)

· Documentation confirming 2 doses of MMR vaccine or blood test confirmation of mumps/measles/rubella status

It is important this information is brought to your vaccination appointment as the occupational health nurse will then be able to make an informed decision of your vaccination requirements. Please also bring photographic identification (e.g. passport/driving licence/student card) to the appointment.

6. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Please ensure that we are aware if you have a disability which may affect your learning needs. The University is anxious to ensure that students’ needs are met as fully as possible and Disability Assist Services can arrange an assessment.

7. TIMETABLES & STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE

Timetables are still being finalised at present, and Teaching Block 1 timetables are therefore not yet available on the Student Share Point. Timetables will be available for you to download during induction week. Timetables are amended electronically and you must check them regularly. It is your responsibility to check for any changes.

You will attend lectures and small study group teaching sessionsevery Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdayper week and you will be engaged in practice onThursdays and Fridaysper week. You will be given directed reading and other study tasks to support your learning. Please remember that this is a full-time course. Therefore you should allocate 40 hours a week for study / practice learning.

You will access the information foryour studyfrom your computer via the University intranet. If you intend to work from home rather than using the computing facilities on campus, you must ensure that your computer has appropriate internet access. You will be taught about using the University Intranetduring Induction.

You will appreciate that to succeed in your studies you will need to use the University Library for research purposes. Not all the reading you will need to do is available via the internet and, when planning your work, please allow time for visits to the Library.

During the year, youare required toengage in academicteachingto the total value of 120 credits, module number SCW186 Foundations for Social Work.

Throughout the whole year theteaching is designed to support and examine the practice that you will be engaged in, andencompassesthe following Knowledge Themes:

Approaches to Social Work

Contexts for Social Work

Understanding the Social World

Values, Attitudes and Beliefs

Well-being and Social Work

What is Social Work?

8. FINANCES

For Student loan information, please see flyer.

You should by now have made contact with your LEA regarding student loans and the General Social Care Council (GSCC) regarding bursary eligibility.

Q: If I am awarded a bursary how is it paid?

Once we have informed the GSCC that you have started training, they will, if appropriate, transfer the appropriate sum to your bank account. We hope that most monies will be received within the first few weeks of your course; however students whose application to the GSCC was late may have longer to wait. We suggest that all students bring sufficient funds to get through this initial period.

Q: Do I need to have a bank or building society account?

Yes, you do. You should check that your bank or building society account accepts payments by the Bank Automated Credit System (BACS).

Other important information about financial matters is contained by accessing www.plymouth.ac/uk/essentailinfo ‘Essential Information for Students 2009/10’.

9. CATERING

There are plenty of catering facilities on the Plymouth campus offering a range of options. They are located in the following buildings: -

· Basement, Cookworthy Building – refreshments only

· Floor 4, Babbage Building – full refectory

· Pilgrims Café near the Robbins Building –

· Students’ Union Building – full refectory

· Portland Square Cafe Block A, Ground Floor – refreshments only

· Loafers Two sandwich bar – sandwich and baguette bar - next to the Student Union Building

· Costa Coffee cafe within the library complex

· Southside Café, Roland Levinsky building with indoor & outdoor seating

· Nancy Astor Cafe, Nancy Astor building

· Rolle Building Café

10. CAR PARKING

10.1. Parking at Drake Circus

Unfortunately there are no car parking spaces available for students on the Plymouth campus unless you are registered disabled and in possession of a blue badge. There are public car parks (pay & display) close by (please see Section 19: Plymouth campus map).

Plymouth also operates a convenient Park and Ride service for those travelling straight into the City Centre. Three services operate:

· Milehouse, close to Plymouth Argyle Football Club

· Coypool, located close to the Marsh Mills roundabout, just off the A38

Health & Social Work