University of Suffolk

This charter highlights the university's shared commitment to high-quality practice placements.

The term 'learner' is used in this charter to refer to all students enrolled in professional qualification courses in health care or social care at the University of Suffolk. Supervisors are included in the term 'Mentor'.

These are the standards that learners can expect from the placement areas:

• Before the start of the placement, a placement profile/induction pack will be made accessible
• You will be offered a pre-placement visit when you contact the placement location
• Within the first week (4-5 days) of practice, meet with the allocated mentor/associate mentor
• Mentors in nursing and midwifery will be required to hold approved teaching and assessing qualifications and be included on a live mentor register. All midwifery and nursing mentors in final placements will have been trained to be 'Sign-Off' mentors by NMC guidelines
• The learner can expect to be: on the first day of practice:

1. Oriented towards the direction of the placement area
2. Fire, CPR, and applicable health and safety policies/procedures are also covered
3. Informed of the educational resources available

• That an initial meeting will be held during the first week of the placement, at which time proposed dates for mid-point and final interviews will be discussed. As specified by the documentation, the mentor will provide written and spoken comments
• The mentor will clarify roles and responsibilities within the first week of the placement
• To be given the necessary contact information for the specified practice/academic link
• Any difficulties with practice will be resolved as soon as possible, adequately documented, and forwarded to the academic link or the allocations office if necessary
• Before the completion of the placement, all documentation will be completed and signed
• On the duty roster/equivalent, those practise hours will be noted