Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for medical, nursing and midwifery students

Medical Students

Overview

We recognise that many students have already let their Universities know of their wish to help where needed to ensure that NHS Scotland's workforce is bolstered at this time of public health emergency. Medical students can offer a considerable contribution to further enhance the numbers of healthcare staff by taking up employment either in interim FY1 (FiY1) roles, or, in other temporary employment roles such as Healthcare Support Worker.

Medical students are not required to take up these roles, and it is the individual choice of each student or graduate to volunteer and decide whether they wish to. Students and graduates who do not take up these roles will not be adversely affected.

Training and induction appropriate to the particular role you will be undertaking will be provided by NES and/ or the Health Board that you will be working for. The NES Foundation School will be responsible for the training and induction for FiY1 posts, however, role specific induction and training will be undertaken at a Board or Unit level and will be the responsibility of the Health Board that you will be working for. For other posts, such as Healthcare Support Worker, induction and training will be provided by the Health Board that you are working for and not NES. Training in the correct use of PPE (personal protective equipment), where required, will be provided by the relevant Health Board you are working for.

Measures are being put in place to ensure that anyone who offers their services has the support they need to be able to practise safely and effectively. We also wish to ensure that Health Boards have the required flexibility to deploy individuals where needed according to local needs and pressures.

The Medical Schools Council has provided a statement of expectation which relates to how medical students can volunteer in the NHS. This applies to students who have not graduated or are not in the process of graduating. Where this refers to Trusts it may also be read as referring to Health Boards. The statement can be found here: https://www.medschools.ac.uk/media/2622/statement-of-expectation-medical-student-volunteers-in-the-nhs.pdf

Further information and guidance for students and graduates regarding FiY1 and other roles, including FAQs, pay, terms and conditions, will be provided shortly.

Students in the process of completing their final year and have graduated or are ready to graduate

Scotland's medical schools are working collaboratively with Health Boards, NES and the GMC in order facilitate the early provisional registration as doctors of suitable final year medical students once they have graduated, so that they may apply for FiY1 posts in advance of main FY1 posts beginning on August 5^th.

Taking up a FiY1 is entirely optional and graduates who choose to do this, or are unable to find a suitable post, will not be negatively affected. FiY1 posts are not formal training posts.

NES will firstly match graduates to any FiY1 posts available in the region of their medical school. Where FiY1 posts are unavailable, either because there is more demand than roles available; there are no posts available locally; or because you do not wish to take up a FiY1 role, final year students will have the opportunity to volunteer to support the service in other ways, such as a Healthcare Support Worker (AfC Band 4). Skills and resource will, however, be matched by individual Health Boards according to local needs and pressures.

A Joint Statement on a UK wide approach to final year students was issued from the UK Health Departments, the GMC, Health Education England, NHS Education for Scotland, Health Education and Improvement Wales, the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency and the Medical Schools Council. The joint statement provides further information for final year students and can be found in full on the NES website here: https://www.scotlanddeanery.nhs.scot/media/368934/joint-statement-5th-year-medical-students_0.pdf

NES is responsible for recruiting FiY1 posts and will also be the employer. To apply for FiY1 posts, you must first have successfully graduated. Not all medical schools will be able to graduate medical students within the same timeframe. Medical schools will communicate their graduation plans directly with their students. Once graduated, you will then need to obtain provisional registration with the GMC. The GMC will contact students directly in early April with details of how to apply for registration.

Whilst awaiting confirmation of your provisional registration from the GMC, you should commence your application for an FiY1 post via the portal managed by UK Foundation Programme Office, available at https://poll.hee.nhs.uk/s/Covid19FRS/. Any queries on how to complete your application can be addressed to helpdesk@foundationprogramme.nhs.uk. Where it is not possible to match you to an available FiY1 post, the Scottish Foundation School be in touch to ask if you wish to be considered for a Healthcare Support Worker role.

Please note if you are an international student and currently a Tier 4 visa holder, you will be able to commence in an FiY1 post as soon as possible, providing your new Tier 4 visa application for postgraduate training is in progress.

NES is also responsible for recruiting healthcare posts across NHS Scotland to enable speedy deployment and employment at this time, including Healthcare Support Worker roles. Should you instead prefer to apply for these roles, instead of an FiY1 role, please apply via the NES Health and Social Care COVID-19 Accelerated Recruitment Portal here: https://careers.nhs.scot/coronavirus-covid-19-recruitment/. You will be asked to provide information on your location, sector, skills and experience.

Further guidance for graduates regarding FiY1 and other roles, including FAQs, pay, terms and conditions, will be provided shortly.

Students in the third or fourth year of their undergraduate programme (or 5^th year where an intercalated year has been taken)

Students in the third and fourth years of their undergraduate programmes, or firth year where an intercalated year has been taken, may be able to take up temporary employment, where this does not interfere with their studies. The priority will however be to ensure that students continue with their undergraduate programme. Students must therefore seek the endorsement of their medical school to take up any temporary employment.

Third and fourth year medical students may able to be temporarily employed as Healthcare Support Workers. Skills and resource will, however, be matched by individual Health Boards according to local needs and pressures. If you are employed in this capacity, you will not be asked to undertake any activity beyond your level of competence.

Temporary employment as a Healthcare Support Worker, or in any other role, is not part of your formal medical training. You may, however, learn new skills and improve on existing skills.

The Medical Schools Council has issued a Statement of Expectation noting how medical students may be able to volunteer at this time, which includes sources of support and advice to students, and is available here: https://www.medschools.ac.uk/media/2622/statement-of-expectation-medical-student-volunteers-in-the-nhs.pdf

NES is responsible for recruiting healthcare posts across NHS Scotland to enable speedy employment and deployment at this time. Should you wish to apply for temporary employment, please provide your expression of interest via the NES Health and Social Care COVID-19 Accelerated Recruitment Portal here: https://careers.nhs.scot/coronavirus-covid-19-recruitment/ You will be asked to provide information on your location, sector, skills and experience.

Further guidance for students on taking up temporary employment, including FAQs, pay, terms and conditions, will be provided shortly.

Students in first and second years of their undergraduate programme

First and second year medical students may also wish to undertake temporary contracted employment to support the service where this does not interfere with their studies. The priority will however be to ensure that students continue with their undergraduate programme. Students must therefore seek the endorsement of their medical school to take up any temporary employment.

Temporary employment in any role is not part of your formal medical training. You may, however, learn new skills and improve on existing skills. If you are employed, you will not be asked to undertake any activity beyond your level of competence.

The Medical Schools Council has issued a Statement of Expectation noting how medical students may be able to volunteer at this time, which includes sources of support and advice to students, and is available here: https://www.medschools.ac.uk/media/2622/statement-of-expectation-medical-student-volunteers-in-the-nhs.pdf

NES is responsible for recruiting healthcare posts across all NHS Scotland to enable speedy employment and deployment at this time. Should you wish to apply for temporary employment, please provide your expression of interest via the NES Health and social Care COVID-19 Accelerated Recruitment Portal here: https://careers.nhs.scot/coronavirus-covid-19-recruitment/ You will be asked to provide information on your location, sector, skills and experience.

Further guidance for students on taking up temporary employment, including FAQs, pay, terms and conditions, will be provided shortly.