What do we mean by good character?
Good character is concerned with the attitude, conduct and behaviour, honesty and integrity of professionals working with vulnerable groups of people.
All Universities have to ensure that students working in placement areas as part of their professional programme have the “good character” to do so safely and effectively, both at the start of the programme and throughout the course.
At the end of the programme, the university must make a declaration of good character to the professional regulatory body in order that you can register.
How will we know?
When you apply to University you are asked to indicate on your UCAS application form whether you have or have had any criminal convictions or cautions. This will not influence the application process at this point. If you meet the programme requirements, you will be invited for interview.
All students who are successful at interview are offered a place subject to a satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance. You will be asked to complete the relevant forms as part of this process. It is important to complete these forms as soon as you are asked to because you cannot be registered as a full time student until these have been successfully processed.
Until you are registered as a full time student you will not receive funding, either a bursary or a grant, and will not be able to start your placements on the programme.
Completion of the Criminal Records Bureau form
All applications for programmes within the Faculty of Health and Social Care will require an Enhanced Disclosure. An enhanced disclosure contains the same information as a standard disclosure but also includes non-conviction information from local police records if it is thought to be relevant.
This means that the process may take longer if you have lived at several addresses. A copy of the Enhanced Disclosure will be sent to your home address by the Criminal Records Bureau at the same time it is sent to the university.
You must inform the University if you have been cautioned, charged or found guilty of a criminal offence during the period of your application or at any point during your programme. If you are unclear what constitutes any of the above, contact the pre admissions helpline – Pre-Entry Advice and Guidance – or discuss this with your personal teacher.
What will happen if I have had a caution or conviction?
If you are aware you have ever received any criminal conviction or caution, you will need to provide written information relating to this to the Head of Fitness to Practise, Faculty of Health and Social Care.
You will then be invited to meet with a panel with a representative from practise as well as Faculty of Health and Social Care staff to discuss this information. Every case is dealt with individually.
- Examples of convictions or cautions that may be of concern when it comes to fitness to practise can be found in NMC Guidance on professional conduct for nursing and midwifery students (PDF)
What will happen to the information about me?
The University complies with the Criminal Records Bureau Code of Conduct and the Data Protection Act, so the information which is often extremely sensitive and personal, remains confidential.
Once a decision has been made that you are fit to practise in relation to good character, your application form is securely stored for the duration of your programme. It is not necessary to share that information with any other persons.