Study with us

For most programmes, this can comprise between one third to one half of the duration of the entire programme. Spending time in placement provides learners with a fantastic opportunity to experience a range of healthcare provisions in diverse environments.

Getting involved with patient/client/service user care is an amazing experience where learners can develop abilities and confidence as a healthcare professional, building upon skills learnt in simulated practice within university. Furthermore, it will support learners in developing the vital skills required to interact effectively with services users, carers and professional colleagues within multi-agency and professional teams as well as across organisations and services. 

It will give learners a full understanding of what the reality of working in healthcare 24/7 is like and to be prepared for assessment of skill, knowledge and professional attributes required to meet learning outcomes.

Your programme teaching team will arrange some pre-placement preparation and orientation sessions to outline the requirements and expectations of your placement. You will also receive an induction whilst on placement from the placement provider.

Prior to commencing a placement, you must complete a range of mandatory training that is a requirement of placement areas – this can be a mix of online training and face-to-face interactive training including data security. You will need to have completed your DBS check, cleared your Occupational Health checks and for some courses, such as the operating department practice, midwifery and paramedic science, Exposure Prone Procedures (EPP) is also required. 

We work collaboratively with all our practice partners to ensure both learners and clinical staff are fully prepared and supported – this is an invaluable way of learning from experts within your allocated placement.   For each of the assessed placements, Nursing and midwifery learners will be allocated a nominated Practice Supervisor and a nominated Practice Assessor or for Allied health programmes, a Practice Educator, all of whom will have had preparation and training to take on these roles, enabling them to provide you with high quality supervision and support. 

Each practice learning area also has a UEA Link Lecturer/Visiting Tutor/Clinical educators (Midwifery) who is an academic from our School, who will be readily available to support you. At the commencement of your placement, you will be made fully aware of the specific support and opportunities available and of the nominated person who will actively address any concerns that might arise. Many placement areas have staff employed in Clinical Education roles who also will be available to support you in practice.

Our placement settings are available throughout Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, ensuring you experience a diverse and innovative variety of clinical settings that include hospitals, community services, general practice, social services and voluntary or private organisations, thus enhancing your overall learning experience.

Some of our programmes can go further afield than these areas, with our BSc Physiotherapy programme offering learners the opportunity to go abroad for a placement whilst Speech and Language Therapists can travel to London. You can find out more about this at our Open Days.

All our placement settings are audited by our Practice Education Team, ensuring they offer a safe and effective experience.

Much of our placement area is rural and you will need to consider how you will get to your placement either by your own personal transport means (e.g., own car), accessing public transport or even securing short term student accommodation at your allocated placement provider. If you are a UK student, you may be eligible to claim back travel or accommodation costs –information on available financial support is provided within your school welcome week.

Some HSC programmes have instigated car share schemes and created group chats within online platforms to allow you to link with other learners who will be in the same area as you and some of our practice partners offer student accommodation.

As healthcare in the UK is provided around the clock, you will have the opportunity to experience real 24-hour care delivery, which for some programmes will include undertaking varied shifts and overnight working.

Most placements tend to be based on a 37.5-hour week with the maximum number of hours to be worked capped at 48 hours. Many placement areas, with the exception of speech and language therapists, base shifts around a 12-hour day, starting at 7am and ending at 7.30pm, to allow for handovers and breaks. There will be variations on this, and you will be allocated shifts in line with the practice learning environment. 

If you are required to wear a student uniform for your placement the school will provide this to you at the start of your programme along with a UEA student name badge. Further details will be provided on this in your welcome week.