Course Summary

This integrated Master's course is an undergraduate degree that will take you to a level beyond most first degrees. During this five-year course you will have the opportunity to study for three years part-time and two years full-time.

During your first year, you will be introduced to contact with patients and will enjoy a level of contact that will increase during the progression of your course. Through the British School of Osteopathy, you will be able to work in award-winning community outreach clinics, which will help further expand your experience of contact with patients.

You will be tutored by experienced practitioners and enjoy access to one of the best osteopathic libraries in the world. Your experience will include managing problems, diagnosis, evaluating and selecting treatments and developing your interpersonal skills.

Why choose this course?

Graduates of this British School of Osteopathy course are recognised for their high-quality practice. The majority go on to work in private practice, although many also explore a wide choice of careers in the NHS. More than 90 per cent of our graduates are employed as osteopaths within six months of graduation. This course also opens the door for postgraduate studies, osteopathic research and osteopathic education.

During the course you will:

• Gain a statutorily recognised qualification awarded by the General Osteopathic Council
• Benefit from a practical education based on latest research
• Enjoy the opportunity to learn from practising osteopaths
• Develop your osteopathic clinical experience from your first year
• Work in a wide variety of award-winning clinical settings

Areas of study you may cover on this course include:

• Structure and function
• Function and dysfunction
• Practical osteopathic skills
• Critical analysis and enquiry
• Learning for professional autonomy
• Osteopathic concepts in a clinical setting
• Osteopathic practice

MOMST

Assessment

The assessment strategy aims to implement a course that is reliable, valid and fair, enabling the learning outcomes to be assessed while promoting learning. To this end the assessments have been kept to a minimum within our requirement to ensure that the learning outcomes are achieved and that you become a safe and competent osteopath. You will experience a range of assessment methods including traditional timed written examinations, presentations, portfolios of evidence, observation reports and in-course essays which in the first three years are set at the end of the units in July of the first year, January and July of the second year and July of the third.

In the final two years of full time study these assessments come at various stages in the course. In addition there are a range of practical examinations including Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPEs) and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) where a series of short tasks, mostly practical, are tackled in sequence. Your clinical work will undergo ongoing assessment by tutors and you will have clinical competence assessments as the culmination of your studies. You have an opportunity to pursue a topic of personal interest in the Individual Enquiry (Dissertation); this major piece of work is part of the Critical Analysis and Enquiry Area of Study.

Communication skills are assessed formatively and summatively throughout the duration of the course. Oral communication will be assessed through Group Presentations, in OSPEs the OSCE and Clinical Competence Assessment. Written communication will be assessed through written work and examinations.

A range of formative assessments at various stages provide you with useful knowledge of your achievements and capability as well as feedback to guide future development. In addition, we are moving towards offering on-line diagnostic and formative assessments using computer technology. These will provide you with instant feedback and be available at any time.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the M.Ost you will :

1. Have a broad knowledge of human structure and function focusing on its integrated nature, and detailed knowledge of the musculoskeletal system.

2. Have knowledge of osteopathic health care, its history and distinctive features.

3. Have an understanding of how healthy human functioning can be compromised by environmental, psychological and social conditions, resulting in illness and disease.

4. Be highly skilled in performing and have a comprehensive understanding of a range of manual techniques ranging from gentle soft-tissue and tissue release type techniques to stronger articulation and high velocity thrust techniques.

5. Be able to critically evaluate current research and methodologies, review data and evaluate outcomes of clinical interventions and propose new hypotheses.

6. Be able to deal with complex and unpredictable clinical situations both systematically and creatively, make sound diagnoses in the absence of complete data and communicate your conclusions to other healthcare practitioners and patients.

7. Be competent in managing a range of clinical problems and of applying appropriate treatment interventions effectively and ethically, while acknowledging the inherently uncertain nature of health care practice.

External Benchmarking

The General Osteopathic Council Codes of Practice:

http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/about_gosc/4387CodesOfPractice_A_W.pdf

The General Osteopathic Council Standard of Proficiency (S2K):

http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/about_gosc/standard_2000.pdf

The Quality Assurance Agency Osteopathic Benchmarking Statement:

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/statements/Osteopathy07.asp

Educational Aims

The aim of the M.Ost is:

• To enable you to attain the capabilities and qualities of the Definitive BSO Graduate and in so doing to meet the Standard of Proficiency published by the General Osteopathic Council and the QAA Osteopathy Benchmarking Statement. Together these recognise and promote


• The essential knowledge base


• The practical, interpersonal, cognitive and key transferable skills


• The attitude of critical enquiry, self-reflection, professionalism, ethical caring and respect that characterises a competent, capable, caring and effective osteopath


• To promote an approach to teaching and learning that embodies effective management of change and uncertainty and encourages a commitment to self-managed, life-long learning

To enable you to practise as a primary care practitioner and be eligible to apply for registration with the General Osteopathic Council.

Student support

As a student at the BSO your personal welfare is of concern to us. The Student Support Department consists of: The Student Welfare and Equality Manager, the Counsellor, the Student Learning Advisor and the Dyslexia Tutor. Together the team offers a confidential impartial service giving advice on issues which may be affecting you academically or personally either inside or outside the BSO. These staff members are available during the week and by appointment on Mixed Mode weekends. Furthermore you have access to an extensive range of students services available at the University of Bedfordshire.

Team working

The ability to work with others is another key skill in practice and one that informs our selection process. In the clinic you are not just expected to work with patients to improve their condition, but to be able to work with clinical support staff, tutors and other students. Team work is an important aspect of the BSO clinic to ensure the highest standard of patient care. Small group seminars and tutorials are interactive where learning occurs through interaction. In technique classes you will work with other students to develop your practical skills where mutual respect and care are essential. Being involved in a blended pathway also means you will need to consider different ways of building sense of community with your peers that an on-line environment can facilitate.

Career Management Skills

The majority of students graduating from the M.Ost course will become osteopaths. Career opportunities in osteopathy are increasing and, as the public awareness of osteopathy grows, there is an increasing demand for qualified and registered osteopaths.

Most osteopaths are self employed, which means that there is no structured career path. Career progression usually begins, however, by working as an osteopath's assistant and this often leads to running your own practice. Alternatively, you might progress from an assistantship to working within a group osteopathic practice. Self employed osteopaths with their own practices must be prepared to spend a lot of time building and marketing their businesses. The M.Ost course has components to enable you to gain the skills to set up effectively as a self employed osteopath and the business and marketing skills to help you to build and develop this.

Career/Further study opportunities

Career:

• The majority of students leaving the BSO become self-employed osteopaths. Opportunities in osteopathy are increasing and, as the public awareness of osteopathy grows, there is an increasing demand for qualified and registered osteopaths


• Although most osteopaths work on a self-employed basis in the private sector, there are increasing opportunities to develop your career in a multidisciplinary environment. Developing links between the National Health Service and the osteopathy profession mean that there are opportunities to work within hospitals, in partnership with doctors in general practice and in community health centres

Career (Continued)

• With a number of years' experience, you may discover opportunities to pursue individual specialist interests and to develop work with particular client groups


• With further experience, some osteopaths go on to teach at one of the approved osteopathic training schools. Research in osteopathy is also a growing area of the profession and there is an increasing number of opportunities to undertake research into particular areas of specialism


• There are some opportunities to work abroad, subject to the country's registration requirements

Further study:

There are an increasing number of postgraduate Masters qualifications in osteopathy. Although some of these deal with specialised areas such as osteopathic sports care; the majority tend to be generic i.e. MSc in Osteopathy or MSc in Professional Studies (Osteopathy). The BSO has developed a professional doctorate, the first in this country. You must have a Recognised Qualification to be eligible for entry onto all of the aforementioned courses.

Entry

Additional:

BSO Entry Requirements:

The normal minimum requirements for entry onto the Integrated Masters in Osteopathy course are five GCSEs at grades A - C including Mathematics and English language and three A Levels which are to include Biology and one other science (preferably Chemistry). A typical offer is three A Levels at grades BBC.

As an alternative to A Levels AVCE, BTEC National Diplomas, Access Certificates, Scottish Highers, Irish Leaving Certificates, International Baccalaureates and a large number of home and overseas qualifications with relevant science content at an appropriate level are accepted.

Students whose first language is not English are required to demonstrate fluency in both written and spoken English. A wide range of English language qualifications are accepted, including IELTS and TOEFL.

All prospective students are required to attend an Interview and Evaluation Day during which prospective students are normally required to perform a range of aptitude tests, a written English test and a personal interview in order to demonstrate their suitability for the profession and the BSO.

The BSO is committed to a policy of inclusion, actively seeking to widen participation and to increase opportunities for high-calibre students with the aptitude & potential to become osteopaths to undertake a degree in osteopathy. Students from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds, school-leavers, mature `second career applicants and students with a range of seen and unseen disabilities are all warmly welcomed. Every application to the BSO is considered on its own merits.

Graduation with a University of Bedfordshire validated M.Ost degree requires the successful achievement of the academic and the practical technique aspects of the degree each year, and it includes extensive work with patients in the clinic. Over the course you are required to meet the Standards of Proficiency to be eligible for registration as a practitioner with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). This is the professional body which oversees Fitness to Practise, certifying you as ethically and clinically competent to work safely with patients. As professional bodies do not interview or train students, the onus is on institutions such as the BSO to ensure that only students who are fit to practice their vocation are admitted to, and graduate from, the BSO course.

As a prospective applicant, you and the Admissions Team will need to take into consideration your physical abilities (due to the essential academic requirements of our degree course), the implications of your disability for your own and others safety during the course, and your ability to communicate with and treat patients safely and effectively.

You may be further advised to contact the GOsC to clarify their competence standards.

For further information about BSO Entry Requirements, please see:

http://www.bso.ac.uk/mm2enreq.htm

UK students Undergraduate entry requirements

Standard entry requirements for Foundation degrees (FD/FdSc)

A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.

Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.

• As a guideline, a typical offer would require you to obtain a UCAS tariff score of between 80-120 points, based on your level 3 studies.
• Students who require a Tier 4 Student Visa cannot apply for our foundation courses. For these courses the University of Bedfordshire is not able to sponsor Tier 4 Student Visa applications.

Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.

We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.

Standard entry requirements for Undergraduate degrees (BA/BSc)

We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.

The general requirement is one of the following:

• UCAS Tariff Score greater than 200, which should include either two A level passes or an AVCE Double Award
• An Access qualification
• Equivalent qualifications such as Irish Leaving Certificate, Scottish Highers, International Baccalaureate or BTEC National Diploma

Postgraduate taught courses

Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the  standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.

• UK/EU students application form
• International (non-EU) students application form
  

Students from the European Union

Entry requirements

As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.

We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.

How to apply

International students

• Undergraduate applications (BA/BSc) can be made direct to the University or via our representatives in your home country. If you intend to apply to more than one university in the UK you should apply via UCAS. If you want to apply to the University of Bedfordshire only you should apply directly using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Postgraduate applications should be made directly to the University using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Healthcare, nursing and midwifery students Many of these courses are not available to overseas students due to UK immigration law in regard to bursary funding. Please contact international admissions to find out if you are eligible to apply
• BA Nursing Studies Level 3 (with or without Overseas Nursing Programme) is available to overseas students - please contact International Admissions by email at international-admissions@beds.ac.uk for further information

(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)

Course application form for international students

We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.

• Course application form for direct applications [PDF]

How to complete your course application

Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.

Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section

Accreditation of prior certificated learning (APL)

APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.

Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `

The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.

We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.

• APL application form for International students [100Kb] updated 041007

What next?

Return your completed application to:

University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom

Contact International Admissions

T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk

Awarding institution

The University of Bedfordshire

Teaching Strategy

The M.Ost degree has a strong clinical focus and the teaching and learning, though incorporating a rigorous theoretical core never loses sight of the fact that most graduates go into clinical practice and therefore require knowledge, skills and attitudes that are of practical value.

The clinic is the focus for many parts of the course. Knowing how to act in difficult clinical situations is more than simply applying theoretical knowledge and we recognise that there is no substitute for working with patients to gain deep understanding and competence in clinical practice. In the clinic you will be tutored by experienced practising osteopaths. The clinical work is supported by classroom based theoretical and practical teaching. This is taught by specialists many of whom are also practising osteopaths.

A wide range of teaching methods are utilised including one-to-one and small group tutorials, workshops and seminars, case based learning. Along with most other areas of Higher Education we put a strong emphasis on small group and self directed learning.

You are expected to manage your own learning and to become an independent learner by the time you graduate. This will prepare you for the expectations of modern professional life with its emphasis on life-long learning and continuing professional development. In addition it is recognised that learning is more effective when it is self-managed; personal development plans, the use of portfolios of evidence and self-reflection are important elements in supporting your learning.

We are gradually introducing computer aided learning and many resources are now available in an electronic format with online formative assessments.

The Mixed Mode Pathway (MMP) is distinguished by mixed full- and part-time attendance over the five years of the course. The first three years are part time, with attendance on fifteen weekends and some additional weekday clinic observations. First years spend two days in the clinic moving on to five days in the second year and eight days in year three. The final two years are full time when the MMP joins with the Standard Pathway. The MMP is designed to enable students who can demonstrate the ability to work independently the opportunity to enter an osteopathic degree course while maintaining career or home responsibilities. This pathway also supports the Schools commitment to widening participation.

The curriculum is delivered in traditional and virtual learning environments. The emphasis is on providing students with an integrated approach to theory and clinical practice with a strong focus on self managed learning and learner ownership of learning. A wide range of teaching methods are utilised, including on line delivery of lectures and self managed tasks, on line forums, one to one and small group tutorials, practical sessions and practice, workshops and seminars. Along with most other areas of Higher Education we put a strong emphasis on small group and self-managed learning.

You are expected to be able to manage your own learning and to be an independent learner before embarking on the course. In addition to being a necessary prelude to the demands of the MMP it will prepare you for the expectations of modern professional life with its emphasis on life-long learning and continuing professional development. It is recognised that learning is more effective when it is self managed; personal development plans, the use of portfolios of evidence and self reflection are important elements in supporting your learning.

Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body Accreditation

N/A

Students with disabilities

If you have, or think you may have a disability or special learning need, you are advised to disclose this to the Welfare and Equality Manager as soon as possible. You may be entitled to Disabled Students Allowance and reasonable adjustments to the course such as: extra examination time. The Welfare and Equality Manager is based in Room 3.06 and is available on Mixed mode weekends by appointment.

In line with our duties under the Equality Act 2010, the BSO actively promotes equality for all. To encourage this the Equality Manager holds regular Equality Committee meetings which all BSO stakeholders are invited to attend.

Skills Development

Communication:

Communication skills are fundamental to clinical practice and feature in case history taking, writing case notes, as well as verbal and non verbal communication with tutors, students, patients (and their families). The ability to write professional letters to other health care workers and to write reports for patients and their agents also requires high level communication skills. In addition, you will be expected to present to small and large groups supported as necessary by AV media. Communication skills are covered explicitly in the Osteopathic Practice Unit and are covered implicitly in all areas of the course, as good communication skills are fundamental to being a successful osteopath. Furthermore you will have the opportunity to develop strong e-based communication skills as you participate in e-learning.

Information Literacy:

IT is an important resource both within the BSO and increasingly in professional practice. You will be expected to use IT for many aspects of your involvement in the course including: using the VLE and undertaking e-learning tasks, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, communication between yourself and faculty, staff and other students using both email, on-line conferences, forums, wikis, blogs etc, statistical data analysis; searching on-line resources; presentations; and to record resources such as video of your clinical performance to support your learning. The BSO believes that it is best developed within the context of the academic curriculum, rather than as a separate add-on removed from the subject content. It is suggested that students are more likely to recognise the relevance and importance of information literacy if teaching is delivered at the point of need, affiliated with their own subject, and included in assessment. In the first year a basic IT introduction is undertaken along with extra training in the use and purpose of e-learning and the BSOs on-line learning environment. Students are then encouraged to seek help as and when required. If there is an identified need the school will aim to run specific workshops to address the issues raised.

Research and Evaluation:

To help with the development of this you will: Undertake the Critical Analysis and Enquiry Unit. The first year of this unit is highly supportive and there are several major topics introduced at this level to underpin your development. These include Introduction to Critical Thinking, Nature and Hierarchy of Evidence, Referencing and Literature searching, Essay Writing Skills, Introduction to Working in Groups, Approaches to Problem Solving and Decision Making, Philosophy of Science, and the PDP as a strong reflective element. At this level you will be asked to present evidence of critical thinking and to review osteopathic literature. All aspects of the delivered and self managed study in this area focus on deepening your awareness and knowledge of osteopathic research. It also prepares you for the transition from guided learning with some self managed component to a higher level of self managed learning in the third and final years.

Creativity and Critical Thinking:

To help with the development of this you will: Take part in different methods of teaching and learning such as case based learning, small group seminars, tutorials, and also in a variety of assessment methods such as study journals, portfolios and self-assessments. There will be opportunities to use diverse forms of evidence through the integration of on-line learning tasks in both formal teaching and informal contact. These are creative works, and you are encouraged to experiment with fictional forms of writing, or writing from different perspectives. Completing practicals and assignments in such a way that demonstrated the application of understanding and ability to utilize knowledge that goes beyond the learning materials that were provided. You are given the opportunity to explore new opportunities with the Student Learning Advisor and your Academic Tutors with regard to academic and personal skills development, and different ways of learning. Criticality is introduced in year one in the Critical Analysis and Enquiry Unit, the themes of reflection and criticality are built on throughout the course.

Improving learning and performance

The BSO works hard to promote personalised learner development as appropriate preparation for a profession that demands its practitioners become reflective. This is headed up by the Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) that is completed by all students across the five years of the course. This document encourages the students to highlight their own areas of development while building on their personal successes and they are supported in this by Academic Tutors. These tutors offer generic academic support during the first year where this is most necessary, before turning to more osteopathic work as the course progresses. Students are encouraged to open a dialogue about their work with these tutors as well as those who assess them to ensure they can more effectively highlight where they need to go next. A program of Study Skills is taught to all Level 4 Students to prepare them for their studies, including work on Essay Writing, Examination Technique, Working in Groups and Problem Solving. These classes are then made available to individuals and other years groups as requested.

Progress files

In line with other sectors in Higher Education, the BSO has introduced Professional Development Plans (PDPs) into the course structure. These are introduced in Year 1 where the development plan is summatively assessed. Your PDP will help you to monitor your progress, record your achievements and enable you to plan your development through the course most effectively. Support will be provided by the Student Learning Advisor who is part of the Student Support Team. Your PDP will also record and enable us to assess your progress in the six key skills outlined above and help you to formulate an action plan to further develop these skills. You are expected to manage your learning under guidance from faculty. You will undertake a personal development plan where you identify your strengths and devise strategies and plans to build on them and to improve areas of weakness. In addition, you are expected to keep a record of a range of experiences in the clinic, to reflect on them and modify your performance as a consequence. In years 2, 3, 4 and 5 the PDP is supported by the Academic Tutors. The BSO is considering piloting the use of e-portfolios integrated into the on-line environment to expand the possible ways you can evidence your learning and development and potentially reach a wider audience.

Professional standards

Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Checks:

• You and staff are expected to be aware of what it means to work with the public in a professional healthcare context as you progress through the course. You will be interacting with a diversity of patients, which may include young people and vulnerable adults

It is therefore necessary for you to undertake a number of CRB checks at particular stages throughout the course as follows:

• You are required to complete a CRB Check for The British School of Osteopathy when you register as a 1st year student. This helps to inform the School about your position of trust and to ensure that the School provides and maintains its protection of its patients and staff, as you undertake clinical experience in years 1, 2 and 3


• You are required to complete a CRB Check for The British School of Osteopathy at the end of the 3rd year prior to commencing your Summer Vacation, year 4 and year 5 clinic requirement. This helps to inform the School about your position of trust after two years at the school and ensures that the School again provides and maintains protection of its patients and staff, particularly as you progress to undertaking responsibility for your own patients during the Summer Vacation period


• You are also required to complete a CRB Check as a 4th Year student for each elective clinic you attend prior to each elective clinic placement

This will help inform each elective clinic about your position of trust and is of particular importance regarding the nature of the elective clinics:

• The Beormund School for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties


• The Chapman Clinic dedicated to the treatment of patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS


• The East Street Clinic offering free access to osteopathic treatment, overcoming the problems associated with financial status, socio-economics inequalities and inequities


• Lucy Brown House offering free treatment to the elderly residents of Lucy Brown House within their own homes


• The Manna Centre for the homeless to assess, evaluate and provide treatment to the homeless

Attendance & Punctuality Requirements:

• As a training healthcare practitioner the importance of keeping appointments and to time is evident. You are therefore required to attend all classes regularly and punctually. Your attendance to classes is monitored regularly

Your are reminded that:

• At least 70% attendance overall is required of all students


• 90% attendance in the Practical Osteopathic Skills (POS) and Osteopathic Practice (OP) units is expected - if you fail to attend the required number of POS and OP sessions you may be prevented from taking the end of year assessment in these units

For academic lectures, tutorials, seminars and practical classes:

• It is your responsibility to sign the register for each class you attend


• You are required to inform Registry of any unavoidable absence from these lasses

For clinical sessions:

• It is particularly important that you inform Clinic Administration of any unavoidable lateness to or absence from any clinic session. You are a training professional within the clinic and have a responsibility to your patients, colleagues and staff at the BSO. You are required to ensure that BSO Clinic Reception/Administrative staff are made aware of any student absence with as much notice as possible so that alternative arrangements can be made in good time. This is of particular importance when you become responsible for your own patients in the final years of the course

General Behaviour:

• As a training professional, you are expected to conduct yourself in an orderly, dignified and professional manner at all times both in the precincts of the School and elsewhere


• You are expected to demonstrate honesty and integrity in all dealings within the School


• Anybody practicing or purporting to practice as an osteopath other than under the auspices of the School will be liable to summary dismissal from the School

Clinic Professional Standards:

Within any clinical environment you are required to behave and present yourself as the training professional that you are. Patients are entrusting you with their care and you should at all times endeavour to respect such trust by responding to this privilege to the best of your ability. There are therefore several professional standards directly related to your clinical education that you are required to adhere to:

Dress Code:

• When observing or treating patients within the Clinic you must be appropriately attired and white dentist-style coats must be worn at all times


• Your personal appearance is of importance and patients will expect you to look and act as a member of a professional health care team


• Further details about the dress code within the clinic may be found in the Student Clinic Handbook

Behaviour:

• All students and staff must be aware of current General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) practice guidelines which include the Code of Practice and Standard 2000 (S2K) (both of which can be found on the GOsC website (www.osteopathy.org) and are expected to behave in a professional manner during all clinical interactions in compliance with the GOsC practice guidelines


• The use of mobile phones by students and tutors is normally not permitted during clinic sessions. If you require the use of your mobile phone, for instance if you are expecting an urgent message, please keep the phone on silent or answer-phone. The use of mobile phones is strictly not permitted during student / tutorpatient interactions

Confidentiality:

• You have an implicit duty to keep all information concerning, and views formed about patients entirely confidential


• Any written notes concerning patients must stay within the confines of the Clinic

Use of Mobile Phones:

• You must not use mobile phones during any taught class. Please ensure that they are kept on silent or answer-phone mode during classes


• The use of mobile phones within the clinical environment is outlined above

Contact Arrangements:

• You are required to provide a valid permanent, term-time and correspondence contact address and telephone number to Registry when you register as a student each academic year


• You are required to provide Registry with a current contact number of your next-of-kin should the school need to contact them in an emergency


• You are required to inform Registry of any change of address or telephone number and ensure that your contact details held by Registry are kept up to date

Assessment Requirements:

• You are required to have an awareness of the Schools Assessment Regulations as detailed in the Student Handbook


• You are required to be aware of the Schools Plagiarism Policy as detailed in the Student Handbook. Plagiarism is not tolerated and if plagiarism of an assessment or examination is suspected an investigation will be undertaken

School Policies and Procedures:

• You are required to familiarise yourself with all School Policies and Regulations as detailed in the Student Handbook

Strategy for developing and embedding the professional standards

1. Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Checks:

• As a first year student you will be sent a CRB Application Form (accompanying Guidelines explaining how to complete the form will also be provided) following confirmation of your place at the British School of Osteopathy by the Admissions Department, explaining the reasons for the CRB check. This will be processed on the first day of the Autumn Term. The results of your CRB Check will be reviewed in line with the BSOs Internal CRB Check Policy (detailed in the Student Handbook)


• As a 2nd-3rd year student, you will be asked to collect a CRB Application Form (accompanying Guidelines explaining how to complete the form will also be provided) from Registry at the end of the Summer Term of your 2nd year and processed as appropriate. The results of your CRB Check will be reviewed in line with the BSOs Internal CRB Check Policy (detailed in the Student Handbook)


• As a 4th year student, you will be asked to collect a CRB Application Form (accompanying Guidelines explaining how to complete the form will also be provided) from Registry prior to commencing your elective clinic placements as appropriate. The results of your CRB Check will be reviewed by each elective clinic and relayed to you by them


• The BSOs Internal CRB Check Policy will be monitored annually

2. Attendance & Punctuality Requirements:

• At the beginning of the academic year you will receive a Student Handbook that details attendance requirements. This will be reviewed annually


• Your attendance to all academic classes is monitored by the Registrar on a monthly basis


• Your attendance to all clinic sessions is monitored by the Clinic Co-ordinator on a monthly basis


• If your attendance is giving cause for concern, you will be required to attend an interview with the appropriate Area of Study Manager(s) and Student Welfare Advisor

3. General Behaviour:

• At the beginning of the academic year you will receive a Student Handbook that details the Schools policy on conduct. This will be reviewed annually


• If your behaviour constitutes misconduct as detailed in the Student Handbook, disciplinary action may be taken

4. Clinic Professional Standards:

• At the beginning of the academic year you will receive a Student Clinic Handbook that details dress code, behaviour, confidentiality and ethical issues that will be encountered within the clinic environment. This will be reviewed annually


• You will also receive copies of the GOsC Code of Practice and S2K at the beginning of the academic year

5. Use of Mobile Phones:

• At the beginning of the academic year you will receive a Student Handbook that details the Schools policy on the use of mobile phones. This will be reviewed annually

6. Contact Arrangements:

• At the beginning of the academic year you will receive a Student Handbook that details the Schools policy on informing the School your contact details. This will be reviewed annually

7. Assessment Requirements:

• At the beginning of the academic year you will receive a Student Handbook that details the Schools Exam and Assessment Regulations and Plagiarism Policy. This will be reviewed annually

8. School Policies and Procedures:

• At the beginning of the academic year you will receive a Student Handbook that details the Schools Policies and Procedures. This will be reviewed annually