Patient safety

Good students and doctors make the care of their patients their priority, so should the organisations that educate and train them. In non-clinical learning environments, there should also be a culture of promoting patient safety.

The professional learning environment is very important for students’ development and patient safety. Patients should be safe, their care and experience should be good, and education and training should be valued.

Preparedness for practice’ means the readiness of students to work in clinical practice. It includes not only clinical skills but also behavioural, emotional, and attitudinal aspects. The purpose of undergraduate education and training is to meet the learning outcomes required for provisional registration with us. Students should meet the required standards of knowledge, skills, and professional attributes. In particular, putting the interests of patients first at all times. They should assess their own capabilities and limitations, act within these boundaries, and know when to request support and advice.

1. The safety of patients should be the primary concern of medical schools, placement providers and students. Our Promoting excellence guidance outlines several key points on page 5 relating to patient safety during clinical placements.
2. For the safety of patients and students, students should be aware of the following guidance and follow it while on a clinical placement.

• Our guidance Good medical practice and our other guidance relating to issues such as consent, confidentiality and end of life care.
• Our Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety guidance. Medical schools should give students transparent guidance on how to raise concerns and the necessary steps involved.
• The guidance Achieving good medical practice: guidance for medical students, which we publish in collaboration with the Medical Schools Council.
• The guidance Professional behaviour and fitness to practise, which we publish in collaboration with the Medical Schools Council.
• Guidance issued by the UK health departments on professional practice.
• Guidance and protocols used in the specific placement to protect patient and student safety.

1. Patients should be informed via accessible formats that students are present for learning at the site. For example, patient leaflets, admission leaflets and outpatient letters. This should also include information about their right to object to the involvement of students without prejudice to their care.
2. As part of the consent taking process the doctor, or other healthcare professional, should explain to the patient how the student will be supervised and emphasise that they are part of the clinical team. 
3. Students should have opportunities to observe the consent process. 
4. Where students are more directly involved in patient care, for example being present in consulting rooms or observing treatment, specific consent should be obtained from the patient to make sure that they are comfortable having a student present. This consent should be obtained by the doctor or other registered healthcare professional responsible for the treatment.
5. Students with appropriate clinical experience may, under supervision, be responsible for explaining to patients what will happen to them. In some cases, they may take consent for minor procedures such as taking a blood sample or a blood pressure reading. For further information please refer to Decision making and consent. However, students should not take written consent for any procedures.
6. Medical schools should be aware of our supplementary guidance, Confidentiality: disclosing information for education and training purposes, in particular sections 4, 5 and 6