Overview
There are a number of additional expectations that must be accepted when starting the course. During your clinical placement there may be times when you are expected to work during the evening or at weekends, so that you are working with your Mentor. Advance notice will be given. Operating Departments run 24 hours a day and as a student you will be required to work some of your placement outside of ‘normal’ shift hours in order to be able to experience emergency work.
Most of your clinical experience will be based in one hospital. In order to achieve the minimum number of required clinical experiences expected for the course, there may be some placements based in other hospitals. Again advanced notice will be given.
ODP is a very practical role and thus the majority of learning is undertaken at ‘base’ hospitals. Bournemouth University is affiliated with the following hospitals:
Dorset
Somerset
South Wiltshire
At least half of your time, over the two years, is spent at your 'base' hospital.
Placement locality: Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton
Where is Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton? Musgrove Park Hospital (MPH) Taunton is part of Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. Somerset is located centrally between the north and south coasts in the South West of England. MPH is 75 miles from BU's Lansdowne Campus (approximately 2 hours drive).
What accommodation provision is there if my placement is in Taunton? Housing is available by private arrangement on-site at MPH, with rented en-suite study room style accommodation with shared facilities and sporting amenities costing £85 per week / £370 pcm. Please contact the hospital directly for details and availability. Call 01823 342559 or email Bernie Wilcox.
Where can I find further information about MPH? MPH is a successful, progressive and ambitious Foundation Status Hospital, the largest in Somerset, with an excellent reputation for providing a comprehensive range of medical, surgical and specialist services. The hospital has over 700 beds, 30 wards, 15 operating theatres, a fully equipped diagnostic imaging department and employs over 4,000 staff. Further details about MPH can be found by visiting their website.
Placement locality: Poole General Hospital
Where is Poole General Hospital? Poole General Hospital is part of the Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and is an acute general hospital. It is located 1/2 mile from Poole Town Centre on the South Coast and is approximately 5 miles from BU's Lansdowne Campus.
What accommodation provision is there if my placement is in Poole? Housing is available in Parkstone House, a 13-storey building with spectacular views of Poole Harbour. It has 214 en-suite rooms and is situated at the back of the Poole hospital site. The cost of a single room will be approximately £324 pcm. Please contact the hospital directly for details and availability. Call 01202 442368 or email Debbie McFarland.
Where can I find further information about Poole General Hospital? Further information about Poole General Hospital can be found on their website.
Placement locality: Salisbury District Hospital
Where is Salisbury District Hospital? Salisbury District Hospital is part of the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust and is situated approximately 30 miles from the Lansdowne Campus and offers a daily student bus service to Bournemouth University. Salisbury is an attractive and friendly place to work and home to the historic Salisbury Cathedral. It has Stonehenge nearby and is close to the New Forest.
What accommodation provision is there if my placement is in Salisbury? Student accommodation is available. Rooms are four to a flat with shared kitchen, bathroom and toilet. All flats have a cooker, washer dryer, fridge freezer, microwave, kettle, iron and ironing board, vacuum cleaner. Rent includes council tax, water rates, electricity, gas, internet access (Wireless broadband) and a four week supply of stores such as toilet tissue, paper towels, black bags etc.
Where can I find further information about Salisbury District Hospital? The Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of clinical care, which includes general, acute and emergency services. Salisbury Hospital is also the regional centre for Plastic surgery, Burns, Spinal injuries, rehabilitaion services and genetics. There are a total of 15 theatres, three of which are fully equipped laparoscopic theatres. The Trust also provides support for peripheral sites such MRI, Radiolology, Endoscopy, Obstetric unit and Laser Clinics. There is an education centre, which has a lecture theatre and the hospital encourages professional development for all professions. Further information about Salisbury District Hospital can be found on their website.
Placements and travel costs
Your learning will be based at our Lansdowne Campus, while clinical placements will be in a variety of places within Dorset and Somerset, in order to provide the necessary breadth of experience. This will involve some travel, and may require you to find short-term accommodation in order to participate in block placements.
The NHS Student Grants Unit (SGU) will inform you of the travel expenses you may be able to claim when they assess your bursary; they will also advise on expenses you may claim for accommodation costs incurred as a result of block placements away from home.
Placement Localities
Each of our NHS-funded training courses contains a significant amount of placement experience, with this often being undertaken in outlying areas rather than solely in towns/cities. You need to consider this when making your application and be clear about what you will be undertaking. If your placement locality is to be assigned for the full length of the course, i.e. for Nursing, Midwifery and ODP, you will need to consider the realities of training within that geographical area and be specific about which would be suitable for you – whilst being flexible may in some circumstances increase your chances of success, being unrealistic will lead to problems. Don't forget to ensure that you take note of the locality you have been assigned when you receive your offer letter and arrange your accommodation accordingly.
