It is important that you look after your health, both whilst you are on the Programme and for the rest of your life. Your health is should be your priority and the University can support you in putting it first.

If your health is interfering with your studies, or you feel it has the potential to, talk to the Student Pastoral Support (SPS) Team about the problems you are facing so that we can make sure you are getting all the appropriate support.

Throughout the course you will be learning to advise patients about keeping themselves healthy – the same advice applies to you:

• Eat well
• Sleep well
• Exercise
• Talk to friends and family
• Take time out to relax
• Steer clear of recreational drugs and only take alcohol in moderation
• Seek help and support when you need it either from your GP and/or the Programme/University

Just like your patients, you need a good doctor. You must never treat yourself, nor ask a friend or family member to do so, as those close to you cannot be impartial. There may be questions they do not like to ask you or concerns you do not like to disclose to them. Make sure you register with a GP locally so that you have a reliable source of medical advice when needed.

Occupational Health Service

The University’s Occupational Health Service is here to support students who are facing any physical or mental health issues that may be impacting their wellbeing or studies.

Throughout your time on the course you may need to seek advice and guidance from the service about your health and any recommendations they make. This could be on a range of issues including:

• Advice on a student’s fitness to undertake a course and any appropriate adjustments that may be required
• Advice on fitness to study where there is a concern in relation to a student’s medical fitness to attend university, study and sit exams
• Health surveillance where required by legislation
• Appropriate screening and vaccinations where necessary depending on the demands of the course
• Provision of comprehensive travel advice/ vaccinations/ travel packs for course related (e.g. field work, electives etc.) travel
• Provision of health promotion advice on a range of issues such as alcohol and drugs.
• Management of Inoculation / Sharps incidents.
• Advice on health related issues

You can find out more about the service and what they do by clicking on this link and visiting their webpage: University’s Occupational Health Service.

Confidentiality

Be reassured that seeking help for a health problem, be it physical or mental, is a sign of insight and is therefore seen as a positive strength not a sign of weakness.

It is very rare for any illness to cause a medical student or doctor to be a risk to patients, or to themselves. These are the only circumstances when the normal rules of confidentiality of your medical record would not apply.  In this case it would be the ethical duty of those aware of the situation to refer you for appropriate help.

Whilst you are on the Programme this normally means referral to the University’s Occupational Health Service and/or to the University’s Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS) for advice. Both of these services are here to support you and make sure your health is being prioritised.

If you ever feel like you might want to discuss a health problem that is affecting your wellbeing or your studies, please contact us at med.sps@manchester.ac.uk for support.

Long term medical conditions

Help, support and guidance is available through the University if you have a condition affecting your physical or mental health that has a significant, adverse and long-term effect on your ability to study. The University’s Disability Advisory and Support Service will be able to discuss with you any reasonable adjustments that may be made to help you. The Programme may also suggest a case conference involving you, the University Occupational Health Service and the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS)  to discuss how best to support you throughout your studies.

Mental Health Difficulties

Minor emotional problems or mental health problems are very common, even amongst doctors and medical students, and it is important that you know where to turn for help. If you need some  guidance about what support you may need to seek you can speak to the Student Pastoral Support Team.

You may wish to consider the University Counselling and Mental Health Service which offers both useful self help resources (on-line and face to face workshops) and one to one appointments. It usually has a shorter waiting time than is the case for services available through your GP but you should also talk to your own doctor to discuss other treatment options, including (but not restricted to ) medication if appropriate.

If you are receiving appropriate care but your condition is still affecting your ability to study, speak to the Student Pastoral Support Team. We will do all we can to support you.

If your symptoms have a significant, adverse and/or long-term effect on your ability to study (i.e. more than one year), you may be eligible for support from the University’s Disability Advisory and Support Service.

You should be reassured that in all but the most extreme and uncommon circumstances (such as a severe psychotic disorder which persists or relapses despite treatment), your place on the Programme will be unaffected. Please read the mythbusters from the GMC.

Physical Illness and Blood Borne Viruses

If you have concerns that a physical illness or condition will (or has the potential to) impact on your ability to study and/or attend the Programme, you are encouraged to seek confidential advice from the University Occupational Health Service.

This includes situations where you have either contracted, or have potentially contracted, a blood borne virus. In this case, you will be counselled and if appropriate referred for further specialist treatment.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Instances of drug and/or alcohol abuse are taken seriously by both the GMC and the MB ChB Programme. If you are involved in either, it is important that you

• Recognise that you have a problem
• Seek help

The Student Pastoral Support (SPS) Team is likely to be your first port of call in this instance. Alternatively, you may access confidential help and advice directly from the University Occupational Health Service. Be aware that the Service has an ethical duty to inform the Programme if your drug and/or alcohol use may have implications for the safety of patients.

The Programme and University will do all we can to support you, offering both advice and practical help. Misuse of drugs or alcohol may be associated with underlying stress, anxiety or depression that can be treated.

You may be asked to comply with monitoring arrangements, including regular review meetings and random drug and/or alcohol screening, for which you may be expected to pay.

If abuse is recurrent and persistent, or if you behave violently or criminally because of drugs and/or alcohol (either related to your studies or in your private life), you may be deemed a risk to patients and may ultimately have your studies suspended and/or be considered under the Faculty of BMH Fitness to Practise Student Guidance.

Please read: Substance Misuse Policy

Fitness to Practise

If your health repeatedly impacts on your ability to meet the demands of the Programme, or in extremely rare circumstances where your health might pose a risk to patients or fellow students, then you would be considered under the Faculty of BMH Fitness to Practise procedure. We must stress that every effort is made to ensure that you are helped with appropriate support and treatment to enable you to complete your studies.

Planning Elective Surgery During the MB ChB Programme

If you need to have or plan to have elective surgery whilst you are on the MB ChB programme, you need to consider:

• Likely recovery times (including the risk that complications may delay your recovery);
• Attendance requirements for the programme;
• University and NHS Trust policies around fitness to learn in the clinical environment including infection control and patient safety.

We strongly advise you to speak to the Student Pastoral Support (SPS) team, either at the University or within your clinical education campus to make sure you have thought about all the implications of the timing and surgery on your studies before you set a date.

The Student Occupational Health Service can discuss with you the likely recovery times from your operation and the restrictions that may apply with regard to being in a clinical environment. For example, many Trusts will not allow a student with a leg in a cast to be on the wards, and the bare below the elbows rules for infection control prohibit students from being on placement whilst in a forearm cast.

Illness around assessment times

If you are unwell around exam time and feel your health may adversely affect your performance, you are strongly advised to read the guidance on mitigating circumstances. If you are ill on the day please inform the Programme Assessment team.

[Adapted with permission from the University of Newcastle Medical School Handbook]