FAQ's

Our nursing apprentices, whether Registered Degree Nursing Apprentices (RNDA) or Trainee Nursing Associates (TNA), are employees of the Trust as well as students at the Open University. Each student is allocated a core base, and so a Line Manager. Each Line Manager will manage the student in the same way that they would any other member of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust staff. The only additional requirement is that the Clinical Education Team (CET) and the Open University (OU) will also be involved in supporting students too.

The Trust is committed to supporting and developing its employees in a fair and equitable manner to ensure that they are able to fulfil their roles and responsibilities to a high standard of competence. Where these standards are not met, employees will be offered support, encouragement, guidance and, if necessary and appropriate, (re)training with effective, regular and constructive feedback relating to their work performance. Managers are responsible for ensuring that performance issues are addressed promptly and fairly.

Managers must also ensure that there is an accurate record of the hours that the apprentice has worked. Please review the information for each Cohort of apprentices. 

All our nursing apprentices are employees of the Trust.  As such there is a requirement that every individual member of Trust staff reviews their mandatory training responsibilities and ensures they are up to date.  At the start of their programme all apprentices must achieve 100% mandatory training completion before they are able to start in practice.

Many apprentices may only have once placement in their core base area making it difficult for the manager to complete an appraisal.  This appraisal can be completed during any review meeting that the student has with their assessor.  The apprentice can self-reflect and then prepare the section at the beginning of the appraisal document.  The objectives for the year can come from the learning objectives set during the review meeting.  Once this can been completed the apprentice must then send a copy to their core base manager for confirmation.

Our Nursing Apprentices will be funded outside of the department’s establishments.  The establishment will not include a budget for the apprentice and will be managed as an authorised cost pressure until they fill an existing vacancy.  Authorisation for this comes from the Trust workforce development paper.

The RNDA/TNA will be employed as a Nursing Apprentice for 37.5 hours per week under A4C T&C’s Annexe 21 and receive a new Contract of Employment.  The manager of the apprentice’s Core base is the Line Manager for the duration of the apprenticeship.

Please contact the Clinical Education Team via the generic email address which is iownt.clinicaleducationteam@nhs.net.  If you know the Practice Development Facilitator for your area please also copy them into any correspondence.

Please use this flow chart for guidance. 

The PDF can offer impartial support to both the student and the Line Manager.  Arranging and encouraging open, frank and solution driven discussions can greatly assist the informal process of managing a student concern.

The CET will ensure that actions plans are produced and regularly reviewed.  The involvement of further avenues of support will also be discussed and explored.  They work in close partnership with the Open University to ensure those vital theory and practice links happen.

An action plan will be used to monitor and record any concerns.  These are regularly reviewed as part of the Quality Assurance process that the Trust undertakes.

This will depend on the nature of the concern.  If it is a capability e.g. lack of skills, aptitude, knowledge, ability, ill health/lack of attendance and/or values/behaviours (this list is not exhaustive) or conduct concern then the Line Manager will have responsibility, supported by the CET and the apprentice academic team. 

If the concern is focused around an academic issue then this will ultimately be the responsibility of the University academic team, supported by the CET and the Trust.

The incident or concern should be dealt with by the manager of the area where the student is currently on placement.  The additional requirement will be that the core base manager will also be informed of the concern and the outcome of any action plans that have been put in place.  They may also be involved in the ongoing management of the student.  This will be dependent on each individual case. The CET will also offer support.

Decide whether the nature of the concern is a conduct issue in which case the Disciplinary and Dismissal Policy should be followed. Misconduct can be defined broadly as inappropriate actions taken by an individual that contradict the rules, principles and policies of the Trust.

Where the issue is one of capability then the Capability Policy and Procedure will provide guidance.  This policy applies where there is a genuine lack of capability displayed in some or all of the work that the employee is asked to deliver, e.g. lack of skills, aptitude, knowledge, ability, ill health/lack of attendance and/or values/behaviours.

The Manager, supported by the CET should undertake an informal meeting with the student to wherever possible resolve minor issues with a staff member informally and swiftly; the maintenance of standards and performance do not necessarily require formal procedures.

Most problems of underperformance may be identified and addressed at the informal stage of the process. This informal stage provides an opportunity to encourage open discussion of the issues involved and to seek effective solutions, including the involvement of appropriate support services.

This may result in an action plan being developed so that all parties are aware of their responsibilities in achieving the desired outcome.

The student should be made aware that failure to comply with an action plan will result in a more structured and formal approach.  Copies of the relevant policy should be made available for the student to read so that they are aware of the process that will be followed.

During the INFORMAL stage, there is no statutory right for the employee to be accompanied at any meeting.

IOW NHS Trust Policy List

The primary objective must be to assist and support the employee to improve to the required standard.

Where a line manager considers that an individual’s performance is less than reasonably expected, the line manager must meet with the individual in a confidential setting to discuss their current performance. The line manager must ensure that this is a two way discussion to explore the concerns related to their current performance.  The discussion should aim to;

• identify any reasons/contributing factors
• discuss how improvements can be made and reinforce what level of performance is expected
• discuss relevant support that is needed including any training requirements
• set clear objectives ensuring that these are SMART i.e. specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time limited
• agree a review date
• to inform the individual that persistent failure to deliver the standards required may result in formal capability/conduct action
• if, after reviewing the evidence, it may be appropriate to orally warn the individual that continued non-delivery of agreed standards may lead to formal disciplinary action and eventually the possibility of dismissal
• To put the verbal advice in writing within the summary of the discussion and give a copy to the staff member. This will include a copy of the completed file note (a file note template can be found the Disciplinary Policy Toolkit resources on the HR Portal).

The line manager should document the discussion and confirm the outcome of the meeting in writing to the individual.

• Ensure that employees understand the expected level of performance and objectives as outlined in their job descriptions and annual objectives
• Ensure that performance is monitored via regular supervision, one-to-ones, and the annual appraisal
• Ensure that supervision/appraisal discussions are documented
• Ensure that employees are given appropriate training and support to meet the requirements of their job roles
• Provide constructive feedback and address concerns in a timely and professional manner
• Be fair, consistent and supportive
• Consider whether there is a concern relating to fitness to practice for registrants and whether a referral to the relevant professional body is required

The HR department are available for advice and guidance in any aspect of managing staff.  It is advisable to contact them if you are unsure about the nature of the concern.  In cases of conduct issues it is advisable to seek HR involvement even in the informal stages.

Sources of concern regarding conduct  are listed below but it is recognised that this list is by no means exhaustive:

• Patient or service user observations.
• Staff observations.
• Management observations.
• Concerns raised by a professional body.
• Report or complaint from another NHS, or non-NHS, organisation.
• Provision of false information.
• Complaints or concerns raised by patient and/or colleague.
• Allegations of harassment or bullying.
• Outcome of a grievance investigation or hearing.
• The outcome of an internal investigation.
• The outcome of a serious untoward incident investigation and/or findings of a review/report.

If there is continued, unsatisfactory performance despite the employee being given reasonable support/assistance, objectives to meet and time to improve; the employee should be invited to a Formal Stage 1 Meeting.

All students, regardless of where they are a student, will need an induction to the area where they are on placement.

All apprentice nurses will require 3 documented interviews to be completed during each full placement.  Students are able to print off extra copies of forms if necessary.  If an electronic assessment document is used this will also be the case.

If the student is on a short  placement experience a formal interview is not required.  However to ensure a valuable learning experience setting learning objectives at the start of the placement will assist student led learning.

At the start of a programme of study a Covid Risk Assessment is completed for all apprentices.  If there is any change in the health status of the student or in the service provision of the placement area then a new assessment will be required.

Annual leave is booked by the student in the same way as any other staff member, even though this is set.  Occasionally this may need to be adjusted by the student.  Please discuss this with the core base manager and the Education Team.