Raising behaviour concerns in the Peninsula Medical School (BMBS)

Find out how you can raise behaviour concerns for a student on Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery within the Peninsula Medical School
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Types of concerns about a medical student's behaviour

The school encourages feedback on the behaviour of individual students to identify concerns. 

This can enable us to provide remediation to help get the student back on track. We have classified concerns as:

  • Low-level concerns – these relate to single events that might not seem significant, but if repeated cause concern. These include lateness, unauthorised absence, failure to respond to feedback, behavioural issues, missed or late submissions.
  • On the spot professionalism concerns – these relate to behaviours well below the expected standard and include repeated absences or lateness, inappropriate communications and inappropriate behaviours including untruthfulness.

How do I raise a concern?

The link below will take you to a simple form that will enable you to report either a low-level concern or an on the spot professionalism concern.

On the spot (professionalism excellence and concerns) and low level concerns form

If you have an immediate or major concern about a student's health and welfare please refer to the University student services information for staff in the first instance. If these options exceed the needs of the student situation, or the immediate or major concern relates to professionalism please email: meddent-concerns@plymouth.ac.uk. If immediate action is taken as a result of referral to the information for staff guidance, please ensure that any action and outcome is shared with meddent-concerns@plymouth.ac.uk to ensure accurate records are maintained.

Further support options that are available from the University, and which may be relevant to signpost a student to, can be found at our Student Services pages.

What happens when I have raised a concern?

All low-level concerns are reviewed and recorded by the faculty office. 

They are reviewed by the Low-Level Concerns Panel. 

The student and academic tutor are notified and should discuss the concern at the next scheduled meeting. 

More serious concerns are reviewed by the Professionalism Lead and remediation arranged. 

Any action taken is considered and proportionate. Very serious concerns may result in consideration of the student’s Fitness to Practise.

What happens to the information I submit to the Faculty Office?

Information you submit will be held by the Medical School in accordance with the University of Plymouth GDPR Policy. Your submission, including your name, is made available to the student, academic tutor and professionalism lead.

Further reading

Medical students: Professional Values and Fitness to Practise. GMC and Medical Schools Council Guidance 2016.

Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety. GMC Guidance 2012.

Openness and honesty when things go wrong: The professional duty of candour. GMC Guidance 2015.

Good medical practice. GMC Guidance 2014.