Student placements in the NHS

The Royal Marsden used the Fair Share Model to forecast placement capacity a year in advance and align it more closely with real service availability. Since 2022, this supported a 67 per cent increase in occupational therapy placements and a 90 per cent increase in physiotherapy and 4speech and language therapy placements. 

To support this, the therapies education team identified barriers and introduced practical changes to improve capacity and placement quality, including: 

• centralised placement planning and data collection 
• standardised onboarding, including checklists and learner information 
• improved communication with universities to reduce unused offers 
• used hybrid and non-clinical placement models where appropriate 
• reviewed feedback from students and educators after placements. 

Watch our webinar from the Workforce Supply Conference 2024 on how working with partners in education can enable better student placement planning and capacity growth. 

University Hospitals Sussex (UHS) faced coordination challenges with managing student placements across ten higher education institutions.

They introduced dedicated placement coordinators as a single point of contact for universities and supervisors to streamline the allocation process 

Hear from the UHS team for more details on system approaches to placement capacity:   

The University of Huddersfield’s podiatry teaching clinic gives students supervised, hands-on experience with patients whose needs match their stage of training. As students progress, they see more complex cases, helping them apply academic learning in a live clinical environment. 

Students build competence through assessed clinical activity and, from the second year, contribute to higher-risk clinics under appropriate supervision. This supports a gradual transition from simulated learning to real-world practice. 

Because the clinic is based at the university and supervised by academic staff who understand each student’s level of learning, it provides meaningful practical experience without relying only on NHS placement capacity. This can help reduce pressure on services while increasing opportunities for active learning. 

Third-year students also provide care in community settings, including a drop-in centre and outreach activity. This broadens learning beyond hospital environments, supports the shift towards community-based care and helps reach people who may be less likely to access services. 

These activities increase patient contact and help students apply their learning in different settings, including those that require flexible communication skills. 

An example of this service is the community nursing model where students were supervised in a 1-4 ratio within community settings such as care homes. Students took part in supervised tasks including examinations, taking phone calls and relieving pressure off qualified nurses within neighbourhood teams. 

The model was so successful that students felt more confident, and 86 per cent intended to apply for community nursing roles within 12 months of graduation. Watch the full webinar from our Workforce Supply Conference 2025 on how West Yorkshire ICB created the model and it can be implemented. 

Leeds Teaching Hospitals offer clinical informatics placements to second and third-year nursing, midwifery and AHP students to build digital competencies. The programme, led by over 200 digital advocates and overseen by the professional practice and standards team, aims to make digital literacy a core component of training. Each student is assigned a dedicated supervisor for regular support, while digital IT professionals deliver sessions on topics like project management. Self-directed learning is also encouraged to promote independence and ease supervisory demands.  

The clinical informatics module topics include:  

• working with virtual ward nurses, assessing and monitoring patients in the community using digital tools  
• supporting the creation, reviewing and digitisation of nursing documentation  
• understanding clinical safety through identifying and mitigating clinical risks associated with digital systems and tools  
• observing real-life data (eg perfect ward) to support students understanding the importance of good data input and how they can drive service improvements 
• self-directed learning that covers clinical safety essentials and using Microsoft Teams.  

The module received positive student feedback and assessments have shown a development in their understanding of digital healthcare, clinical safety, confidence and professional development.  

Devon Partnership NHS Trust successfully piloted a virtual work‑related learning programme to enhance placement experiences for mental health and occupational therapy students. The practice education team designed a 1.5‑day remote learning event delivered via Microsoft Teams for a cohort of 20 students. 

The initiative brought together experienced clinicians to present real case studies, enabling students to apply theory, practise clinical reasoning, and collaborate across professions. Mixed‑year groups worked together to develop and deliver presentations, giving senior students the chance to demonstrate leadership while first‑ and second‑year students benefited from peer‑supported learning. 

The virtual format removed barriers such as travel time and room availability, making participation easier across Devon’s wide geography. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, 100 per cent of students reported a valuable learning experience and the programme strengthened essential skills including communication, time management, multidisciplinary teamwork, and person‑centred care planning. 

The trust scaled up virtual learning, expanding to additional specialties such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and forensic services, and integrated the model into T Level industry placements. This approach not only broadens placement capacity but also mirrors the collaborative, multidisciplinary environment students will encounter in practice. 

The latest survey results show continued improvement across key measures of education and training quality.

• Learners reported strong experiences overall, with 88 per cent rating their educational experience positively, continuing an upward trend over the last three years.
• Positive induction experiences also increased to 87 per cent, and 90 per cent rated the quality of supervision favourably, consistent with previous years. 

Learners reported strengthened access to learning opportunities and peer support.

• 88 per cent felt they had sufficient access to learning opportunities, an increase from 84 per cent in 2022, and 79 per cent had access to a group or forum with fellow learners.
• Most (79 per cent) would recommend their placement or training post. 

Despite these positive shifts, workload continues to affect learning: 58 per cent said workload had a negative impact - only a slight improvement from 59 per cent in 2024. 

Although pressures remain, some wellbeing indicators are moving in a positive direction.

• 26 per cent of learners considered leaving their programme (an improvement from 30 per cent in 2024 and 32 per cent in 2023).
• Awareness and use of health and wellbeing resources also increased, with 77 per cent knowing how to access support and 71 per cent feeling able to use it. 

Creating a safe, supportive learning environment continues to enable learners to grow in confidence and contribute to safe care.

• 80 per cent reported they were not expected to undertake tasks they were unprepared for, and 90 per cent saw examples of safe care in practice.
• 55 per cent were encouraged to suggest improvements, and access to simulation and immersive learning opportunities rose to 38 per cent, up from 36 per cent in 2024. 

Learners reported increased confidence in knowing how and where to raise concerns. 95 per cent knew how to raise an issue within their organisation, and 84 per cent felt comfortable doing so. Awareness of how to access a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian increased to 78 per cent, continuing a year‑on‑year upward trend. Learn more via the National Guardian website. 

The survey shows reductions in several harmful behaviours, although further progress is needed.

• 13 per cent of learners experienced bullying or harassment, down from 16 per cent in 2024.
• Reports of discrimination from patients fell to 14 per cent.
• Unwanted sexual behaviours also decreased, reported by 3 per cent when coming from staff and 10 per cent from patients.
• Confidence in reporting such issues improved, with 29 per cent raising concerns and 34 per cent feeling appropriate action was taken. 

West Suffolk NHS Trust developed a dual‑strand support model, its peer mentorship programme and multi‑professional student forum, to strengthen student wellbeing, enhance placement experience, and significantly improve retention. 

The peer mentorship programme pairs senior students with those currently on placement, creating a confidential space for discussion, shared learning, and cross‑university collaboration. Sessions run bi‑monthly during peak placement periods and often include topic‑led discussions or open forums. This structure not only supports students emotionally but also helps surface variations in training across universities, enabling the trust to promote best practice. 

Complementing this is the student forum, a quarterly meeting led by senior nursing or education leaders. Unlike the confidential mentorship sessions, the forum provides a direct channel for students to raise concerns with the organisation. It also reinforces reporting pathways for issues such as discrimination and ensures feedback loops so students see their concerns addressed. 

By combining safe peer‑led spaces with organisational transparency and daily visibility from the education team, the trust has cultivated a culture where students feel valued and supported. This approach has contributed to an impressive 95 per cent student retention rate, with most students choosing to begin their careers at West Suffolk NHS Trust. 

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) transformed its T Level placement success by building deep, collaborative partnerships with three local colleges, ensuring students were genuinely prepared for clinical environments and future NHS careers.  

The trust also invested in specialist training, simulation‑based learning, and pastoral support. Each placement area had a dedicated education lead, and existing support workers were upskilled to mentor students, strengthening both student experience and staff development. 

This resulted in 100 per cent of Level 3 students remaining in health‑related jobs or courses after completing the programme, and many chose to work at UHS. The partnership required no additional funding - only a shift in mindset toward shared ownership, clear communication, and employer‑led design. 

Collaborative Learning in Practice (CLiP) is a widely used model designed to enhance student placement experiences through peer-to-peer support across year groups. While care remains under the supervision of a practice supervisor or assessor, students take the lead in organising and delivering it, offering a hands-on, realistic experience that builds confidence, leadership, and clinical skills. The model also integrates the wider ward team into the learning environment, exposing students to various roles such as reception, estates, and other clinical professionals. A key benefit is its ability to deliver high-quality supervision and coaching within existing staffing constraints. 

Listen to the podcast from James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on how it implemented the the CLiP model.

This placement model, adapted from CLiP, is bespoke to Greater Manchester and developed collaboratively by local NHS trusts and universities. It uses a coaching approach, rather than traditional mentoring, to build student confidence, competence, and performance through hands-on care.  

While each student is assigned a named mentor, day-to-day coaching is provided by experienced practitioners who may not be mentors. The learning environment is further supported by a practice project lead, practice education facilitator, and university link lecturer, offering expert guidance to students, mentors, and coaches. 

Long-arm practice supervision refers to the process of supporting students in placements in line with professional body requirements from a distance. It aims to foster independence on placements in areas that do not have registered healthcare professionals, for example, social care, whilst still gaining support at arm’s length. The model aims to increases students’ confidence in their abilities and their own time management giving them a good placement experience, which can boost future recruitment. It also increases placement capacity rotational opportunities as the long-arm supervisor can take on more students at a distance.  

This model involves one educator and multiple students (usually 2:1 but can be more) who offer peer support to each and can help develop different skill sets. This is useful to organisations who have fewer members of supervisory staff but want to offer more placements. It is commonly used within physiotherapy. 

A student is shared between two or more staff members in a team and co-ordinated by a lead educator. This can be an ideal way to include part-time staff or to offer a placement across two different teams. This could be splitting their placement over the week or even through the day for example, in one service in the morning and another in the afternoon. The student can still be on placement but can receive an enhanced experience through having more opportunities to learn in different areas, as long they have clear objectives and an understanding of how to achieve them. 

In some primary, independent and voluntary organisations (PIVO) placements, supervision might be provided by a staff member (not necessarily from the same profession) on site, with off-site supervision from a practice educator or registered professional. This can enable a better balance between student supervision and their clinical duties. 

This model is suited to ward and community-based settings, where students follow a 12-hour shift pattern. It is useful to services which have 24-hour care settings, so students can see the whole patient journey whilst providing care, getting an insight into how wards run in the day and evening.