Clinical Observational Placements
At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we offer clinical observational placements which allow individuals to gain an overview of medical processes and systems by observing a consultant in a relevant specialty.
These types of observational placements are suitable for:
- International medical graduates who want to observe clinical practice in the NHS in the UK
- Individuals that would like to develop their skills and knowledge within a specific field.
What happens during a placement:
Each clinical observer is paired with a consultant supervisor, who acts as a mentor throughout the programme. The supervisor will work with the observer to create a tailored experience, ensuring that you make the most of this unique opportunity.
During the placement, the observer will not be given any duties of responsibility and is not able to make clinical decisions or give clinical advice.
During the placements, doctors will observe and participate in a range of activities including:
- Multi-disciplinary team (MDTs) meetings: specialist teams of health professionals who together with the patient and the specialist doctor decide diagnosis, care, and treatment
- Clinics and ward rounds
- Management meetings
- Quality improvement activities
- Teaching sessions
- Observing surgery in theatres
- Local induction
Clinical Observers must not under any circumstances:
- Take specimens
- Prescribe
- Order diagnostic tests
- Undertake examinations, initiate advice, or cease the treatment of patients
- Present themselves as an employee of MWL
Observers are not authorised by the Trust to provide services of any kind either in an employed or honorary capacity.
Role of the supervising consultant
The supervising consultant is responsible for ensuring that the observer has knowledge of the essential skills required for patient care within the NHS.
A clinical observational placement should allow the opportunity to attend clinic and ward rounds whilst focusing on:
- An introduction to a clinical discipline within the NHS environment
- A safe opportunity to observe clinical colleagues conducting their clinical duties.
- To observe the legal aspects of clinical audits and governance of healthcare
Who is eligible to apply?
The programme is for postgraduate medical doctors. They must be qualified and registered in their home country. UK professional registration is not required; therefore, no hands-on activities are allowed.
Once a clinical observational placement has been agreed (see Pre-application section below), a fee of £130 is required to cover pre-placement checks including Health, Work and Wellbeing clearance. This payment is non-refundable should you fail to be cleared to start an observational placement.
If you reside in the UK and are not on the DBS Update Service, the charge for a new DBS check will be invoiced to the observer - £49.50. Evidence of this payment must be provided prior to any further pre-engagement checks being undertaken by MWL.
All accommodation and travel expenses must be arranged and covered by the observer.
Documents required:
In order to apply for observer programmes, candidates must complete an application form and provide the following documentation:
- Passport
- National ID or driving licence (and translation)
- Visa (if non-EU)
- Proof of qualification and professional registration (and translation)
- DBS / CRB / Criminal Records/Police Check from home country (and translation)
- Occupational Health Clearance
- Two professional reference letters
- Passport size photo
- Language requirements - candidates must achieve IELTS level 7 or above (in each part) or PLAB.
Candidates must allow a minimum of 2 months in order to process their request. If you do not meet the requirements detailed above, sadly, we are unable to consider your application; therefore, please DO NOT apply.
Application Process:
If you meet the eligibility criteria and wish to undertake a clinical observational placement, please follow the three steps below.
It is important to highlight that a clinical observational placement is not guaranteed and is dependent on a number of factors including service availability, completion and clearance of checks in line with NHS Employment Standards.
Step one: Pre-application
- Agree a provisional placement with a supervising consultant, only once this is agreed complete the request form by following this link https://forms.office.com/e/raW2b91Xzv
- If you do not know who the supervising consultant for the required clinical field, please email MWLPlacements@MerseyWestLancs.nhs.uk indicating the following:
- The specialty/clinical area you require an observational placement within
- Proposed/suggested dates and duration of placement.
We will establish whether it is feasible to progress your request and if so, provide you with the contact email address for the supervising consultant in that area. You will then need to email the supervising consultant directly to discuss whether your request can be facilitated and if so, complete the required request form https://forms.office.com/e/raW2b91Xzv
Evidence of payment for HWWB checks and where applicable the DBS payment (UK residents only) must be sent directly to MWLPlacements@MerseyWestLancs.nhs.uk prior to Step two commencing.
Step two: Application
Once step one is completed and the date and duration of the placement has been proposed, the applicant will be sent a digital link to access a secure electronic portal to upload the necessary documentation.
- Access link and upload all relevant documentation requested.
- Applicants from outside the UK and Ireland are required to hold a relevant visa allowing them to undertake a clinical observer placement.
Only once all documentation has been uploaded and the portal is fully completed will the checking process begin. If documentation is not uploaded, or clearances are unsuccessful, clinical observational placements will be declined.
Step three: Issuing a License to Attend
Once all clearances have been successful, the applicant will receive confirmation by email. Upon final confirmation of the placement start date, a ‘License to Attend’ (see below) will then be issued.
The placement is without renumeration (payment of a salary) from MWL and is subject to maintaining the strictest confidentiality and standards of conduct. Failure to abide by these will result in Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust withdrawing authorisation for your placement.
License to Attend
A ‘License to Attend’ is issued for a maximum of three months.
In order for the License to Attend to be issued:
- the candidate must pass all the relevant Occupational Health checks.
- the candidate must provide all necessary documentation
- the candidate must meet the agreed payment schedule
- consultant supervisors and their head of specialty or clinical directors need to sign a supervision agreement form
- During the local induction at MWL, observers must do the following:
- Show original documents to be checked.
- Collect Visitor ID badge
- Complete a local MWL induction course
Summary of application process:
1 – Pre-application
- Observer to contact supervising consultant to discuss placement
- Once placement agreed, a request form should be completed by the observer
2 – Application
- Observer will receive a link to upload all required documentation for pre-placement checks
- Upon successful completion of pre-placement checks, placement details will be confirmed by email
3 – Issuing a Licence to Attend
- Licence to Attend issued
- Start date confirmed
Find out more:
If you would like to know more about our Clinical Observational Placements, please contact: