My daughter just did this sort of shift as a nursing student at university and her first placement in November/December/January was at a Community Hospital 1.5 hours bus (2 or 3 buses) travel away from her student accommodation and she did 11 hour shifts. She was 18 and in her first year - hostile? Yes but it was not every day, it was 3-4 times a week for 12 weeks. She did get the public transport reimbursed at the end of the placement but she had to find the money up front. Now she works as a nurse travelling 45 minutes by car each way (1 hour 40 by public transport) to do a 12.5 hour shift either days or nights three or four days a week. It was good practice for life I'm afraid and very realistic!

Hi Paul, I believe there is a clear duty of care owed to the students by their uni/college and they are probably in breach of same. If one of my daughters came home with such a story I would ask them to return to the person running the placements and ask for:- 1. A copy of the risk assessment developed to account for all the hazards listed e g Actual hours involved, after all these are young people or young adults [equivalent to working time and night work], unfamiliarity with the workplace/actual activity [what is it anyway?], the unsavoury? nature of the location [unsafe/hazardous or what?] and essentially leaving them to cope with various transport/accomodation issues etc etc by themselves. etc etc 2. A copy of the acceptance by the Employers liability insurer's of the placement criteria listed and others they may wish to add. HSE treats them as employees The HSE describes what is necessary in a brief guide INDG 364, but this does not cover all the elements of a civil case which might arise should harm befall any of the students. And as you know the devil is in the detail of a civil claim for compensation should injury occur I used to be involved in similar student experiences at Uni and I wouldn't have anything to do with such a regime as you outline for my students. Suffice it to say I would not agree with my kids attending such a work placement as it appears to be unreasonable, even outrageous. So, Paul, send the Higher education college/uni or what an emailed copy of INDG364 and await the response, Use any of my suggestions you may care to, if any Regards Mike PS Hope it's not too late only just spotted it

Just confirming that these students are adults as its different if they are below 18 Its a sign of the times / the real world and every enforcement agency knows all about such things and yes there is both a duty of care and section 3 duties. However its probably impossible to police [even if those who police such areas were properly resourced etc.] such things properly and its hard to get good employer sponsors so that makes it even harder As it appears to be OK by the gov and its enforcers for a junior doctor to be at the side of a dying person with >a 100 hour working week under their belt who can hardly keep their eyes open irrespective of making a safe and proper diagnosis then all U can do is try to pass across info about their personal safety to these young people in the best common sense way that U can and where poss look to provide better transport 2 and from these placements as a part of the 'trainee' package Best of luck