Training and assessment misconduct is defined as any form of cheating that occurs in relation to formal training or assessment in any part of a National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) programme. The NSHCS takes all allegations of training or assessment misconduct seriously and will undertake effective investigations and deal appropriately with any confirmed incidences.
The Training and Assessment Misconduct Policy provides a means for the NSHCS to manage allegations and incidences of training or assessment misconduct by trainees on programmes delivered by the NSHCS. It enables allegations to be investigated by the appropriate organisation and the findings communicated to the NSHCS Training Management Panel (TMP).
The organisations that may investigate training or assessment misconduct are:
- National School of Healthcare Science – the School will investigate any alleged misconduct that relates to assessments that it directly manages (e.g., STP final assessment).
- Higher Education Institute (HEI) – the HEI will investigate any alleged misconduct that relates to assessments that it directly manages (e.g., MSc modules).
- Employer – the employer will investigate any alleged misconduct that relates to training that it delivers (e.g., workplace-based assessments).
- The investigating organisation will determine whether the allegation is upheld and will make recommendations for action.
- All investigation outcomes will be reported to the individual trainee and to the NSHCS. Allegations that are upheld will be referred to the Training Management Panel (TMP).
Training Management Panel outcomes
Following the investigation, the investigating body will communicate their findings to you and to the NSHCS. TMP will only consider cases where the allegation is upheld and will ordinarily apply the recommendations of the investigating body. These are:
- No further action required – this may be due to low level misconduct which is deemed to have been corrected and unlikely to recur, for example, poor academic referencing.
- A verbal or written warning is recorded – this may be an outcome which the employer chooses to apply, following its own HR policies.
- Disallowing all or part of the assessment result – this may be an outcome applied to one or more elements of assessment.
- Notification to external professional, statutory, or regulatory bodies (PSRB) – this may be recommended where the individual is a registrant or member of a PSRB.
- Removal from the programme – this may be recommended in severe cases of misconduct.
TMP may determine alternative or additional outcomes depending on the individual circumstances of the case, although this would not be expected to occur routinely.
What this means for the trainee
In the event of an allegation of training or assessment misconduct you are expected to cooperate fully with the investigation. Your rights and responsibilities are described within the policy document. The investigating body will communicate with you directly during the investigation and will communicate their outcome findings to you and to the NSHCS. Where an allegation is upheld TMP will also communicate their formal outcome to you.
Good practice in training and assessment
Cases of plagiarism and other forms of training and assessment misconduct are rare and can be avoided by following good academic practice and adhering to the requirements of your employment contract. You should make sure that you engage with the relevant partner university’s teaching around good academic practice and follow your host training department’s policies and procedures throughout your training.