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This is a controlled document. Whilst this document may be printed, the electronic version posted on the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) website is the controlled copy. Any printed copies of this document are not controlled.
As a controlled document, this document should not be saved onto local or network drives but should always be accessed from the NSHCS website.
This version is the only Training and Assessment Misconduct Policy recognised by NSHCS. This supersedes any current or previous localised policies, which will no longer be applicable and cannot be relied upon.
Executive summary
This 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.
Training and Assessment Misconduct is briefly defined as any form of cheating that occurs in relation to formal training or assessment in any part of an 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.
In applying this policy, NSHCS will have due regard for the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, promote equality of opportunity, and provide for good relations between people of diverse groups, in particular on the grounds of the following characteristics protected by the Equality Act (2010); age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.
1 - Introduction
1.1. This policy is to provide a means for the NSHCS to manage allegations and incidences of training or assessment misconduct by trainees on programmes delivered by the NSHCS.
1.2. Training and Assessment Misconduct is defined as any form of cheating that occurs in relation to formal training or assessment in any part of an NSHCS programme of study. Forms of training or assessment misconduct may include:
- plagiarism, including self-plagiarism
- collusion
- impersonation
- falsification of data
- cheating
1.3. Plagiarism is defined as using, without acknowledgement, someone else’s ideas or work. Self-plagiarism is the re-use of one’s own work, which may have been submitted or otherwise published elsewhere, without appropriate acknowledgement.
1.4. Plagiarism might occur when you do any of the following without properly acknowledging the source:
- Using a choice phrase or sentence that you have come across or translated from another source.
- Copying word-for-word directly from a text or other source.
- Using text downloaded from the internet, including that exchanged on social networks.
- Borrowing statistics or assembled facts from another person or source.
- Copying or downloading figures, photographs, pictures or diagrams.
- Copying from the notes or work-based evidence of a fellow student.
- Copying from your own notes, on a text, tutorial, video, or lecture, that contain direct quotations from others (e.g., Lecturers, Training Officers, etc).
This list should be considered for guidance and is not exhaustive.
1.5. Collusion is defined as an agreement between people to act together secretly or illegally to deceive or cheat someone. In the context of NSHCS programmes it can be further defined as the unauthorised cooperation of two or more trainees working together to undertake or submit work.
1.6. In relation to assessments, collusion can be said to have occurred when two or more trainees cooperate in the completion and/or submission of an assessment task, where such cooperation has not been authorised and where there is a reasonable expectation that the trainees were aware that such behaviour is not acceptable.
1.7. Collusion is different from authorised collaboration, such as working with fellow trainees to study, practice, or revise. For the purposes of clarity, in all NSHCS assessments there is a clear and unambiguous requirement that any submitted work is solely that of the individual trainee.
1.8. Impersonation is defined as an attempt to assume another’s identity to gain unfair advantage in an assessment. This includes allowing others to assume your identity to gain unfair advantage in an assessment.
1.9. Falsification of data is defined as an attempt to present deliberately misleading, distorted of fabricated data in your academic work or to otherwise make use of such data in the development of your academic work. Such data may include research evidence, experimental results, references, or citations.
1.10. Cheating is defined as any attempt to obtain help in an assessment without appropriate acknowledgement. This includes any attempt to claim someone else’s work as your own, therefore plagiarism, collusion, impersonation, and falsification of data can all be considered as forms of cheating.
1.11. Cheating may also include ‘contract cheating’, which is using material obtained from assignment writing sites, organisations, or private individuals, regardless of whether or not the material was actually purchased and submitting it as your own.
1.12. The NSHCS takes allegations of training or assessment misconduct very seriously and will undertake effective investigations and deal appropriately with any confirmed incidences.
2 - Purpose
2.1. The primary purpose of this policy is to provide a means for the NSHCS to manage allegations and incidences of training or assessment misconduct by trainees on programmes delivered by the NSHCS.
3 - Scope
3.1. This policy applies to all programmes of study delivered by the National School of Healthcare Science other than apprenticeships. Apprenticeship programmes are covered by a separate set of policies.
3.2. The policy applies to trainees in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
3.3. The policy covers allegations and incidences of training or assessment misconduct relating to:
- final assessments administered by NSHCS
- work-based assessments undertaken within partner training organisations
- any academic work undertaken at a partner Higher Education Institution (HEI) as part of the overall programme of study, such as the MSc element of the Scientist Training Programme (STP)
3.4. The policy does not cover:
- allegations relating to work which is unrelated to the programme of study delivered by NSHCS (e.g., historic allegations)
4 - Outcomes
4.1. The Training and Assessment Misconduct Policy can provide the following outcomes:
- the allegation is upheld in full
- the allegation is upheld in part
- the allegation is not upheld
- the allegation is withdrawn
4.2. Where the allegation is upheld, either in full or in part, the NSHCS will make a recommendation for action and refer the matter to the Training Management Panel (TMP)
4.3. Recommendations for action will include one or more of the following:
- no further action required
- a verbal or written warning is recorded
- disallowing all or part of the assessment result
- notification of the case to external professional, statutory, or
- regulatory bodies where applicable
- removal from the programme
4.4. Training Management Panel will receive the recommendation and consider it for ratification. TMP may determine alternative or additional outcomes depending on the individual circumstances of the case following its own Terms of Reference.
4.5. Where the allegation is not upheld, the NSHCS will inform the trainee that there is no case to answer and that no further action will be taken.
4.6. Where the allegation is withdrawn, the NSHCS will inform the trainee that there is no case to answer and that no further action will be taken.
4.7. Where the allegation has been withdrawn it may not ordinarily be re-submitted. The allegation may only be re-submitted where new evidence has come to light that was not previously known or available.
5 - Trainee responsibilities
5.1. In the event of an allegation of training or assessment misconduct, the trainee is required to fully cooperate with any investigation by the NSHCS, its partner training organisations and/or its partner HEI’s.
5.2. To provide factual and true information pertaining to the allegation in a timely manner, where requested to do so by either the NSHCS, its partner training organisations and/or its partner HEI’s.
5.3. To behave appropriately and reasonably, and where applicable, in line with the expectations of the NHS Constitution values and behaviours, in all aspects relating to this policy.
6 - NSHCS responsibilities
6.1. To respond to any allegations received in a timely manner and ensure that the trainee is informed of the allegation.
6.2. To follow this policy ensuring that each allegation is investigated through the appropriate channels within a reasonable timeframe.
6.3. To ensure that trainees are provided with necessary guidance and support on the application of this policy and are aware of the stages and timeframes that apply to the process.
6.4. To ensure that allegations are assessed consistently in a fair and equitable manner.
6.5. To behave appropriately and in line with the NHS Constitution values and behaviours in all aspects relating to this policy.
6.6. To manage any allegations and all accompanying evidence, including statements and records, confidentially, as far as is reasonably practicable in facilitating a fair and thorough investigation. In doing so we will balance the following:
- the need for an open and fair investigation
- the need to undertake appropriate remedial action
- the need to report the outcomes of our investigations appropriately, including where appropriate to external professional, statutory, or regulatory bodies
6.7. In executing the requirements of 6.6, information relating to training or assessment misconduct allegations may be shared with others within the NSHCS.
6.8. In all cases any personal data will be handled according to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
7 - Partner HEI responsibilities
7.1. To respond to any allegations received in a timely manner and ensure that the trainee and the NSHCS are informed of the allegation.
7.2. To follow their own relevant policies and ensure that each allegation is investigated through the appropriate channels within a reasonable timeframe.
7.3. To ensure that trainees are provided with necessary guidance and support and are aware of the stages and timeframes that apply to the process.
7.4. To ensure that allegations are assessed consistently in a fair and equitable manner.
7.5. To communicate the process and outcome of any investigation to both the trainee and the NSHCS in a timely manner.
8 - Partner training organisation responsibilities
8.1. To respond to any allegations received in a timely manner and ensure that the trainee and the NSHCS are informed of the allegation.
8.2. To follow their own relevant policies and ensure that each allegation is investigated through the appropriate channels within a reasonable timeframe.
8.3. To ensure that trainees are provided with necessary guidance and support and are aware of the stages and timeframes that apply to the process.
8.4. To ensure that allegations are assessed consistently in a fair and equitable manner.
8.5. To communicate the process and outcome of any investigation to both the trainee and the NSHCS in a timely manner.
9 - Access to the Training and Assessment Misconduct Policy
9.1. The Training and Assessment Misconduct Policy will be published on the NSHCS website.
10 - The Training and Assessment Misconduct Policy process
10.1. Allegations of training or assessment misconduct may be received by the NSHCS from members of its own staff, from members of staff from partner training organisations, from members of staff from partner HEIs, or from trainees enrolled on NSHCS programmes of education.
10.2. Allegations of training or assessment misconduct may be made informally in the first instance, however, all allegations must be supported by appropriate evidence which should be sent to the following email address england.nshcs@nhs.net.
10.3. Where evidence is not included or is unsuitable the NSHCS will request additional evidence is provided. This request will ordinarily be made within five working days of receipt of the allegation.
10.4. Allegations of training or assessment misconduct should be made in a timely manner and should be made as soon as reasonably practicable. In most cases this will mean that any such allegations will only be considered where they are made within three months of the matters that led to the allegation arising.
10.5. Partner training organisations and HEIs must also inform the NSHCS of any allegations of training or assessment misconduct relating to its trainees in a timely manner.
10.6. Allegations of training or assessment misconduct will ordinarily be investigated by the organisation and/or team most closely associated with the assessment to which the allegation relates, in line with their own established policies.
10.7. In the case of final assessments administered by NSHCS, an investigation will be undertaken by the Assessment team.
10.8. In the case of Work Based Assessments, the NSHCS will expect the partner training organisation to undertake its own investigation into the training or assessment misconduct allegation, following its established policies.
10.9. In the case of work undertaken at a partner HEI, the NSHCS will expect the HEI to undertake its own investigation into the training or assessment misconduct allegation, following its established policies.
10.10. Where the investigation outcome upholds the allegation of training or assessment misconduct, either in full or in part, the NSHCS will refer the matter to the Training Management Panel.
10.11. The Training Management Panel may refer their findings and outcome to external professional, statutory, or regulatory bodies, such as the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), as allowed by the panel’s Terms of Reference. This may lead to further disciplinary procedures as determined by those external bodies.
10.12. Once the outcome is decided the Academic Misconduct Policy Process comes to an end.
11 - Equality impact assessment
11.1. The NSHCS give due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity for all when making policy decisions and implementing this policy.
11.2. This policy has been developed with input from the NSHCS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and an accompanying Equality Impact Assessment has been produced.
12 - Monitoring compliance and effectiveness
12.1. The NSHCS is responsible for recording and monitoring information relating to the application of this policy.
12.2. The NSHCS Policy and Procedures Committee is responsible for this policy and will review its compliance and effectiveness.
12.3. Anonymised data relating to the outcomes of this policy will be available to the NSHCS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and reviewed to ensure there are no underlying themes relating to equality that suggest any organisational bias.
12.4. The policy may be periodically amended to ensure it remains effective, relevant, and compliant with current legislation.
13 - Records management
13.1 Records should be treated as confidential and retained no longer than necessary in accordance with the relevant Data Protection legislation. All records are maintained electronically. Please refer to the NHE England Corporate Document and Records Management Policy, and Data Management Policy for further information.