Reasonable Adjustments

CTC Reasonable Adjustment arrangements

Our staff are committed to ensuring impartiality and equality of opportunity in the delivery of our services. Our premises are wheelchair accessible, and the Competence Test Centre (CTC) will also act on NMC guidance regarding this. Special adjustments are made for candidates with disabilities, or for those registered as dyslexic or with other additional needs. Candidates are asked to declare their needs for reasonable adjustments when booking their OSCE, for which they will be required to produce supporting evidence. The CTC Clinical Management Team will seek advice on the reasonable adjustments possible for the candidate. Simple changes such as lowering beds, accommodating the need to sit or stand, or the increased need for toilet breaks during pregnancy can easily be arranged when the CTC is notified in advance. Candidates who need to access medical devices during the OSCE can be accommodated with advance notification prior to booking.

The CTC will not allow the required level of competence to be reduced because of a disability. The standard or competence itself is not subject to a reasonable adjustment. Reasonable adjustments are offered within the scope of the Equality Act 2010. A reasonable adjustment will allow for a candidate to evidence during their assessment nursing care that:

• remains effective and does not result in altered patient care
• is accepted within professional nursing practices
• enables the candidate to demonstrate competence
• will not place the candidate or patient at risk of harm by injury or illness

How to make a reasonable adjustments request

The request for reasonable adjustments with supporting evidence must be made no later than 3 weeks before the date of the OSCE examination, in order for the CTC to consider the request. Candidates with additional needs must declare them via the reasonable adjustments form emailed to the CTC once an OSCE booking has been made for Nursing and Midwifery (ctc@northampton.ac.uk), Nursing Associate (NA@northampton.ac.uk) or EU (EUAptitudeTest@northampton.ac.uk). Please also email the relevant address if you wish for this form to be emailed to you.

Support for pregnant candidates

The CTC will:

• ensure that a candidate who is pregnant, or has given birth within the last 26 weeks, is protected from unfavourable treatment
• accommodate their needs both before and during the OSCE in so far as is reasonably practicable to allow them to successfully complete the OSCE
• publish this guidance and review/update as necessary in order that all members of the University community are aware of the support available and their role in providing that support
• encourage candidates to disclose a pregnancy in confidence at an early stage to the CTC

When a candidate’s pregnancy is disclosed, the CTC Clinical Management Team are expected to:

• read and follow this guidance
• treat any disclosure confidentially and verify that a candidate has no objections to their pregnancy being discussed with other University staff; agree a support plan and ensure that it is implemented; complete a risk assessment

In order for the CTC to consider any reasonable adjustments for pregnant candidates, the Pregnant Candidate Checklist must be filled in and emailed to the CTC once an OSCE booking has been made, and no later than 3 weeks before the date of the OSCE examination, for Nursing and Midwifery (ctc@northampton.ac.uk), Nursing Associate (NA@northampton.ac.uk) or EU (EUAptitudeTest@northampton.ac.uk). Please also email the relevant address if you wish for this form to be emailed to you.