Waiting – how things have changed

Things haven’t gone to plan for my extended placement!

7th April I got the ‘thank you’ email for joining the trust for the extended placement, then a followup email on 9th April with a start date of 16th April for online induction and either 20th or 27th April to start on the wards. I had been given a ward but it was closed so I didn’t know who to contact about shifts.
15th April I received an email to say they were still waiting on funding information and our start date would be pushed back but to still do the online induction. The very next day 16th April we had the go-ahead and our start date would be from now. I was still awaiting a new ward but by the end of the day, I had been given where I wanted so I was very happy.

Fast forward to 14;30 on 17th April after our q&a and I had been pulled from placement. I had been placed in the group of September cohort my mistake. I was devastated, I’d only just found out my ward and been given a start date of 20th April. If I remember correctly on the phone practice education at the trust said they would be getting February cohort information next week or the week after, I can’t really remember and they appear to have washed their hand of me completely.

I got into a slight pissing match via email with uni. Practice education had been in contact with them and I was placed on hold. I could either move trusts or sit and wait. I decided to wait as the whole point of being at this trust was that I didn’t need to travel.

The uni finally replied to my email I sent them before they told me I was on hold and they are going to confirm with other students within my cohort as to what contract they have, especially those who are already working. My uni has been pushing us to be in the last 6 month of our degree but we won’t be until mid June. It appears students are being treated differently. I hadn’t seen a contract and won’t for up to 6 weeks but others, even those who haven’t got a start date yet, have & they are for band 4’s. We should be band 3 until our final 6 months. At least one person, though I think more. has already started.

I have already heard that there are more students than places but from talking to students from around the UK, many are being forgotten. Some students in their final 6 months have heard nothing & don’t think they will. While other February cohort students from other unis are being told that final 6-month student take priority then the trust is moving onto 2nd years. 3rd year students not in their final 6 months are then meant to slot in where there are spaces, if at all.

This is so crap, February starters are having a shit deal. Watching the Health England webinar last night there was no mention of us, just 1st years, 2nd years and 3rd years nearing the end of their degree. what about us?

I had another thought last night. If my trust already had my details then they might not be on the info they get from HEE in the next few weeks. If they don’t already add me to their list. I did get a letter from HEE at the very start of all this asking me to confirm I wasn’t in my final 6 months. Who knows what is going on. It could all be sorted by May or never happen. I know of 2 students saying they are starting in June on their request and 1 student who had an induction at the end of the month. In my little group of 5, it’s looking like I could be joining the 1 student who has opted out.

Sorry, I am just very upset and frustrated. I had just given up a perm role due to this, thankfully I have just joined the bank at the local trust so at least I’ll have money coming in.

Currently, our board of examiners is December so we should all qualify then but some of our cohort will have vastly more practice experience and some may not even be able to qualify then (not counting those who have opted out). I was really counting on the extra money.

All I can do know is carry on with assignments and wait