Information about local arrangements

Response flexes in accordance to the guidance at the time and you will be advised of the requirements in your area.  All students are asked to contact Occupational Health o 01896 825982 for advice regarding Face fit masks and PPE training.  This must be undertaken every two years.

Students can request and NHS Borders IT account through their practice learning environment.  Access is not automatically granted and depends on the information systems required for each area.  This IT account can be used to access the intranet, which holds all the local policies.

• Senior Charge nurses and midwives, team leads and heads of department will arrange trak access.
• Trakcare use is monitored using NHS Borders Fairwarning system
• Additional e-learning (Information governance and trakcare) is required for completion of local learnpro modules - access is arranged through contact with C&PD.Office@borders.scot.nhs.uk

You are welcome to use NHS Borders Library in the Education Centre.  It provides comfortable space for study, WiFi, PCs, books, eResources, and staff to help you find the information you need.

You can register here - this will give you access to the digital resources of the Knowledge Network, as well as a library account so that you can borrow books.

Whilst all policies can be accessed on the Intranet, find some key policies here:

• NHS Borders operates a no smoking policy across all of its sites.
• Sickness absence must be reported to your learning environment as per their local policy as well as to the university - ensure ward areas have contact details for safety and wellbeing purposes.
• Uniform policy is the same as the university and is home laundered.  Please adhere to this at all times.
  • Changing rooms are on the ground floor of the main hospital.  There are lockers but these are not permanently allocated, it is first come first served.
  • Changing facilities are available in the community hospitals.
  • Some community areas do not use NHS uniforms but remain under a policy - contact your placement area for clarification.
• Information about policies and education in NHS Borders is provided here: https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/organisations/organisation?name=nhs-borders

Parking is free at NHS Borders.  There are a limited number of parking spaces at the community sites and a number of car parks at the Borders General Hospital.  There are long stay car parks on the site so please use these when on shift.  Conditions are well identified through signage.

Please park with consideration for others, if you are on a long day shift park near the cricket pitch to support parking for those attending clinics/visitors or community workers who need to come and go during the day.

There is no designated accommodation for nursing and midwifery students.  Please look at general tourist sites to identify suitable accommodation.

Train services run regularly from Edinburgh Waverley to Galashiels, where there are connecting buses to the Borders General Hospital.  Alternatively stay on the the train and alight at the Tweedbank terminus.  The hospital is a 15 minute walk at a brisk pace.

Canteen services are available on site at the Borders General Hospital, on the 1st floor. 

There is a small RVS shop situated on the ground floor in the main entrance.

There is also a cafe in the cricket pavilion in the grounds of the hospital, serving fresh juices, salads, paninis, etc.  

There are facilities within or near the community hospital sites.

Swipe card access is available for all those allocated to the Borders General Hospital.  Please remember to return these when you finish your placement.  To obtain your card go to the hospital administration office on the first floor between the hours of 9-5 and they will assign it.  You must attend for this card with a member of staff from your allocated ward who will verify your placement.

Please return swipe cards to the administration office at the end of your placement.

There is a safe post box to the left of the office for returning cards out of hours.

It is YOUR responsibility to ensure these cards are returned.

For area specific information or to arrange shifts please contact the learning environment in the first instance. Remember, wards can be very busy and you may not get an answer on first try so please try again later.

We have a student forum open to all students, which is your opportunity to speak up for the student experience, and to support NHS Borders to work for you.

The Practice Education Facilitators (PEF) are contactable via a shared email: PEFCHEFEnquiries@borders.scot.nhs.uk

BGH switchboard: 01896 826000

Occupational Health: 01896 825982

PEF: PEFCHEFEnquiries@borders.scot.nhs.uk

Out of hours emergency support is available through each of the universities so please ensure you are familiar with the out of hours contact arrangements.  There is always a bleep holder manager for the hospital who can be accessed through BGH switchboard in the event of an emergency, if you are unable to contact university out of hours.