[iona.carys]

I've been offered a place to study Dietetics at Coventry University for 2012 entry on the condition that I gain one days work experience of shadowing a hospital Dietitian. I have been trying for over a month now to get this experience, only to be told that this is not offered at any hospital in my local health board or the neighbouring ones due to 'privacy issues' (This is especially annoying as a group of year tens from my school are currently shadowing in my local hospital). Other hospitals I have contacted have told me as I am not from the area/associated schools etc. I am not eligible.
Please help! I am desperate to study Dietetics. I have no insurance offer () and am not sure I can meet this condition now....any advice? Thank you.

[lemoncha]

If your school arranges work experience for year 10s and some of them work at your local hospital (meaning opportunities are available for them), then can't you ask your school to arrange a similar placement for you? I don't see why they would refuse to help you since it's about your future and the school should have an interest in your education and wellbeing...

In short, see if you can ask your school to arrange a placement for you to shadow your local hospital/dietitian, even if it's just for a day!

[iona.carys]

(Original post by lemoncha)
If your school arranges work experience for year 10s and some of them work at your local hospital (meaning opportunities are available for them), then can't you ask your school to arrange a similar placement for you? I don't see why they would refuse to help you since it's about your future and the school should have an interest in your education and wellbeing...

In short, see if you can ask your school to arrange a placement for you to shadow your local hospital/dietitian, even if it's just for a day!

I've spoken to my personal tutor, the NHS work experience coordinator and my head of year, all of whom have tried to arrange me a placement, only to be told that it breaches privacy. The coordinator tried arguing about the year tens and how I actually had an offer but it didn't work Thank you though

[lemoncha]

(Original post by iona.carys)
I've spoken to my personal tutor, the NHS work experience coordinator and my head of year, all of whom have tried to arrange me a placement, only to be told that it breaches privacy. The coordinator tried arguing about the year tens and how I actually had an offer but it didn't work Thank you though

In what way does it breach privacy? And who's privacy?

[iona.carys]

(Original post by lemoncha)
In what way does it breach privacy? And who's privacy?

I think the patients? I don't really understand either if I'm honest.

[lemoncha]

(Original post by iona.carys)
I think the patients? I don't really understand either if I'm honest.

I don't see how it breaches the patients' privacy if you go through the same procedures as the year 10s when they get their placement, i.e. fill in all the confidentially forms etc.

And if it does breach their privacy, then I don't see how other work experience students are allowed in since in theory you're no different from them regardless of whether your school arranges a placement for you or if you manage to find one yourself!

Since you seem to have asked around and everywhere, I think your last port of call would be (wait for it...) your MP! You should write to your MP to see if he/she can help you. Give it a go, you may be surprised!

Edit: And if that doesn't work out, then ring up your uni and explain the situation to them.

[LemonLizards]

Completely unfair. They shouldn't have given you an offer based on something difficult to control.

For similar subjects like medicine, they realise it's hard to get work experience. Often you need contacts, and many are linked to specific schools. They care more about volunteer work in this case. But for people who couldn't get work experience in a hospital, you're advised to do something similar.

A good alternative is volunteering in an old folks home. Know with medicine it's a bit different, but it might be worth doing. Old people in these homes often have different diets, sometimes recommended by dieticians. You can talk to them and find out if any of them have experience/seeing a dietician, and see what types of diet they are on and why they did it. I'd ring up the uni and contact them and ask whether this is a good substitute. Make sure you specify how this might relate/educate you more about the role of a dietician and the stuff on your course. This is a lot better than telling the uni you can't find work experience, as it shows you're trying (which in the end is what they want, they want someone who's passionate about the degree).

[boomersooner]

Perhaps try contacting The British Dietetic Association for advice as if the degree you want to do is accredited by them they might be able to offer advice on how you can gain the work experience without breaching NHS confidentiality and privacy guidelines.

The strangest thing though really is that they would make 1 day of work experience a component of your offer as this would really not convey anything with regards to your suitability and also there are many people who would not be able to meet that type of obligation eg kids at boarding school who are abroad out of term time. If I were you I would follow up on the Why aspect of this not just the How.

Good luck.

[hannabanna]

Hey I know you posted this a while ago and you may have already got a place somewhere , but if not, have you tried to go to a NHS-run dietetics experience day?
When I was trying to find hospital placements with a dietitian I also wasn't accepted anywhere, and was told that the NHS runs these experience days because of this high demand for work exp. They're run in different areas of the UK (I went to one at King's College, and one in a community centre in Bedfordshire), and they're really useful! It basically consists of a group of dietetians in different care roles talking about their experiences.

I'm not sure which part of the UK you're from or what times of the year they usually run, but I found these links that may be helpful: http://www.lnds.nhs.uk/_WorkforUs-WorkExperience.aspx http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/f...aflet_2012.pdf
I know a few hospitals do a similar thing.

Good luck!

[hannabanna]

Just noticed you're from Wales... whoops