Brain - I work for a Students Union and as such assist students with the
mitigation process. The mitigation forms must be accompanied by evidence and the
most common form is medical evidence.
The University does not have arrangements with a GP to provide on-campus care
so medical letters have to be obtained either from the hospital where the
student has been treated or from the GP.
We have lots of problems in obtaining medical evidence that the Boards will find
acceptable - for example sometimes a doctor in a letter will not mention date
periods that correspond to the exam periods, or will state that the student was
in hospital for one night but does not state that there was a lengthy period of
illness/recovery following the hospitalisation etc.
I find that I have to write or phone the GP and explain the university process
and what information should be given in the letter.
The student has to pay the GP fees. A certificate is £8 and a letter £15
generally but some students have been charged differently.
Some doctors say they do not wish to give information out to the university
(even though their patient is requesting it) and expect the university to write
to them to request the information - in these cases we generally write and
explain why the information is so important and the doctor has written a
suitable letter following explanation but the student by that time may have been
back and forwards a few times to the GP.
Some GP's say they do not wish to write a letter and can we supply a form. To
assist in such cases we have devised a form that seems to work - I have attached
it as a word document.
Margarita Rainford
Academic Affairs Co-ordinator
University of Sunderland Students Union
Brian Houlgrave wrote:
> We have been receiving complaints from Doctors about our requirement for
> students to obtain medical certificates if they are absent from examinations
> or wish to present sickness as a mitigating circumstance which prevented
> them from handing in assessed coursework on time and for which late
> submission is penalised.
>
> I would be grateful if colleagues would share their experience on this as
> follows:
>
> 1) Have you had similar complaints from medical practitioners? If so how
> have you responded?
>
> 2) Do you insist on medical certification for mitigating circumstances or do
> you permit self-certification? If self certification is permitted has this
> caused a large increase in the numbers of students giving mitigating
> circumstances?
>
> 3) If Doctors insist on charging for such a certificate (as has been
> suggested) do you feel it is the College's responsibility to pay for such a
> certificate or the student's?
>
> Please reply to: [log in to unmask] I will collate any responses if
> people are interested.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Brian Houlgrave
> Academic Registrar
> The College of St Mark & St John
> Plymouth
> 01752 636875
>
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