I’ve also had empty pill boxes and photos of gruesome injuries, which were a bit more than necessary...

Derek.

_______________________________

Derek Ord

Head of Student Administrative Services

University of Hull

(01482) 465980

From: Admin-student [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Graham Tomlinson
Sent: 09 January 2009 16:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Extenuating/Mitigating Circumstances

The problem we’ve experienced with notes from GPs is the wide variety of their content, particularly where students have only just registered with a doctor in Norwich and are waiting for their medical notes to catch up with them.  I’ve seen letters from GPs along the lines of, “Student X came to see me on 5 January to discuss a problem with ongoing stomach pains.  I understand that this student has received medical attention for this previously.”  Such letters obviously make it very difficult for our Extenuating Circumstances Panel to assess any impact the condition might have had on the student. 

Having said that, as with Hull, we would also accept appointment letters and copies of prescriptions, as long as the dates thereon tallied with the relevant period of assessment.  Students are also encouraged to provide their own accompanying statement with an application for Extenuating Circumstances, which is helpful where the content of the medical evidence might not be sufficiently explicit.

Graham Tomlinson

Assistant Registrar: Academic Support

Academic Registry

Norwich University College of the Arts

From: Admin-student [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jan Chapman
Sent: 07 January 2009 16:45
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Extenuating/Mitigating Circumstances
Importance: High

The University of Plymouth currently has an extenuating circumstances procedure which requires students to provide medical notes from GPs to substantiate periods of illness and the likely effect .  Only when such evidence is deemed valid by faculty Screening Committees are we able to accept work submitted late, allow a student a further first attempt at a missed examination or test, or permit such evidence to mitigate for poor performance and allow resubmission or resit as a first attempt.

Our Vice-Chancellor has received a letter from the Devon Local Medical Committee highlighting the concerns of GPs who were being asked to provide medical notes for students because they did not feel this was an appropriate use of their time, was not really their role, and I guess clogged up surgeries with students requiring notes related to relatively minor conditions.  I should point out we do already stress in the procedures that minor colds, etc. would not be accepted as valid reasons for missing an assessment or for poor performance. 

I would be most grateful to hear from any other institution who has had a similar approach.  Has such an approach forced any institution to radically re-evaluate their procedures to, for example, accept self-certification or perhaps to do away with extenuating circumstances altogether and require students to submit/sit an assessment when ready to do so.

Any comments would be most gratefully received – we are obviously interested to know whether this is a local/national trend by GPs.

Many thanks.

Jan Chapman

Assistant University Secretary

Secretariat - Governance Unit

University of Plymouth

Drake Circus

Plymouth

Devon

UK  PL4 8AA

Second Floor South, Mayflower House

Tel:  +44 (0) 1752 232139

Fax: +44 (0) 1752 238628

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