The University has a policy statement on students with criminal records. This policy applies to applicants seeking admission to the MBChB programme. It should be noted that if an applicant is required to disclose a criminal offence and fails to do so this will generally be considered a very serious matter and is likely to lead to their application being rejected or, if admitted, to their registration at the University being revoked. Having a prior criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from being offered a place; this may depend, for example, on the nature, timing and relevance of the criminal offence in question. The University may request further information about the nature or context of an applicant’s criminal record.
On the UCAS application form candidates are expected to indicate in the relevant box if they have a relevant criminal conviction. All convictions must be disclosed and this includes convictions, cautions and fixed penaltynotices.
As part of any offer, the School will need to verify whether you have a criminal record and, if you do, to judge whether it is suitable for you to carry on with the course. For the vast majority of students who are resident in the UK, the record will be checked via the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). Enhanced disclosure will be sought at confirmation time (i.e. when you have met all conditions as stated in your offer). Further information on the CRB is available on their website at URL: www.crb.homeoffice.gov.uk. The cost for the enhanced check is £44. [1]
Due to the nature of the course the University requires that applicants disclose all information relating to your conviction(s). The University is entitled to this information in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order1975. No convictions are to be regarded as spent. If anything revealed by the search is regarded as a potential problem, the School will review the matter in accordance with its policy. A copy of the School’s policy on Criminal Record Checks can be obtained from the Admissions Office, or is available on the Admissions website.
Any concealment of a criminal record including cautions and fixed penalty notices may result in withdrawal of an offer or expulsion from the course.
The Medical School’s Council publication ‘Medical Students; professional behaviour and fitness to practise March 2009’ provides further guidance on fitness to practise and this is available to download at www.medschools.ac.uk/Publications/.
It should be noted that the General Medical Council also considers criminal convictions in relation to fitness to practice and the School has no control over this process. It is possible that certain criminal convictions could pose difficulties at the point of provisional registration. See:
www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/registration_applications/declaration_of_ftp.asp.
International Students: The CRB check can only include background checks on your time in the UK. If the student has been resident in the UK for less than 3 years, then a criminal record check from your home country is required IN ADDITION TO the UK CRB check. This may be referred to as a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ (CoGC) but the name varies. It is completely at the discretion of the School of Medicine whether they wish toaccept this check.
