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You will need to complete a DBS check (and your Occupational Health check) as part of your fitness to practise requirements if you are holding a firm offer to study one of the courses below.
If you have a previous DBS and have signed up to the Update Service, please email us a copy of your most recent DBS certificate with an email giving permission for us to check your DBS status against the Update Service. If you have the correct coverage and are signed up to the Update Service, you may be exempt from obtaining another DBS check. If you are not signed up to the Update Service, you will be required to obtain a new DBS check.
When admitting students to study and practise on healthcare courses, St George’s has an obligation to provide a safe environment for both the patients that you will encounter and to you as a student. In order to do this, we require all healthcare students to complete our fitness to practise requirements, which consist of a DBS check and an occupational health check.
Completing your fitness to practise requirements is an important part of preparing to study at St George’s. You may not receive an unconditional offer or enrol if you have not completed both requirements.
All healthcare professionals have to be DBS cleared under the Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, therefore it is a requirement that you complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before being permitted to start the programme. Having a criminal conviction may not exclude you from joining the course but we have a duty to the public to exclude applicants who have convictions for violent offences or offences against children or vulnerable adults.
The DBS Enhanced Disclosure application will need to be completed before the course begins to ensure that it is up to date when teaching commences. If you have any convictions, you should have informed us of these on the St George’s self-disclosure form that you submitted at your interview. If that was the case, you will be contacted separately and asked to provide a statement which will be assessed by an internal panel. The outcome of this assessment will determine whether you meet the DBS clearance condition of your offer.
For most offer holders, you will need to submit your DBS check via the Post Office in time for it to be received by 15 July 2023.
Please note, you may not receive an unconditional offer if you have not completed your DBS check.
You are required to complete and pay for your own DBS check prior to joining the programme.
| DBS check | Post office verification | Admin fee | Total cost |
|---|
|
£40
|
£6
|
£9
|
£55
|
These costs associated with your DBS application were correct at time of publishing, but may be subject to change.
The cost of an overseas criminal record check varies. A list of costs can be viewed here. These costs exclude VAT so you need to add 20% to the total to determine the final cost.
If you have qualified under our Contextual Admissions schemes, you may be eligible for a Fitness to Practise bursary to assist with these costs.
We are unable to provide a refund for any costs incurred for obtaining a UK DBS check, or an overseas criminal record check. This includes if you do not enrol with us.
Please note, if you erroneously apply and pay for an overseas criminal record check, we will not process this and will be unable to provide a refund for any costs incurred.
Make sure you read the information above carefully so you obtain the correct police check(s). If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions team before paying for the process.
If you have qualified under our Contextual Admissions schemes, you may be eligible for a Fitness to Practise bursary to assist with these costs.
Documents must be verified at the Post Office.
When completing your application, please ensure you select the ‘Verify at Post Office' option. Not all Post Offices are authorised to check identity documents.
Use the local Post Office Branch Finder to confirm, and enter your postcode and select 'DBS ID Verification Service' from the 'Service Required' field to ensure your local Post Office can help.
You do not need to obtain an Enhanced DBS check until you arrive in the UK.
Students who do not reside in the UK will need to apply for this as soon as they have attended enrolment.
However, you may need to obtain an overseas criminal record check prior to arriving in the country. Instructions on obtaining a police check from other countries is available above.
Please contact the Admissions team if you have any questions.
The Secret Word and Pin for your UK DBS check can be found at the bottom of the section above called 'Step-by-step instructions - UK DBS check'. Scroll down to the bottom of the section.
The DBS Update Service enables you to keep your disclosure certificates up to date online for just £13 per year. All applicants must apply for the Update Service. Clinical placements often require students to produce a current DBS check. Registering for the Update Service will save you money and time in the long term. The deadline for applying for the Update Service is 28 calendar days after your disclosure certificate issue date (top right-hand corner). After 28 days you would not be eligible to use the Update Service.
You can apply for the Update Service online, and if you have any questions about applying for the Update Service, you can contact the DBS directly on 0870 90 90 811.
If you do not apply for the Update Service, you are likely to be required to complete a new DBS each year and will incur full costs.
You will receive your disclosure certificate in the post. It is very important that you keep your certificate safe as copies are not available. Please do not send us an electronic or physical copy of your DBS certificate unless requested.
The length of time taken for the DBS to process checks varies considerably. It may take longer for checks to be completed in cases where the police are required to conduct additional checks, so it is important you apply for your DBS as soon as possible.
You may not receive an unconditional offer, and if you do, you will not be permitted to enrol, even provisionally, if you have not started your application.
Any delays in completing your DBS may result in delays to you joining the programme, inability to participate in clinical placements or withdrawal.
You are therefore encouraged to start your DBS application immediately and take your documents to the Post Office for verification as soon as possible. You are expected to have submitted your DBS application in time for it to be received by 15 July.
Failure to do so may result in a delay in receiving an unconditional offer even if you meet the academic conditions of your offer.
We require all new applicants to undertake a new DBS check through our process.
However, if you have a previous DBS and have signed up to the Update Service, please email us a copy of your most recent DBS certificate with an email giving permission for us to check your DBS status against the Update Service. If you have the correct coverage and are signed up to the Update Service, you may be exempt from obtaining another DBS check.
If you are not signed up to the Update Service, you will be required to obtain a new DBS check.
Deferred from 2022, to enrol in 2023
If you have deferred entry and are due to start your course in 2023, you may not need to complete another DBS check. Please follow the instructions for Deferred Offer Holders.
Deferred from 2023, to enrol in 2024
If you have deferred your offer and are due to start your course in 2024, please still complete your DBS check as detailed above, as this is a condition of your offer. If you also join the Update Service, in 2024 we will be able to check your DBS status and you may be exempt from obtaining another DBS check.
All applicants must complete a DBS check by 15 July, and unfortunately, as part of the process is an identity check, you’re unable to ask someone else to submit your DBS check on your behalf.
Please make sure you complete the DBS process before going on holiday, and contact the Admissions team if you are unable to have the check submitted by the deadline.
It remains your responsibility to meet this requirement, and without a DBS check submission, you may not be issued an unconditional offer, or allowed to enrol.