Project Support Review

During my placement I had significant responsibilities that directly contributed towards the health group's workload. It was challenging but greatly rewarding. I learnt a great deal about the organisation and how to work within it.

I was not really treated as an intern, more like a regular member of the team. This had advantages as I undertook responsible and important tasks whilst managing my own workload, a disadvantage was that I did not really get feedback on how I was doing. There was an interest in a new face from the directors of the Trust, which made me feel noticed and welcome.

I did not get much supervision/input. On one hand this was challenging as I did not always know how to achieve the task I was given. I flagged this using my placement supervision structure, but not much help was offered. As a positive, I was in charge of my own planning and time management, and had to create genuine working relationships of my own. By working with other team members, I obtained different tasks that I would not have got otherwise.

My level of work was reasonably within my own discretion. I worked longer than the required office hours, in order to achieve my own goals.

I had notable levels of responsibility; my work was used for strategic modelling at a health group level. I was the point of contact for a workstream and took on extra tasks that fed into other projects. At times due to the level of supervision I was given, I felt like I went 'too far' down a work route without some authoritative input; when this happened it was fine as I had made the appropriate decisions, but learnt that I need to seek verification to cover my own conduct.

In terms of working relationships and discretion for managing your own workload, I have learnt infinite amounts. I was not really given any training for the tasks - more thrown into them, but through my own research and learning I have acquired new skills and abilities.

My role has been extended for an initial period of a few months, continuing with the work that I did whilst on placement

The team that I work within are quite a few years older, so at a different stage in their lives. I have not been for lunch or out with any of them. As for other placement students, I was not in the same region as any of them, but have kept in touch with a couple over email.

The city is highly affordable, easy to navigate, very friendly and local.

There is a wide choice of restaurants and bars nearby. Though there is not a lot of people with similar style and interests to mine, it is in a way nicer than somewhere busy as it's easy to make friends and see the same people when you are out.

Since the beginning of my placement I have been trying to volunteer to visit patients who are on the wards without visitors, have not succeeded with this yet.