Clinical attachment

A clinical attachment is a short-term unpaid observer role placement for a qualified doctor (usually an international medical graduate) who needs experience within the NHS.

At UHDB, clinical attachments are available during the period of September to June each year.

Due to the high number of requests the Trust receives each week, the number of applications each month may be limited. All clinical attachment requests require approval from a consultant supervisor and completion (passing) of the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board 2 (PLAB2) exam.

During a clinical attachment, the observer has no responsibility for patient care and must not make clinical decisions or give clinical advice.

After a period observing the consultant, we encourage the observer to offer and discuss their ideas on clinical management to the clinical team. This will be following a risk assessment and at the discretion of and under the overall supervision of the supervising consultant. 

Duties of a clinical attachment are generally limited to:

  • Shadowing resident doctors and other clinicians in the multi-professional team, e.g. nurses and therapists, to see how the NHS works and how patients are managed.

  • Observing ward rounds, outpatient clinics and teaching sessions. Presenting cases in different settings to enable them to demonstrate clinical knowledge.

  • Observing consultations and participating in patient clerking, history taking and physical examinations (where appropriate and under supervision), attending clinical meetings.

  • Developing the knowledge and understanding of patient safety issues.

  • Gaining experience in clinical governance and the legal/ethical aspects of health care in the UK, by attending relevant meetings.

  • Becoming aware of the expectations of the British patient, to enhance clinical communication skills and learn as much as possible about the doctor-patient partnership in accordance with General Medical Council (GMC) guidance.

  • Appreciating the roles of teams, management and leadership in health care, perhaps through attending departmental meetings to better understand working as part of a team.

  • Contributing to quality improvement projects as part of a team.

  • Can only observe in theatre sessions.

A clinical attachment/observer must not under any circumstances be allowed to:

  • perform any invasive procedures
  • perform intimate physical examinations
  • sign any request forms
  • provide any treatment or advise Trust staff on treatment
  • request x-rays
  • obtain or witness a signature for patient consent
  • take specimens
  • teach clinical procedures to Trust staff
  • carry out research
  • assist with laboratory work.

Due to a clinical observer's legal status of not being indemnified by defence organisations and fully recruitment cleared by the Trust, the role of a clinical observer will be limited during their attachment. Under no circumstances can the observer carry out any duties outside of the those listed, even if the observer is or becomes fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC).

Generally, the following activities are to be encouraged under direct supervision and with the permission of the supervising consultant and the patient:

  • talking to patients
  • taking histories
  • performing routine physical examinations.

To be eligible for a clinical attachment, candidates need to secure a UHDB Consultant Supervisor. Access consultant directory >

To prevent unnecessary mail, please only contact the relevant speciality you wish to undertake your clinical attachment within. 

Please only submit a clinical attachment application form once you have gained approval from a consultant supervisor at the Trust. Applications will not be processed without consultant supervisor approval, which can be confirmed via email and the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board 2 (PLAB2).

Applications are currently paused until 31 August 2025. The application form will be published again on 1 September 2025.

Once the application form has been submitted, the observer should forward their consultant supervisor approval email and PLAB 2 confirmation to uhdb.medicalflexibleworkers@nhs.net, as well as providing their name, the name of their consultant supervisor and clinical attachment speciality within the email title. This will enable the Medical Recruitment team to link the clinical attachment application form to the consultant supervisors' approval email.


Timeframes

  • Once the Medical Recruitment team has received the consultant supervisor approval email and application form, they will contact the clinical observer with a welcome letter and discuss the next steps.

  • Medical Recruitment require a minimum of two months' notice of provisional attachment dates.

  • Recruitment clearances for the clinical attachment will commence four weeks within the provisional clinical attachment start date as noted on the application form.

  • Please note that start dates at this point remain provisional, but the application will be logged within the relevant month of the attachment. These dates remain provisional until all clearances are received.


If the consultant supervisor email and PLAB 2 confirmation is not provided within ten working days following the submission of clinical attachment application form, it will be assumed the observer does not have the required approval and the clinical attachment application will be withdrawn and deleted. Upon withdrawal, a new application form will need to be re-submitted along with the submission of the consultant supervisor's approval email.

A clinical attachment is not confirmed until the Medical Recruitment team has indicated that all clearances have been successfully returned. It is advised that observers do not book flights to the UK until the clinical attachment dates have been confirmed.

Documents required and clearances to be undertaken once approved by the Medical Recruitment team:

  • Overseas police clearance certificate (dated within the last six months), or UK Enhanced Adults and Childrens Barred list DBS (dated within the last six month, if the applicant is currently residing in the UK)
  • Occupational health clearance
  • Data validation form
  • Completed clinical attachment application form
  • Consultant supervisor email approval confirmation (submitted alongside application form)
  • Passport (original copy to be verified at ID check prior to or on the first day)
  • Letter of recommendation or reference (a letter confirming suitability for the clinical attachment. For example, a letter from a medical professional, medical school lecturer or from the current or most recent employer (if currently/previously employed) to confirm suitability. Please note: all letters must be on letter headed paper.
  • Copy of cv

Please note General Medical Council / General Dental Council (GMC/GDC) registration is not currently required for those on a clinical attachment. 

Clinical observers will be required to comply with all Trust policies and procedures during the period of clinical attachment.

They must comply with the Trust’s policy on patient confidentiality and respect patients’ cultural needs. It is the responsibility of the supervising consultant to ensure that the clinical observer is aware that patients must give free and informed consent to their observation of any treatment and have a right to decline.

Any event of misconduct or other concerns regarding the performance or behaviour of a clinical observer will result in the immediate termination of the attachment.

Some specialities may require additional approval alongside the supervising consultant. In this instance, the Medical Recruitment team will contact the relevant departmental manager once the application and consultant supervisor approval email has been received.

Will my application be considered without a consultant supervisor?

No, it is a mandatory requirement is to have a named consultant supervisor responsible for your attendance at the Trust for the duration of your clinical attachment period. It is expected that the application form will only be submitted once a consultant supervisor has been secured.


Is there a fee?

If a clinical attachment period is agreed to take place for four weeks or less there are no fees required.

If the clinical attachment period is agreed to take place for over four weeks, there is a fee of £300 which is payable at the cashiers office. Further details will be sent to each individual by the Medical Recruitment team.


My initial clinical attachment was for three weeks but the consultant has agreed to extend my clinical attachment for a further week - do I need to pay the fee?

No. However if the clinical attachment is four weeks or more, there will be a fee.


I am currently completing one clinical attachment period and a consultant from another speciality has agreed for me to shadow them once this current clinical attachment has ended - do I need to do anything?

Yes, for health and safety and audit purposes the Medical Recruitment team must be informed of your placement and consultant supervisor at all times. If the clinical attachment period is four weeks or more, the £300 fee will be applicable. Please email uhdb.medicalflexibleworkers@nhs.net for further information.


I am keen to extend my clinical attachment period, is there a maximum amount of time I can attend the Trust?

Yes, all clinical attachments can take place up to a maximum of two months (eight weeks). No clinical attachment extensions will be approved past eight weeks, to allow other attachments the opportunity to attend the Trust.


My consultant supervisor has agreed for me to work on the bank as a doctor - what do I do?

The clearances undertaken for a clinical attachment are not the same clearances as those undertaken for a paid Trust employee. You are not able to work clinically until you have met the recruitment clearances for a bank contract. Please discuss further with the Medical Recruitment team.


I require accommodation when I arrive in the UK for my clinical attachment

It is the individual's responsibility to ensure they have adequate accommodation during their time within the UK. Due to limited availability, Trust accommodation is not available for those not employed by the Trust.


I have submitted my application, but I have not received any further information from medical recruitment

Once the clinical attachment application form has been submitted, the observer has ten working days to submit the consultant supervisor approval email. Without this approval evidence, the clinical attachment application cannot proceed any further as it is expected that the consultant supervisor is sought out before submitting an application form. If this evidence is not received within ten working days of receipt of the application form, the clinical attachment application will be withdrawn and deleted with no further progress made. 

The Medical Recruitment team will issue a withdrawn email to the clinical observer informing them their application has been withdrawn due to not receiving the appropriate approvals.


Medical Recruitment have started recruitment clearances, but the observer is not engaging with the correspondence and actions required

In order to ensure as many doctors as possible are provided with the opportunity to undertake a clinical attachment at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, should an observer not respond to communication after 20 working days, the Medical Recruitment team will send a final email to confirm the application will be withdrawn and deleted within five working days of that email due to lack of progress. If there is still no progress, the Medical Recruitment team will delete the application and release the slot to another observer.