Healthcare programmes are characterised by periods of time spent in practice placements. This 'circuit' varies depending on the course of study. Spending time in a real practice setting is an invaluable experience for students, as you work alongside qualified professionals who pass on their experiences and can assess your skills and progress, whilst you work.

Healthcare in Leeds is provided by 3 different NHS Trusts:

  • The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) provides the majority of secondary care for adults with general health problems, children and pregnant women. It includes a number of hospitals; The Leeds General Infirmary and St. James Hospital are the two largest hospitals, but there are also Seacroft Hospital, Wharfedale Hospital and Chapel Allerton Hospital, and the Dental Hospital.
  • The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (L&YPFT) provides both primary and secondary care for people with mental health problems and learning disabilities. It has sites at several of the hospitals above, as well as in community and other settings in the Leeds area.
  • Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust (LCH) provides health centres and other primary care services (for example Midwives, Health Visitors, District and School Nurses).

Whilst the three Trusts provide the majority of healthcare in the city, it's not the whole story. Both Nuffield and SPIRE have hospitals within the city, and there are numerous other non-NHS places, such as nursing homes and clinics, social care placements and separate GP surgeries. In fact we place students just about everywhere that patients are cared for!

To be considered for a placement in certain specialist areas, students are required to apply using the forms provided on the Specialist Circuit page.

The majority of nursing and midwifery placements are within Leeds, as each University tends to work closely with the Trusts in its locality, so as not to encroach on areas further away.

Information and profiles of individual placements can be found on the PARE website, Online PARE