Introduction
Students who use their own vehicle to travel to placements are responsible for ensuring that they have the following:
- Appropriate insurance
- Valid MOT
- Valid licence
- Valid car tax
Insurance Cover Information
Students must ensure that they have adequate insurance cover for travel to and from placement so that no liability is placed on the University or any placement provider (including the NHS and local authorities).
Students must check with their insurance company that they have adequate cover for the following:
- to use their own car and drive to their place of study. This should include driving to a placement that is not their normal place of study and, where necessary, between different placement settings;
- to use their own car during placement in order to visit and treat patients/clients in their own home, which can entail carrying a small bag with equipment/dressings in;
- carrying other students.
Students must also ensure that their insurance cover is not invalidated by the receipt of a contribution towards travel costs or by carrying passengers if they are intending to claim for expenses via the NHS Learning Support Fund (more details can be found in the next section NHS Learning Support Fund Information)
Use of Hire Cars
USE OF HIRE CARS
The NHS Business Services Authority guidance states;
“Students are expected to travel by the cheapest form of transport available where it is reasonably practical to do so.”
In some instances, students can claim for the use of a hire car. This generally covers instances where:
- public transport is not available due to the location of the placement, or
- due to shift work making the use of public transport impossible, or
- a car is required for community travel within the working day, and you are unable to share with an educator.
Students should visit the NHS Business Services website to check what costs can be claimed.
The University offers students the opportunity to use a hire car booked via Enterprise rent a car.
In order to book a car students must give five working days' notice.
To book a car students must complete a Hire Car Request Form.
Failure to repay the cost of previous bookings will result in students being unable to use the Hire Car booking service.
Failure to use money claimed from the NHS to repay hire car costs may result in disciplinary action, under the Declaration of Good Health and Good Character.
Please note any purchases made sit under Student Financial Regulations and may impact on graduation and award. Please be aware of the time it takes to claim money back via the NHS Business Service Authority Learning Support Fund Learning Support Fund to reimburse the University and ensure you respond to any communication from finance related to payment before making requests towards the end of your course.
The hire car should only be driven by the named driver, no one else is permitted to drive the vehicle. Any use by unauthorised persons will result in disciplinary action.
The University will issue an invoice to students at the end of the hire period that covers the cost of the hire. Students must then claim the amount from the NHS Business Service Authority to pay the invoice. The University accepts no liability should the NHS Business Service Authority refuse to pay a claim, it is important that students check that a claim will be paid before making a booking or incurring any costs.
Students must be over 18 at the start of the hire period and have a full driving licence. Endorsements/points on a licence will not affect eligibility to use a hire car unless a driver is serving a ban.
The Placement Unit will place an online reservation for a vehicle with the hire firm. The student will then receive an e-mail notification to their university e-mail account giving details of the hire.
If a vehicle is not returned to the depot they picked it up from at the end of the agreed hire period, the student will be liable for any additional costs arising.
Whilst you are using the hire car, please pay due care and attention, and ensure traffic laws and regulations are adhered to:
- no speeding
- be aware of where you park
- no driving in bus lanes
- no driving in restricted areas
Students are required to pay any motoring fines and associated administrative costs incurred during the hire period of the car.
Parking fine penalty notices can vary but on average you are looking at a fine of between £60.00 to £85.00. The invoice will be sent to you directly from the University for payment.
If you incur more than two penalty charge notices and/or speeding fines the Placement Unit reserves the right to remove your use of the car hire booking service for the remainder of the academic year.
Students are responsible for returning the car with the fuel level specified by Enterprise at the start of the hire.
IN THE EVENT OF BREAKDOWNS AND INCIDENTS
In the event of a breakdown, phone – 0800 316 0977
In the event of an accident or damage to an Enterprise hire car, the driver must do the following:
- Avoid admitting liability e.g. don’t say that was my fault.
- Assess the damage.
- Phone the Placement Unit informing them about the incident as soon as it is safe to do so: 01228 279 289
- Phone Enterprise Hire Car (contact the branch who delivered car, details can be found on top of the rental contract or call 0800 800 227)
- Phone Zurich Municipal Claims Line number 0800 055 6767 to advise them of the accident. Quote certificate number NHE-08CA08-0013-52 and advise that you are a University of Cumbria student.
- Alternatively you can report the accident online via the following link:
https://motorclaims.zurich.co.uk/index.html
There are two options available:
Detailed Reporting: To report a claim when you have more time and can provide more detail around the incident which has occured.
Roadside Reporting: For reporting of a claim immediately after the incident has occured. - Complete an AccidentReport.doc and e-mail within 48 hours of the accident to incidentreporting@cumbria.ac.uk and PLUAdmin@Cumbria.ac.uk
Where damage is caused to a vehicle which is not recoverable from a third party, the University may charge the driver the costs of repair, up to a maximum of the insurance excess (currently £500).
We strongly advise that you photograph the car on collection and return. If any scratches, scuffs etc are visible on the car on collection please ensure they are noted and you have a photograph of them. We will ask for photographic evidence of the car in the event of a damage notification being received. You may be liable for any costs incurred.
Use of hire cars by students to travel to placement and for personal use at evenings and weekends is covered by the University’s insurance policy, however personal use should be limited e.g. local travel to the supermarket. Hire Cars should not be used to travel to paid work. If any damage to the hire car is reported, we would need confirmation if it took place during placement related travel or personal travel.
Students may wish to consider taking out their own personal accident cover as specialist medical cover is not included in the policy.