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BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice Interview Day Guidance Notes for Applicants 2014 Entry

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BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice

Interview Day Guidance Notes for Applicants

2014 Entry

Mission Statement

Edge Hill University will provide an intellectually stimulating, creative and inclusive environment for its community. Teaching and learning of the highest standard, supported by pure and applied research of international significance, will provide a firm foundation for its graduates, and other stakeholders in a rapidly changing world. An international perspective, knowledge and understanding, and a life-long capacity to learn and adapt, is the surest way of securing an individual’s and nation’s future.

Equal and Diversity Edge Hill University’s vision is to ‘provide an environment where everyone feels able to participate, contribute, enjoy and influence their experience; and where inclusive practices underpin everything we do. Respect for and celebration of individual diversity will shape institutional strategy, direction and behaviour.’ The University seeks to identify and eradicate any practice which discriminates on the basis of race, disability, sex, gender re-assignment, age , sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion, belief or none , or socio-economic background . The University recognises that equality and diversity embraces all aspects of employment and service delivery including curriculum; teaching; learning and assessment; research issues; and extra curricular activities.

DISCLAIMER

Edge Hill University makes every effort to ensure that this information is accurate at the time of publication. Edge Hill reserves the right to change or discontinue any course, programme or module, or the specific content thereof or to amend any other information without notice. Edge Hill does not accept any liability arising out of or in connection with any such changes.

Checklist for applicants

Before the interview: Read the interview guidance information.

Obtain a second reference and arrange for it to be sent to the Edge Hill Admissions Office no later than one week prior to the interview date (See Page 7)

Understand the selection criteria of the course and familiarise yourself with the written task examples

Log on to UCAS Track to confirm your attendance

Bring to the interview: Photographic Identification

Original certificates of qualifications (with one photocopy of each certificate)

Criminal Conviction statement (if appropriate)

Pens

Calculator

Contents

1. Your Interview:

Purpose

Criteria

Format for the day

Pre-interview preparation

Getting here

2. What to bring with you on the day

3. Admissions information

4. BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice

Programme Information

5. Additional information

6. Appendices:

A Statement of Criminal Conviction Form

B Sample written task questions

C Sample Numeracy Test

D List of Examination/Awarding Bodies

1. Your Interview Congratulations on being selected for interview! We are very pleased that you have decided to apply to Edge Hill University for a place on our Operating Department Practice programme. This document contains an outline of the interview process you will experience, as well as providing general information about the programme and subject specific guidance. We hope that this will enable you to prepare thoroughly and to present yourself well at interview. This programme is taught at our Ormskirk site and at our Manchester Armstrong House site in Manchester. You should check your interview invitation carefully as you will be considered for a place based at the site that you will attend the interview – i.e. if your interview is based at Ormskirk, you will be considered for a place at Ormskirk. If you feel you have been invited to attend at the wrong site, you must contact Admissions before to your interview on 01695 650950. We hope that you enjoy your visit to your chosen campus, have a successful outcome and decide that you would like to come to Edge Hill University. Good luck!

1.1 Purpose of the Interview

The programme you have applied for is regulated by the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC). The HCPC sets out clear standards of proficiency for those wishing to complete a programme leading to application to join the HPC Register of professionals. For further information on the HCPC, go to www.hpc-uk.org.

You will be interviewed to see whether you:

possess the personal, intellectual and presentational qualities suitable to become an Operating Department Practitioner

have the ability to accomplish the academic and professional requirements of the programme

display an understanding of the demands of studying at university

meet the standards required for entry to the programme applied for

display a commitment to developing subject knowledge, skills and understanding in order to be able to care for patients in the preoperative environment

display a commitment to becoming a competent safe professional Operating Department Practitioner

communicate clearly in written and spoken Standard English (to be tested through interview and written task)

demonstrate the required numeracy skills (to be tested at interview)

1.2 Selection Criteria

You can expect that the interview will assess all of the following areas:

i. Intellectual ability and personal and presentational qualities

You will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your enthusiasm for operating department practice and a positive approach to work.

Particular qualities we will be looking for include:

confidence

clear speech

positive demeanour

the capacity to be an effective member of a team

good communication skills

enthusiasm

ability to get on with people

a caring attitude

a genuine liking for and understanding of caring for sick patients

an ability to analyse questions and issues

an ability to give clear, thoughtful answers to questions

ii. Professional awareness and a commitment to a future career in Operating Department Practice.

You will be expected to have well thought out ideas on why you wish to enter a career in Operating Department Practice. The following are examples of websites dedicated to perioperative practice: www.codp.org.uk

www.afpp.org.uk

Previous experience of health care is not necessary but you should have a good understanding of the knowledge, concept and skills of the subject area and the capacity to articulate your understanding. If you have planned to gain experience after the interview you should let you interviewers know.

iii Academic Awareness

Success on this course depends on you being able to commit to academic and professional demands and for this reason you should be able to demonstrate clearly an understanding of the academic rigours of this course and how you will ensure assessment deadlines are met. Interviewers will expect candidates to have a basic understanding of the theoretical experience that will be gained during this programme and how that might enable your practice experience. Do remember that an interview is a two way process and that you should treat the interview as an opportunity to ask tutors questions. It is important that you make the right choice of programme. Your undergraduate programme will be intensive and challenging, but ultimately enjoyable and rewarding. iv English The ability to communicate clearly in spoken Standard English and the ability to write and understand written English. This will be tested on the day through the interview and written task. For further details and a sample paper please see Appendix B. v Numeracy The ability to accurately understand and calculate basic numeracy calculations which form the basis for further study in areas such as clinical maths and drug calculations. These skills will be tested during the interview process. For further details and a sample paper please see Appendix C.

1.3 Format for the day

All interviews follow a similar format, but you need to be aware that the process can differ according to the number of applicants attending, the venue, and the time of year. Please check your invitation carefully for the interview time and location. Below is the general programme for the day:

Arrival and check in

Collection of qualifications and any other information you have been asked to bring with you (please refer to section 2 of these guidance notes)

General welcome and introduction

Completion of numeracy test and written task

Individual interviews

You are likely to be interviewed by a member of academic staff and a member of staff from practice (an ODP Practice Facilitator or Clinical Skills Facilitator). Your interview will take around 20 – 30 minutes and you will be asked a number of questions relating to yourself and your chosen career pathway.

There is no formal closure of the interview session's activities. Once you have completed the full interview process (including the numeracy test, written task, your interview and, where appropriate, campus tour) you are free to leave.

1.4 Pre-interview Preparation Second Reference Now that you have been selected to attend an interview for this programme, you are required to provide an additional reference to support your application. In the majority of cases, we would require a reference from your most recent and appropriate employer (either paid or voluntary work) or an Academic reference from one of your previous tutors. Your UCAS application will include one reference, usually in one of the above categories. Your second reference should be in the alternative category where possible – i.e. if you have an Academic reference on your UCAS application, an employment reference will be required. If you are still at school/college, and have not undertaken any relevant work experience, we will require another reference from a second tutor, in addition to the initial reference provided on your UCAS application. You should note that we can only accept references that are printed on letter-headed paper, with an organisation name, logo, and with a signature from the referee. These can be posted to Admissions, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 4QP or faxed to 01695 584628. In some cases we can accept references by email. However they must be sent from a recognised organisation email account and sent to [email protected] The format of the reference is extremely important and you should be aware that WE CANNOT ACCEPT REFERENCES that are:

Printed on plain paper (i.e. not on company letter-headed paper).

Emailed from general email accounts (e.g. hotmail, gmail, yahoo etc)

Written by family members, family friends or work colleagues.

Not signed by the referee The reference needs to arrive at Edge Hill University’s Admissions Office no later than one week prior to the interview date. If a reference is not received we will not be in a position to make a decision on your application. Before the interview It is essential that you have:

a) researched and read about the role of the Operating Department Practitioner

b) thought about and can explain why you wish to enter a career in Operating Department Practice

c) professional awareness and commitment to a future career in Operating Department Practice

d) studied the examples of the numeracy test and examples of the type of English questions you will be tested on at the interview.

e) considered the amount of studying that will be involved in the programme

f) Considered the travel both time and distance to clinical placement which will account for 60% of the BSc Operating Department Practitioner programme of study. See section 4.1

g) have read this booklet and made a note of the items you need to bring with you to the interview (see also section 2) and any questions that you want to ask

You may find the following websites useful in helping you to prepare:

Basic English skills www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize

Basic Numeracy skills www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize

NHS Careers website www.nhscareers.nhs.uk

Please remember to log in to UCAS Track to accept the interview invitation, if you haven’t already done so.

1.5 How to get here

You should follow the instructions below depending on the location of your interview, which will be clearly indicated in your interview invitation. If your interview is taking place at the ORMSKIRK CAMPUS: You should make your way directly to the main foyer area of the Faculty of Health building where a member of the Admissions Team will be on hand to greet you. Tea and coffee will be provided during the day, but should you wish to purchase lunch or snacks you can visit one of our many catering outlets, the closest of which is located on the lower ground floor of the Faculty of Health building. Please aim to arrive on time. If for any reason you are going to be late arriving, please contact us on 01695 650950. For directions and a campus map go to: http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/location/ormskirk Parking at the Ormskirk campus Parking at the Ormskirk campus is likely to be extremely limited. We would strongly advise candidates to travel by public transport wherever possible. There is an Edge Hill bus which runs from the bus station in Ormskirk to the Edge Hill campus every 15 minutes. If you do travel by car, we have included a parking permit with your interview invitation. Please display this on your dashboard as you enter the campus main entrance, so that it is clearly visible to our parking attendants. They will then direct you to the nearest available space, if any are available. We must emphasise that possession of the parking permit does not guarantee you a space and we are not in a position to guarantee that parking spaces will be available on any given day. If the campus is full, you can find several car parks in Ormskirk Town Centre. For candidates attending morning interviews, you can expect to find traffic queues on St Helens Road from around 8.00-8.15am. If you are due to attend a morning interview and are attempting to park on campus, we would advise you to arrive no later than this time. If you do arrive early, there are several catering outlets on campus for you to purchase refreshments. If your interview is taking place at the MANCHESTER CAMPUS (Armstrong House): Please make your way to Reception on the ground floor, where you will be greeted by Edge Hill University staff and will wait here until your interview. For directions go to: http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/location/armstrong

Please aim to arrive on time. If, for any reason, you are going to be late arriving, please contact us on:

01695 650950 (Ormskirk) 01695 650797 (Manchester)

Parking at Armstrong House, Manchester There is no parking available at Armstrong House (Manchester campus), but there are numerous pay and display car parks in the vicinity. If travelling by car, please allow extra time to find a parking space and make your way to Armstrong House.

2. What to bring with you on the day

PROOF OF IDENTITY Please bring with you photographic ID (i.e. current valid passport or photo-card driving licence). Your ID will be checked by the Chair of the interview panel prior to the start of the interview process. If you do not bring suitable ID on the day, you may not be interviewed and will have to attend on an alternative date

PROOF OF QUALIFICATIONS*

Please bring with you original certificates for qualifications already attained and listed on your UCAS application. E.g. GCSEs, A Levels, BTEC, Access or other Further/Higher Education Certificates. You are also required to bring with you a complete set of photocopies of these certificates which will be taken from you and retained for our records. Please not that it will not be possible for us to photocopy these for you on the day.

DECLARATION OF CRIMINAL CONVICTION(S)

If you have had a criminal conviction, caution, bind over, or any offence at any time in your life which may appear on your CRB Enhanced Disclosure, you must provide a statement relating to this. The statement must include the date of the offence, type of offence, sentence, fine imposed, etc. If applicable, please complete the form in Appendix A and bring this to your interview in a sealed envelope with your name and course written on the front. This information will be considered by the Head of Clinical Partnerships & Fitness to Practice Team and you will be required to attend a short meeting – a ‘panel’ to discuss this further.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

If you have any additional supporting evidence (i.e. additional references, evidence of work experience, etc), that you would like to show your interviewers, please bring this with you on the day.

A PEN

*Please note: If you have changed your name since your certificates were issued, please advise us of this when you check in and hand in your photocopies. You may be required to provide proof of this, eg your marriage or deed poll certificate. In this case, please also bring with you a photocopy of the relevant proof of name change. If you do not bring photocopies of your certificates on the day and the decision of the panel is to offer you a place, we will withhold the decision until we receive verification of qualifications already attained and listed on your UCAS application. In this instance, it is important that you initiate a search as soon as possible either by contacting your previous school/college or the relevant examination boards. Please be aware that search fees are in place and searches take a number of weeks to complete. To assist you, we have listed some of the examination boards in Appendix D of this interview guidance.

3. Admissions Information The Admissions Team is here to guide you through the application process. If you have any queries about your application or the interview guidance information, please do not hesitate to contact us on the following numbers: 01695 650957 01695 650953 01695 650950 If you require any specific information on issues such as student finance, accommodation, student support, etc, specialist guidance is available from Student Services in the Student Information Centre at the Ormskirk campus, or you can contact them by telephone on 01695 584554. As an inclusive institution, we do seek to ensure that we are able to meet individual needs. If you have a specific requirement that will need to be addressed in order that you can engage effectively with the interview process, i.e. additional time for written tasks, etc, we ask that you advise us in advance so that we can make the necessary arrangements as appropriate. Please complete the online form at www.edgehill.ac.uk/interviewguidanceform as soon as possible, and at least 5 working days prior to your interview.

You will be required to provide a copy of your Local Authority ‘statement’ or a letter from your school, college or employer to confirm that additional time for tests is a requirement.

If you would like any confidential advice or information on Edge Hill University’s student support services for students with disabilities or specific learning difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact the following staff:

Edge Hill Inclusion Team 01695 584190 [email protected]

Edge Hill Specific Learning Disabilities 01695 584372 [email protected]

3.1 Notification of the interview outcome Following your interview, we will let you know the result as soon as reasonably possible. As competition for places is extremely fierce, and in fairness to all candidates, we may delay making final decisions until we have completed all the interviews, which means you may not receive a decision following the interview for several months. However, we will endeavour to keep you informed of the situation should this be the case. Decisions are made based on your interview and the selection criteria set out within this guidance information.

3.1.1 If you are offered a place on the BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice programme Following the interview, you will receive written confirmation of the decision reached by the interview panel. If your interview is successful and you are made an offer, the letter will advise you to log in to UCAS Track to check the specific conditions of your offer. If you have any queries regarding your offer conditions, you must contact the Admissions Officer immediately and certainly within 14 days of the date on the offer letter.

3.1.2 If you are unsuccessful We will notify UCAS and, at the same time, write to you providing individual feedback detailing the reasons for the decision, to help you prepare for any future applications you may decide to make.

3.2 Finance and Bursary Information

Tuition fees for this programme are paid for by the Department of Health via the Strategic Health Authority (SHA). Degree students are entitled to apply for a means tested bursary through the SHA, www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk and a means tested student loan through Student Finance www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance More information is available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/study/fees

4. BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice – programme information

What is this programme about?

Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are vital members of the perioperative team, working in an exciting and dynamic environment. They work alongside medical and nursing colleagues to provide high standards of care during the anaesthetic, surgical and recovery phases of the patient’s treatment in hospital. The wide scope of the role requires practitioners to have a broad knowledge and skill base in areas such as anatomy and physiology, illness and disease, surgical and anaesthetic procedures, legal and ethical issues, communication and teamwork.

This is a high quality three year full time undergraduate degree, each year comprising of 45 programmed weeks and equivalent to 5175 hours. Each year comprises of three 15 week semesters containing theory and practice weeks, 6 weeks planned and 1 floating week of annual leave. The programme is mix of 40% theory and 60% practice throughout.

On completion of the programme, successful students will gain a professional qualification in Operating Department Practice and be eligible to meet the Health Professions Council’s statutory requirements for registration. Students are therefore, able to apply for the HPC for registration following completion of the programme.

What will I study?

Theory

The theoretical component of the programme will be taught at the Ormskirk campus for Ormskirk and Merseyside students and at Armstrong House for Manchester students. You will be required to attend University during theoretical weeks/study days usually from 9am until 4.30pm, although this could be later due to classroom availability.

The programme comprises of 11 modules, which will enable you to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to work effectively in perioperative care.

During the first year of the programme you will study at level 4 in areas relating to:

Inter-professional Learning: Understanding Professional Roles, Interaction and Collaboration

Practice Learning: Developing Proficiency

Maintaining Safety in Perioperative Practice

Introduction to the Principles of Perioperative Practice

Application of Anatomy & Physiology in Perioperative Practice

During the second year of the programme you will study at level 5 in areas relating to:

Inter-professional Learning: Understanding Service Governance

Practice Learning : Enhancing Proficiency

Applied pharmacology in Perioperative Practice

Appraising Research in Health and Social Care

Holistic Perspectives in Perioperative Care

During the third year of the programme you will study at level 5 in areas relating to:

Inter-professional Learning: Preparing for the Professional Role

Practice Learning : Achieving Proficiency

Management of Complex Clinical Issues within the Perioperative Environment

The Role of Enhanced Scrub Practice

Practice

The practical component of the course will require you to undertake clinical placements in order to achieve competencies along the theoretical component. Clinical competencies will be gained through 37.5 hours per week practice placements at a suitable hospital within your area. This means that you will be expected to participate as part of the operating theatre team. You will be supported at all times during the duration of the programme. You will spend most of the three years in your ‘home trust’ although you may also have the opportunity to observe practice within a number of other trusts, units and departments. More information on your clinical placement can be found in section 4.1.

Clinical Hours

An operating theatre works 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Therefore, you will be expected to experience the work of the operating theatre at different times of the day and night. This will mean that you will be required to work shifts, early and late duty, weekends and nights over the three years

How will I be assessed?

One of the strengths of the programme is the coherence of the assessment experience you will be required to undertake. We have carefully planned the nature and timings of all assessed work across the programme. You will be given clear guidance and criteria for each assessment and receive constructive feedback. Both theory and practical assessments need to be completed to set deadlines.

Theory

You will be required to demonstrate your achievement of module learning outcomes by various assignments, presentations, oral, practical and written examinations.

Practical

Practice outcomes are assessed in the clinical placement area on a pass or fail basis.

4.1 Placements

Prior to interview you are asked to consider issues which may arise in relation to clinical placement. Placement opportunities may be discussed during interview, though you may be asked regarding your preferences / transport availability, THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES REGARDING YOUR PLACEMENT ALLOCATION.

All successful candidates will be required to complete a placement profile form. This will be provided by the Placement Learning Support Team within the Faculty of Health, and will allow the team to have a record of key information about all trainees when they are making placement arrangements. The ODP course differs from Pre Registration Nursing courses, in that students remain in the same clinical placement (Hospital/Trust) for the duration of the course. Your clinical placement will be allocated by the Placement Learning Support Team, who will endeavour to place you at a hospital close to your home, depending on the availability of student placement numbers in participating hospitals. Not all hospitals offer places for every intake. If a hospital placement is not available close to your home you will be expected to travel. Current placements include: Aintree University Hospital Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital Arrowe Park Hospital (Wirral) Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Clatterbridge Hospital (Wirral) Countess of Chester Lourdes (Independent) Liverpool Royal Liverpool University Hospital Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals Warrington (& Runcorn) Hospital Whiston (& St.Helens) Hospital Liverpool Women’s Hospital Walton Centre of Neurology and Neurosurgery Murrayfield (Independent) Hospital (Wirral)

Macclesfield General Hospital Central Manchester Foundation Trust (Manchester Royal Infirmary) Royal Albert Edward Infirmary (Wigan) Beaumont Hospital (BMI Healthcare Bolton) Beardwood Hospital (BMI Healthcare Blackburn) Alexandra Hospital (BMI Healthcare Cheadle) Highfield Hospital (BMI Healthcare Rochdale) Christie Hospital (Manchester) Royal Bolton Hospital Stepping Hill Hospital (Stockport) Wythenshawe Hospital (South Manchester) Trafford General Hospital Rochdale Infirmary Royal Oldham Hospital North Manchester General Hospital Fairfield General Hospital (Bury) Leighton Hospital (Crewe) Salford Royal Hospital Euxton Hall Hospital (Capio Healthcare Chorley) All contact with placement hospitals is made formally via the Faculty of Health Placement Learning Support Team and students should not contact hospitals directly to arrange placements. Once you have formally accepted clinical placement it is very difficult to change.

5. Additional Information Additional notes to applicants who are subsequently made an offer after interview: In order to ensure your smooth entry to Edge Hill and your professional training programme, it is important that you adhere to the national criteria for entry to the profession by following guidance notes issued by the NMC/UCAS/Edge Hill Prospectus and that you are:

a) able to comply with the requirements of the offer sent to you and any other requests as soon as they are asked for and certainly not later than a given date.

b) able to meet the national requirements for full clearance to work with people

in respect of the Police Act and the health standards to enter the profession

c) able to comply with any changes in the national requirements for those starting ODP programmes in 2014

d) responsible for the completion and prompt return of all forms sent to you.

APPENDIX A – Statement of criminal conviction(s)

SURNAME FIRSTNAME(S)

DATE OF BIRTH MALE / FEMALE

PROGRAMME

PROGRAMME START DATE

STATEMENT (use additional sheet if required)

SIGNATURE:

DATE

APPENDIX B – Sample Comprehension Paper At the beginning of the interview candidates will be required to sit a written English comprehension test and a maths test. The written comprehension test will last for 30 minutes, in which time the candidate will be asked to read a paper and answer a number of questions in relation to that paper. The written comprehension ensures that if required to write patient notes you manage to write succinctly, legibly and confidently ensuring the information is accurate and enhances patient safety. Please see a sample paper below.

Hysterical, deluded and thoroughly English (Article)

England has exited the football World Cup and once again failed to live up to expectations.

But why do the English fool themselves, again and again, into believing they can win, and

might they actually enjoy it?

According to Wikipedia, hysteria is "a state of mind of unmanageable fear or emotional

excesses. The fear is often caused by multiple events in one's past that involved some sort

of severe conflict." Sound familiar?

After a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Germany, England has once again entered an unofficial

period of national mourning. It's something the country goes through after every World Cup

or European Championship exit - from euphoric anticipation to shock and despair in the

space of 90 minutes.

So have the English become hysterical in their dealings with the national side?

Harry Eyres, writer of the Financial Times's Slow Lane column, believes the passion has

taken on a desperate, obsessive quality: "Too much seems to hang on it. We appear

needy as a nation. There's an extraordinarily neurotic fear and excessive expectation about

watching England. I don't think we're in touch with reality."

The world is entranced by the beautiful game every four years. But not everyone seems to

invest as much importance in their national side.

On holiday in Spain during the 2002 World Cup, Eyres remembers pulling into a bar in

Andalucia to catch the end of the Spanish team's quarter final with South Korea.

The talented Spanish side went on to lose but there was no vitriol, Eyres recalls: "It was

amazing how lightly they took it. This was a working class, blue collar bar. Can you imagine

a pub full of builders in England when the team get knocked out - it would be a tragedy. My

impression is that in Spain it just doesn't matter so much."

Writer Simon Kuper sees a similar imbalance of expectation when England is compared

with France, where he lives. If the English did badly in this competition, the French -

finalists in the last World Cup - did even worse, getting knocked out in the first round.

But in France, says Kuper, author of Why England Lose, no-one thought the home side

would actually win.

What enraged the French public was not poor displays on the pitch but the mutinous

behaviour of the team's arrogant stars.

"Unlike the English the French are able to switch off the team when they're angry with it.

People are disgusted. But they don't go into the anguish of looking at the country as a

whole. They just say the team are horrible people."

Not only do the English never learn. They appear to thrive on the masochism of

outlandish hope followed by tragic defeat, he argues.

"I think people enjoy the ritual. Every four years it happens and takes you back to previous

tournaments. It's a communal moment, people sharing the pain with each other at the bus

stop. It's that thing about big World Cup games that end in tragedy - usually on penalties,

ideally to Germany."

But that ritual comes at a price, says Kuper, who sees a crucial difference between the

attitude of the English side and that of his native Holland.

Anger-land

"When a Dutch player scores he's happy but when an England player does it's all clenched

jaw, relief and anger. It's very stressful for the England players. It's like with children at

school, when they know the expectations are too high and they can't meet them."

But if England is deceiving itself about its ability, who or what is guilty of inflating

expectations unrealistically high?

Britain's tabloid press frequently seem to overplay the side's ability. But that's no surprise,

says Roy Greenslade, a professor of journalism and a former editor of the Daily Mirror.

Playing on the hopes of fans, and reinforcing their disappointment, is all part of the never

ending circulation battle.

"The biggest football fans are tabloid readers. And the popular papers both respond to and

ramp up the public mood. And it is our national sport. You don't get this level of interest for

cricket."

But there is something unique about Britain's newspaper industry, he says: "We are

different in having a competitive national press. So the papers can galvanise a population

across the whole country. They can't do that in France or Germany where much of the

press is regional."

Back in 1966 when England won the World Cup and Greenslade was a young reporter for

the now defunct Barking Advertiser there were only two national tabloids. Today the

newspaper scene is almost unrecognisable by comparison.

Diagnosing defeat

"Make no mistake the papers set the agenda. And today we have feeding frenzies. Savage

as it sounds the Madeleine McCann story sold papers and previously there was Princess

Diana. The World Cup is another first class example of a feeding frenzy that electrifies the

newspapers."

What this frenzy is really about is fear of national decline, says the writer and broadcaster

Toby Young: "In a sense it's people's anxiety about Britain's waning influence on the

international stage. It expresses itself in their anxiety about how England will fare in the

World Cup." And that's why beating Germany has become so important.

"The chant 'two world wars and one world cup!' rings increasingly hollow each time we're

beaten by a German team. It's the ability of the German team to punch above its weight in

football terms. And that seems to us to reflect their ability to punch above their weight

economically."

There is a political angle to all this with theorists on opposite sides of the ideological debate

diagnosing defeat in different ways. "If you're on the left it's the players who are overpaid

and selfish exhibiting the spirit of materialism introduced by Thatcher," he says. "If you're

on the right it's because of a lack of confidence and self belief."

The loss to Germany has prompted much soul searching. So would the English be better

off hiding their flags next time around?

Young thinks not - believing that win or (mostly likely) lose, it's all for the good.

"In this age, here's something that for once genuinely brings us together as a country. And

the anxiety about national decline would be there whether it's expressed in this way or not.

You can describe it as hysterical if you like but I'd say it's cathartic."

The healthy side

Psychologist Dr Sandy Wolfson agrees. She has studied the behaviour and emotional lives

of football fans and argues the World Cup is good for the mind.

"The vast majority of fans get many psychological benefits. There's always going to be

moments of depression and despondency when you lose. The key thing is its ability to get

social interaction between people from all walks of life. You'll get a highly paid lawyer in the

pub talking to a street cleaner. And football's a good way of getting people to think

intellectually. You can also scream and shout in a socially acceptable way."

But aren't we all living in denial? "The optimism is healthy. And it's cyclical, you get the

renewal of hope after defeat. I'm not denying your team lets you down and you're going to

have a hard time. There will be a lot of people angry, upset and negative. But research

shows that within a week you're thinking about the next event."

Surely there is one simple lesson we can learn from this predictable debacle. Whoever

gets the poisoned chalice of being England manager in four years' time, could for once

learn to manage expectations. When the inevitable question from the press pack arrives -

"So can we win the World Cup this time?" the coach would reply: "Probably not. Let's see if

we can get to the second round first shall we?"

Hysterical, deluded and thoroughly English (Questions)

Look at the words in the text that are bold. They are listed on the left below. Now

match them with a word on the right that can replace them in the text.

For example euphoric can be replaced by ecstatic.

euphoric ecstatic

hang inimitable

entranced exaggerating

vitriol stimulate

enraged mirror

anguish incensed

outlandish depend

crucial wrath

inflating absorbed

unique brutal

defunct diminishing

galvanise bizarre

savage torment

waning vital

reflect obsolete

Hysterical, deluded and thoroughly English (Questions)

3. Now answer the following multiple choice questions. Who played Italy in the final in 2006?

a) France b) Spain c) Germany d) South Korea What reason does Roy Greenslade give for the fact that the French and German press do not stir up such feelings as the English press?

a) They have fewer newspapers b) The public are not interested in football c) The press is more regional d) Their press is less competititve

What do you understand by the phrase “The Germans punch above their weight?”

a) The Germans played well b) The Germans played badly c) The Germans played better than expected d) The German team members were very heavy

Why does Toby Young believe that beating the Germans has become so important?

a) Because we always lose to them in important competitions b) Because we are the better team c) Because people believe Britain is losing it’s influence on the world stage d) To stop the press hounding the team if they lose

Which of the following reasons does Dr Wolfson not give to support her belief that the World Cup is good for the mind?

a) People from different backgrounds will socialise b) It will enable people to think intellectually c) The team will not let you down d) You can let off steam in an acceptable manner

4. What are your views? Does football matter? Does the World Cup unite people and nations? Is it all a waste of time and money? Write several paragraphs giving details of your views?

APPENDIX C – Sample Maths Paper Often in the Preoperative area, calculations need to be carried out mentally and without the use of calculators. The tests are an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you are capable of processing information at a basic level. The questions on the test will represent common calculations you would be asked to make on a day-to-day basis in an Operating Department. Please see sample below:

Pre-Interview Maths Questions - Calculator Not Allowed

20 minutes to complete – You will need to show your calculations

1. 7542 + 1568 =

2. 62400 – 14889 =

3. 258 x 45 =

4. 6500 ÷ 169 =

5. 9/4 + 4/5 =

6. 53.24 – 14.79 =

7. 15.69 + 4.3 + 311.25 =

8. 125.9 x 2.5 =

9. Convert 542cm to m =

10. Convert 257g to kg =

11. Convert 487ml to litres =

12. 7700 ÷ 324 =

APPENDIX D – List of Examination/Awarding Bodies If you are having difficulties locating previous examination results/certificates it is important that you initiate a search on receipt of the offer either by contacting your previous school/college or the relevant examination boards. Please be aware that search fees are in place and searches take a number of weeks to complete. We have listed below some of the examination boards: Assessment and qualifications Guildford Alliance (AQA) Stag Hill House Tel 01483 506506 (for NEAB, AEB, JMB, and SEG) Guildford Fax 01483 300152 Surrey email: [email protected]

GU2 7XJ website:www.aqa.org.uk

Manchester AQA Tel 0161 953 1180 Devas Street Fax 0161 273 7572 Manchester email: [email protected]

M15 6EX website: www.aqa.org.uk

Edexcel Foundation Stewart House Tel: 0870 240 9800 32 Russell Square Fax: 0207 758 6960 London e.mail:[email protected] WC1B 5DN website: www.edexcel.org.uk Oxford Cambridge and RSA Head Office Tel: 01223 552552 Examinations (OCR) 1 Regent Street Fax: 01223 552553 Cambridge email [email protected] CB2 1GG website: www.ocr.org.uk Welsh Joint Education 245 Western Ave Tel: 029 2026 5000 Committee (WJEC) Cardiff Fax 029 2057 5994 CF5 2YX email: [email protected]

website: www.wjec.co.uk