Safeguarding policy

Apply to Medicine Programme. Adopted 24 October 2026. Next review by October 2027.

1. Who this policy is for

The Apply to Medicine Programme is run by PM Diplomas, a trading name of Professional Medical International Ltd. Most of our students are 16 to 18 and some are younger, so we treat every student as a child for safeguarding purposes until we know they are 18 or over. This policy applies to everyone who works on the programme: course directors, doctors, medical students, interviewers, hosts and administrators, whether paid or unpaid. We call them “the team”.

It follows the UK government’s guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), uses Keeping Children Safe in Education as a guide to good practice, and draws on the NSPCC’s advice for organisations that teach children online.

2. Our commitments

• The welfare of every student comes first, ahead of the needs of the programme.
• Every student is treated with respect, whatever their background, and nobody is singled out or embarrassed.
• Concerns are taken seriously, acted on the same day, and shared only with people who need to know.
• Parents and guardians can see how the programme works and can contact us at any time.

3. Roles

• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Professor Tom Cosker. Receives every concern, decides what happens next, makes referrals, keeps records and makes sure the team is trained.
• Deputy DSL: Jules Deruelle. Acts for the DSL when the DSL is not available, and receives concerns about the DSL.
• Everyone on the team must know this policy, follow the code of conduct below, and pass on any concern to the DSL straight away.

4. Safer recruitment

• Everyone who teaches, interviews or hosts a session has an enhanced DBS check (with a check of the children’s barred list where they are eligible) before their first session. People who live outside the UK provide the equivalent police check from their country.
• We check identity and professional registration (for example GMC registration for doctors).
• Everyone reads and signs this policy and the code of conduct before their first session.
• Everyone completes safeguarding training before their first session, and refreshes it every year.

5. How sessions are run

Live teaching sessions and the free taster

• Sessions are webinars. Students’ cameras and microphones stay off, so students do not appear on screen or in any recording.
• Questions go through a chat moderated by a member of the team. Full names are never read out.
• At least two members of the team are present in every session.
• Joining links are sent only to registered email addresses, and are not posted publicly.

Mock interviews (MMI circuit)

• Every station has two adults present: the interviewer and a second member of the team. No member of the team is ever alone with a student.
• Mock interview stations are not recorded.
• A host oversees all the rooms and can join any of them at any time.
• Students may keep their camera on during their own station only, because interviews are face to face. They can leave at any time.

6. Code of conduct for the team

• Contact students only through official programme channels: the programme’s email addresses and the session platform. Never use personal email, phone numbers, WhatsApp, text or social media with a student.
• Do not accept or send friend or follow requests from students, and do not arrange to meet a student.
• Copy a second member of the team, or a parent or guardian, into any individual email to a student under 18.
• Keep feedback professional and kind. Never use sarcasm, humiliation or comments about appearance.
• Do not make promises of secrecy. If a student tells you something worrying, explain that you must pass it on to keep them safe.
• Do not take screenshots or recordings of students, or share their work, without the DSL’s agreement.

7. If you are worried about a student

A concern might come from something a student says or writes, how they behave, or something you see or hear.

1. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999 (or the local emergency number) straight away.
2. Listen calmly. Do not ask leading questions or investigate yourself.
3. Write down what was said or seen as soon as you can, in the words used, with the date and time, and send it to info@pmdiplomas.com the same day.
4. The DSL decides what happens next. This may mean contacting the student’s parent or guardian, their school’s designated safeguarding lead, or the children’s social care team of the local authority where the student lives. For students outside the UK, the DSL contacts the parent or guardian and the relevant local authorities in that country.
5. We will not contact a parent first if that could put the student at greater risk.

8. Concerns about a member of the team

Report any concern about the behaviour of a member of the team to the DSL. If the concern is about the DSL, report it to the deputy. Where an allegation suggests a member of the team may have harmed a child, or may pose a risk to children, the DSL refers it to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within one working day. The DSL also refers it to the Disclosure and Barring Service, and to the person’s professional regulator where required. The person does not teach on the programme while the matter is looked into.

Anyone on the team can raise a concern about how the programme is run without fear of losing their place. If you feel unable to raise it with us, you can call the NSPCC whistleblowing advice line on 0800 028 0285.

9. Online safety and privacy

• We collect as little personal information about students as we can. See our privacy notice for students.
• Session platforms are set so that students cannot share their screens or message each other privately.
• Recordings show only the presenters and their slides, and are shared only with enrolled students.

10. Records

The DSL keeps a confidential record of every concern, what was done and why. Records are stored securely, seen only by the DSL and deputy, and kept in line with statutory guidance on safeguarding records.

11. Help for students and parents

• Childline, for anyone under 19: 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk.
• NSPCC helpline, for adults worried about a child: 0808 800 5000 or nspcc.org.uk.
• CEOP, to report online sexual abuse or grooming: ceop.police.uk.

12. Review

The course directors review this policy every year, and sooner if the law or guidance changes or something goes wrong. The date of the next review is at the top of this page.