Room Booking Guidelines

Guidelines for room bookings in the Suttie Centre for Teaching & Learning in Healthcare & Satellites

The Suttie Centre is a joint facility for the benefit of both NHS Grampian and the University of Aberdeen. In order for us to maximise possible usage of the centre whilst ensuring core groups have access to the necessary space and facilities we have created a set of room booking guidelines.

Before you request a room at the Suttie Centre, please ensure you familiarise yourself with the guidelines.

• Booking of Rooms- information you need to have before you make your booking and who you should contact for assistance.
• Prioritisation of Events- information on how we prioritising bookings
• Cancellation- cancellation policy.
• Information- important general information that all users should read including, room set up / tidy up, fire alarm testing, car parking, catering, AV issues and IT information.
• Access at Maternity - who to contact if the door is locked.
• Access to ARI Simulation – how to arrange
• Access Out of Hours – how to arrange

Booking of rooms

When booking a room certain information will be required.

• Course title – please ensure this is as exactly as given to candidates, it can cause confusion
• Running times - please ensure this is as exactly as given to candidates, it can cause confusion
• Set up time (max 30 minutes unless you are able to justify longer)
• Contact name, number and email
• Number of participants – room capacities for various layouts are detailed in the booking system
• Type of participants e.g. University, NHSG, public – please do not simply leave as default
• Layout of room either from options or if custom you MUST describe this in supplementary information box
• Any equipment required - if you would like to borrow any equipment from Clinical Skills for your booking, please email clinicalskillscentre@abdn.ac.uk with a full list of what you would require. The team will then advise you what can be supplied. Please do not assume rooms will come with kit.
• Presence of any sponsors or company reps
• Details for invoicing (if applicable). Room hire charges may be applicable for bookings for any outside groups or agencies and those with delegate charges or sponsorship. If the activity is purely internal (NHSG or UoA) with no outside involvement then no charge will be levied.

Bookings for designated areas will be controlled by the appropriate staff associated with these areas. General enquiries or those unsure of which rooms they may require should be directed to the Suttie Reception – ext. (43)7786 or (43)7807 who will assist as appropriate.

• Core users’ bookings will take priority in their core area and can be made up to 2 years in advance however booking information is visible online with descriptions and unbooked accommodation will default to Suttie Centre control within 90 days when it should be available to all users for teaching and learning if required. Prior to this, requests falling out with core use will be dealt by negotiation with core users.
• Requests for activities which are not directly teaching or learning will be dealt with at the discretion of the building manager but it should be noted meetings will normally only be accommodated within a 28 day window.
• Generic student self-directed study (not clinical skills) can only be booked a maximum of 28 days in advance and is allowed in 228, 229, 230, 231, 232. All other rooms can be requested at a 24 hour window.   
• Self-directed study other than in the main computer room will only be permitted Mon-Thurs 8am-8pm, Fri 8am-7pm and Sat & Sun 8am-6pm. 
• Computers in the IT Suite are available for booking but this is not required.
• Clinical skills practice should be booked in Room 101.The room is available between the hours of 8am-6pm, Monday-Friday. Up to a maximum of 4 students can attend any session. The names of each student should be written in the booking form. Students can attend for 1 hour per week (whether they make the booking or are an additional attendee). The 1 hour slot includes any set-up/clear-down time, this should not be added in additionally. The room will have the following equipment in it: Trolley bed, CPR manikins, Fundoscopy head, urinalysis, Sphygmomanometer & stethoscope, male & female pelvic models, pregnant abdomen model and a neuro kit. Users of the room should be sure to clear up and be out of the room by the end of their 1 hour slot so the next user can start on time
• PA students can also practice various Practical Procedures. Please title your booking to indicate it is PA practice, and list the procedures you wish to practice in the description. Within clinical skills the standard rules of that department apply. 
• In addition to the 1 hour per week that can be pre-booked. If there is availability in the room, an additional ‘on the day’ booking can be made, or an existing booking extended on the day – if there is free space available in the room.
• Students cannot book the simulation centre
• Registered student groups will be able to book space for events, revision, meetings or group work.
• Communal areas including 000, 135 & 136 when booked do not guarantee exclusive use.
• The Medical Lecture Theatre, MacGillivray and Dugald Baird do not have the same restrictions and instead open for general booking in 6 month blocks: 1^st January-30^th June on 1^st October and 1^st July-31^st December on 1^st April. Bookings of higher institutional priority can be discussed with the Suttie Centre Manager and may be booked in advance for this.
• MedChi has its own booking guidelines – https://www.abdn.ac.uk/suttie-centre/booking/med-chi-booking-guidelines-146.php Where practical we will attempt to advise and assist with requests.

Prioritisation of Events at Suttie Centre

• University Exams will take high priority in the Clinical Skills Centre and rooms primarily associated with the University over other events. Steps will be taken to minimise any impact on NHS training. When essential to allow such degree examinations to proceed, some use of rooms primarily used for NHS training may be negotiated approximately 1 year in advance.
• External post graduate exams will not take priority, but can be arranged whenever practicable.
• Conferences and events will only take priority in the Conference Room nowhere else, but can be arranged whenever practicable through the Building Manager.
• The conference room is primarily conference space utilised to attract people to work and learn within the Healthcare Sector in Aberdeen.

Cancellation

• Wherever possible we ask that a minimum of 14 days’ notice is given for cancellation, to allow us to attempt to reuse the space. We understand there will be exceptional circumstances where this is not possible but would ask to be notified as soon as possible by emailing suttiecentre@abdn.ac.uk.

Information

• Rooms are laid out in line with drawings shown on the classroom pinboard. Whilst you are welcome to move the furniture to best meet your needs please ensure this is returned at the end of your booking.  No furniture should be removed from the room or placed in corridors.
• If you have requested a non-standard layout and this has been approved you do not need to return to the designated layout at the end but should ensure the room is tidy and as you found it.
• All rooms have lectern computers and projectors or large screens. Please note you will be unable to save to the desktop but can save to the s drive and these temporary files will then be cleared off when the computer is logged off. University or NHS usernames and passwords can also be used. For NHSG please use NHSG\username and then password.
• ARI Medical Lecture Theatre has both UoA and NHSG computers – please select as appropriate.
• Encrypted NHSG USB drives can be used in all computers. Instructions are attached to the lecterns.
• Any IT issues:
  • Contact 3000 or go to room 202 in Suttie

• At the end of the session please log off the computer do not switch off – this is done automatically at the end of the day.

• Rooms contain whiteboards and flip chart stands. Paper is provided but we do not provide pens. Please ensure you do not use flip chart pens on whiteboards.
• Please ensure you do not attach items to the walls. If you require pin boards these can be provided (contact reception).
• If additional chairs are required at Suttie these can be signed out from room 205 (key available from reception) and returned at the end of the session.
• Catering can be taken into classrooms. This must be provided by a registered caterer. Please ensure this is cleared away at the end of your booking and returnable items placed outside the room door.
• Water coolers are available on all floors of the Suttie Centre but please note cups are not provided.
• The cafe in the centre is open from 8am – 4pm Monday to Friday.
• Fire alarms in Suttie are tested on a Wednesday at 11.55am, MacGillivray & Dugald Baird on a Wednesday at 8.15am, ARI Medical Lecture Theatre on a Wednesday at between 08.00am and 11.00am and MedChi DELS on a Wednesday at 11.00am.  Evacuation is not required.
• In the event of a fire alarm sounding at any other time please evacuate immediately via the nearest signed exit. Assembly point for Suttie is the walled garden, for MedChi is the car park outside of the main entrance of the Polwarth Building, for ARI Medical Lecture Theatre is the Allan Downie Unit Car Park and for MacGillivray & Dugald Baird is the grassed area outside front entrance to the Maternity Hospital at the main Hospital sign.
• Should you have anyone who requires disabled evacuation at Suttie we would appreciate if you would alert reception on arrival for your booking.
• Please note the centre has no parking with the exception of some disabled spaces. Any deliveries must be made via the delivery bay and a fine system is in operation for inappropriate parking.
• Foresterhill is a no smoking site.

Access at Maternity

• Please go to Maternity reception who will be able to provide you with a key with an attached proximity card. You will be asked to provide identification and to sign for the keys which must be returned after unlocking the room.  This is particularly important as other bookings may require these. For Dugald Baird please contact reception at Suttie and we will advise of the key code

Access to ARI Simulation

• Needs to be arranged via Clinical Skills technical team.
• Email: clinicalskillscentre@abdn.ac.uk
• Phone no: 01224 437702

Access Out of Hours

• Bookings after 6pm or at weekends at Suttie – please note the front doors will be locked and entry/exit will be via the out of hour’s door to the cafe side of the main door. In addition the corridor doors will require appropriate University swipe cards after 8pm (Mon – Thurs), 7pm (Fri) and all weekend (attainable in advance from reception - if required you will be advised when booking is accepted).
• Booking requests for rooms at the weekend must be made by 1pm on the preceding Thursday.  If you make a booking after this time you must contact suttiecentre@abdn.ac.uk to discuss the matter.  This will only be agreed in exceptional circumstances.
• Booking requests for rooms after 6pm must be made by 1pm that day.  If you make a booking after this time you must contact suttiecentre@abdn.ac.uk to discuss the matter.  This will only be agreed in exceptional circumstances.

Updated February 2023