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Flexible Training > Background
Background
The intention of flexible training is to keep doctors in the NHS
who might otherwise leave because they are unable to make a full-time
commitment. This is in line with European law. EC Directive EC
93/16/EEC says that although member states are not obliged to provide
part-time opportunities if they do so they must comply with the
Directive. The Directive requires that:
- Part-time training shall meet the
same requirements as full-time training, from which it will differ
only in the possibility of limiting participation in medical
activities to a period of at least half of that provided for
full-timers.
- The competent authorities shall
ensure that the total duration and quality of part-time training
of specialists are not less than those of full-time trainees.
Flexible training is open to all training grades, ie those in the
Foundation Programme, SHOs and Specialist Registrars.
The key aims of flexible training are:
- To retain within the medical
workforce doctors who are unable to continue their training on a
full-time basis
- To promote career development and
work / life balance for doctors training within the NHS
- To ensure continued training in
programmes on a time-equivalence (pro-rata) basis
- To maintain a balance between less
than full time arrangements, educational requirements and service
needs
General Information
Flexible training is available for doctors in the training grades
for whom full-time training is not practical for “well-founded
individual reasons”. However the funding for flexible training is a
finite resource and it may be necessary to place applicants in an
order of priority. The following eligibility criteria will guide
priority:
Category 1
Those doctors in training with:
- Disability or ill heath (this may
include those on in vitro fertility programmes)
- Responsibility for caring (men and
women) for children
- Responsibility for caring for ill /
disabled partner, relative, or other dependent.
These result in the individual doctor or dentist being
professionally disadvantaged by circumstances, and less able to fulfil
their potential on a full-time rather than on a part- time basis.
Category 2
Those doctors in training with:
- Unique opportunities for their own
personal / professional development, eg training for national /
international sporting events, or short-term extra-ordinary
responsibility eg a national committee
- Religious commitment- involving
training for a particular religious role which requires a specific
amount of time commitment
- Non-medical professional development
such as management courses, law courses, fine arts courses or
diploma in complementary therapies.
Other well founded reasons may be considered but it would be
dependent on the particular situation in which the individual was
training.
Category 1 applicants will have priority and will, in general, be
supported. Access to category 2 is dependent on individual
circumstances and the availability of funding.
Research should be accommodated within the ordinary training
programme. By working with the programme directors, nearly all doctors
and dentists can be allowed to pursue research as part of their normal
training. This applies to both full-time and trainees working
flexibly. It is not the intention of flexible training to subsidise
doctors and dentists doing research.
A flexible trainee will be required to undertake at least 50% and
normally 60% of a normal working week. (If you are unable to work 50%
you may be eligible for the Flexible Careers Scheme- for further
details click here ). Day time working, on-call and out-of-hours
duties should be undertaken on a basis pro rata to that worked by full
time trainees in the same grade and speciality, unless the
circumstances which justify flexible training make this impossible,
provided that legal and educational requirements are met.
Most trainees will work a total of 24-28 hours per week (F6 in the
new contract)
A flexible trainee’s programme should contain the same elements as
that of a full-time trainee including departmental meetings, audit,
research, teaching etc.
- The duration of training (eg until
Certificate of Completion of Training - CCT) will be extended
according to the number of hours worked.
If you are considering flexible training because of a young family
it is vital that you arrange comprehensive child care. This may not be
cheap but it is an essential component of a stress free professional
life (as stress free as possible!). Other flexible trainees will be
able to give you practical advice on obtaining child care.
Applying for Flexible Training
All trainees who wish to be considered for flexible training in the
Severn Deanery should print off the
Application Form on this
website in the first instance and return it to the Flexible
Administrator in the appropriate Institute.
Once your eligibility for flexible training has been assessed you
will be given further information about how to progress a flexible
training post. You are encouraged to apply as long as possible in
advance of wishing to undertake flexible training and up to 6-12
months in advance if possible.
Please read the all the information about the new arrangements for
flexible training on this website.
Those wishing to undertake General Practice Training or the
Foundation Year on a less than full time basis should apply using the
application form as described above. It is also advisable to contact
the Director of General Practice Training, Professor Frank Smith in
the first instance, and / or the Foundation Programme Director in each
Institute as appropriate.
NOTE:
If you have not applied for flexible training in advance of
application to an SHO / SpecialistSHO/Specialist Registrar Training
Programme you will find that funding will not be available for you
immediately.
In this event you have the options of:
- Awaiting funding availability while
not working, or
- Taking the whole time post in the
interim
Useful contacts
Professor Selena Gray
Associate Postgraduate Dean (Flexible Training)
Severn Deanery
Academic Centre
Frenchay Hospital
Bristol BS16 1EL
Selena.gray@sevwesdeanery.nhs.uk
0117 975 7045
Joy Sellick
Flexible Administrator
Associate Postgraduate Dean (Flexible Training)
Severn Deanery
Academic Centre
Frenchay Hospital
Bristol BS16 1EL
joy.sellick@sevwesdeanery.nhs.uk
0117 975 7045
Funding Mechanism
The Strategic Health Authority (SHA) will fund at least the basic
salary costs of flexible trainees normally at Band F6 but up to F7 if
necessary, (by separate negotiation).
Trusts are responsible for the out of hours intensity payments.
(See the BMA guidance on the
new contract on this website for details of how salaries are
calculated.)
Working as a Flexible Trainee at Specialist
Registrar (SpR) Level
- It is normally necessary to arrange
a special programme for you. In this case the programme
/ timetable will have to be submitted to the appropriate Regional
Adviser and / or Royal College for ad personam educational
approval before you can commence in the post. You will need to
discuss the details of the programme with the Programme Director;
it will take into account your geographical location and working
availability. A number of specialties have appointed a
Flexible Training
Adviser to support, advise and co-ordinate flexible training.
In these specialties you should contact the Adviser at an early
stage. They will be able to help you in identifying training
opportunities. Many have been flexible trainees themselves and
know the system well.
- You will need to register with your
College, as necessary, and tell them that you are training
flexibly.
- You will have an annual Record of in
Training Assessment (RITA) and your Certificate of Completion of
Training (CCT) date will be adjusted by the appropriate Specialty
Training Committee / Royal College to take account of your
particular pattern of training.
If you are already in post as a Specialist Registrar
You are entitled, at any time, to request transfer to flexible
training by using the application form. If you are eligible, you will
need to discuss a suitable programme with your Programme Director, the
specialty flexible training adviser and your prospective educational
supervisor. The exact start date will be dependent on the availability
of funding, from both the Strategic Health Authority for your basic
salary, and any intensity supplement (if needed) from the Trust.
In addition, you may, at a future date, request to return to
full-time training. To do this you will need to apply through the
Programme Director and await the availability of a full-time vacancy
in the programme. You will need to inform the Associate Dean (Flexible
Training) and Specialty Manager of your intentions.
NB The procedure of gaining educational approval for each
flexible training post must be repeated for every Trust in your
rotation. It is therefore vitally important that you make the Deanery
aware of rotation dates and venues well in advance through regular
contact with the Speciality Manager and the Flexible Administrator.
Further Guidance
Slot sharing
As the number of flexible trainees increases, it is becoming more
difficult to set up ad personam supernumerary posts. Slot sharing is
therefore the preferred option wherever possible. The advantages are
that the basic elements of a full-time training post are in place,
with educational approval and funding. These may need to be adjusted
or modified to take into account two slot sharers. The disadvantages
are finding someone with whom to slot share who is in the right
specialty and in the right geographical area. However with increasing
numbers of doctors wishing to train on a less than full-time basis
these difficulties should lessen. Rotational training arrangements may
need to be modified in order to allow two slot sharers sufficient time
and experience in one leg of a rotation. The duration of a slot share
may vary (eg for one post or for a whole rotation). For well founded
reasons, if a slot share becomes impossible, one or both trainees will
revert to the standard flexible training scheme.
Guidelines for slot sharing
The substantive whole-time post of 40 standard hours (plus out of
hours) will be split and, in addition, each slot sharer may be funded
some additional hours (from the Strategic Health Authority flexible
training budget). Each slot-sharer will normally work for a total
average of 24 -28 hours (F6). This arrangement will allow proper
handover of clinical responsibilities and the opportunity for each of
the slot sharers to attend key educational sessions in the week. The
individual programme of each slot sharer must receive educational
approval from the relevant College (often via the Regional Adviser).
The practice of placing two flexible trainees into a currently
funded full time slot is an administrative process for the Deanery /
SHA. It is not about job sharing. Please speak to your Specialty
Manager if you have any concerns on this.
Further support
The Deanery appreciates that there may be concern that if one half
of a slot share should leave, the Trust may be left with a problem in
meeting the gap in the service commitment. If this problem should
occur, another flexible trainee may be able to move into the slot
share position, or alternatively, the remaining slot sharer could move
into a flexible supernumerary post, funded by the Strategic Health
Authority. The full-time post will then be able to be filled.
Applications by couples
When both partners (eg husband and wife) request flexible training
this should be made clear on the application form. A case for funding
both partners would need to be made on the application form.
Eligibility would be determined by national criteria.
LAT Posts
Locum Training posts are expected to be short term posts to replace
a doctor away for a defined period eg research, time abroad, or
maternity leave. Sometimes these posts are filled by current or future
flexible trainees.
Flexible LATs will only be supported in exceptional circumstances.
Further Guidelines For Trusts
Trust Chief Executives and Medical Directors might note that the
very factors which make trainees eligible for flexible training, may
still be in place when they reach the stage of being appointed to
Consultant grade. They could therefore consider the creation of job
sharing opportunities at Consultant grade or part-time Consultant
posts.
We know when senior flexible trainees will be seeking Consultant
posts and, if requested, could notify Trusts in advance of potential
candidates for Consultant posts.
This page was last updated
26/08/08
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