Training Policy
The role of the Public Health Programme Manager is to navigate between the various terms and conditions, policies and procedures that govern all of you while you on the training programme. The training policy is a very important document as it combines all of this.
Annual leave
Annual leave entitlements will be in line with national terms and conditions. Your annual leave year runs from your start date.
Leave Entitlements Staff on NHS terms and conditions
|
Length of Service |
Annual Leave and General Public Holidays |
|---|---|
|
On appointment |
27 days + 8 days |
|
After 5 years’ service |
29 days + 8 days |
|
After 10 years’ service |
33 days + 8 days |
Leave Entitlements Staff on Medical and Dental terms and conditions
|
Length of service |
Annual Leave and General Public Holidays |
|---|---|
|
On appointment |
27 days + 8 days |
|
After 5 years’ service |
32 days + 8 days |
If your length of service changes part of the way through the Annual Leave year, you should receive a pro-rata amount of leave at your previous leave entitlement (in complete months), and a pro-rata amount of leave at your new leave entitlement (in complete months).
If you change your hours to part-time, annual leave will be calculated pro-rata and will be taken in hours with an allocation for a pro-rata amount of bank holidays.
Once previous NHS service has been confirmed, (done for the majority via ESR automatically), this will be confirmed on the Accent system.
All annual leave should be agreed in advance and signed off by your Educational Supervisor.
The programme office doesn’t authorise leave but you’re asked to apply for annual leave on-line once this has been approved by your supervisor.
Carry over of leave into a new annual leave year should be only allowed in exceptional circumstances, (up to 5 days pro rata for part-time), this must be discussed and agreed with your Educational Supervisor.
Study Leave
Study leave aims to:
- Enhance clinical education, training and learning.
- Be incorporated as an integral part of the education and training process.
- Provide education and training not easily acquired in the some settings e.g. the acquisition of a theoretical knowledge base.
- Support the delivery of curriculum targets.
- Be considered as part of the appraisal process between the trainee and their Educational Supervisor.
In brief, Specialty Registrars are entitled to a maximum of 30 days study leave
per year 15 of which are used for internal study leave ie. tutorials etc. The year’s allocation is calculated from the date of commencement onto the programme. Trainees who are less than full-time will be allocated study leave days on a pro-rata basis.
The study leave allowance is £563 per trainee per year. If you are undertaking a masters course, (or equivalent short-courses) during your first year on the programme, the study leave allowance will be used towards the cost of the masters course. Exceptions will be made for Diplomate preparation.
The Public Health Training Programme will adhere to the Severn Postgraduate Medical Education policy, ‘Study Leave for Doctors in Training’. This policy provides further information on study leave and outlines points to consider when applying for study leave.
Tutorial programme – Whilst attendance at a tutorial will count as a study leave day and will be deducted from your study leave allowance. You will not be required to complete a study leave request form.
Academic Study Leave
The information below relates to any study leave you take in line with your Academic Training. For study leave relating to your clinical development, you should continue to apply for time off and expenses as usual via your specialty school support manager.
For academic study leave funding, you will need to apply to Alison Needler, Support Manager.
Academic Study Leave Budget for ACFs
There is £7,500 over the course of the three years – a bursary to be put towards your actual research costs, attending conferences, travel associated with your research and any other bona fide research costs and to pay for actual research training ie attending courses,
Please note that expenses for academic study leave will be paid by the University and not by the training programme. As such, it is essential that you complete a University of Bristol Expenses form, downloadable below and not a training programme Expenses form.
Assessment
It is important that you continually consider your formal training needs. It is important that you arrange a meeting with your academic supervisor as soon as possible after starting your post.
This forms the basis of your personal development plan which will be considered at your annual assessment (ARCP for ST trainees). Please take some time to look at your training needs and choose appropriate courses to go on that will show your assessment panel that you are following a clear development plan.
Annual Assessment (ARCP) for ACFs
Your assessment is integrated ie covers both your clinical and academic work. You should have a meeting with your academic supervisor at least two months prior to your assessment in order to discuss the paperwork and then one month in advance to sign it all off for submission for your assessment. For the academic component, you are required to complete a PDP (Annex A form) and submit to your school support manager in advance of your assessment with all your other paperwork. You should also submit your Learning Needs Analysis.
Both the Annex A Personal Development Plan and the Learning Needs Analysis forms are available on the school website for download on the Assessments page.
The priority during the academic year is to gain knowledge for the Faculty of Public Health Diplomate Exam previously called Part A MFPH. However, StRs should remain in contact with their training location whilst attending the academic course and, unless on annual or study leave agreed with their educational supervisor, should attend their training location during the term recesses unless a more flexible arrangement has been made with their educational supervisor. Where the StR is attending the academic course this will determine whether contact in term time is in person or by e-mail / telephone. Whilst this contact with the training location will not count towards the 48 months required for CCT, it is an expectation of the employing organisation, which in the case of South West Public Health Training Programme is Gloucestershire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Maintaining contact will help observe and better understand the theory being taught on the academic course. Attendance at tutorials is encouraged as long as it does not interrupt the academic work.
It is expected that trainees return to their training location after completion of the taught element of their academic course. However, it is recognised that they will require protected time in order to write up and complete any written assignments and their dissertation in accordance with time requirement stipulated by their relevant academic institution. If trainees experience any problems they should contact their academic or educational supervisor.
Annual leave during the academic year must be taken during the term recesses. All leave must be agreed with the educational supervisor. Other than under exceptional circumstances, any outstanding annual leave cannot be carried over into the next year.
Study leave during this year must also be agreed with educational supervisors. Further information regarding study leave is contained within the Study Leave for Doctors in Training policy.
Time off for study leave should be requested as per the policy on Study leave. You should also confirm the cost of the course on the on-line Accent system.
Once the course has been approved please use Easy expenses to claim your study leave expenses and agreed associated expenses. Please ensure that you mark the expenses claim ‘Study Leave’ so we can distinguish it from normal expenses.
All contacts are on the School website
Less Than Full-time Working
If during your training you want to consider reducing the hours you work. Look at all the information on the web-site, essentially there is an application form which needs to have approval from the Head of School and then also the Dean, all requests go to Diane Lloyd.
Change of conditions
Any changes to your payroll record will be completed on a change of conditions form. These must reach payroll by the 5th of the month prior to the effective date of the change. So if you want to change your hours, take a career break, maternity leave etc, it all must be agreed and Payroll must be notified much earlier to allow this deadline to be met. Pay day is the last day of the month.
Expenses Forms/Easy expenses – except for relocation expenses
Must be submitted on a monthly basis as this helps us with our expenditure monitoring so we don’t expect to receive several months at a time.
Public Transport rate – will be paid for mileage when travelling for training purposes. Attendance at meetings will be paid at the Business miles rate.
You can claim expenses for work related travel, i.e. you may be required to attend a meeting at another location and in later years for travel related to attendance at the tutorial programme or conferences etc that have been signed off for study leave.
All expenses must be received by the 5th of each month in order to be processed in time to be paid the following month,
Claiming mileage
You must submit your driving licence, car insurance certificate and MOT (if applicable) before claiming any travel expenses. If at any time you change your car you must complete a new form and amend the details on your easy expenses system.
Sickness
You must report any absence from work directly to your training location. The Public Health Programme Manager must also be informed of all sickness for the sickness return to payroll and a self-certificate must be completed for any sickness from three days up to seven days, (you can either use the Gloucester forms for this or happy to accept one from your training location). It is essential that you have informed the Programme team of your absence of the dates and the reason for the sickness. If any sickness continues onto the 8th day, you will need to submit a fitness certificate issued by your GP. This is so the sickness absence return can be submitted each month.
Occupational Health
There is information on the School website regarding the services offered to Registrars from the Occupational Health department at Gloucester. They have also agreed local agreements with the Occupational Health department around the South West.
Payroll
Any payroll queries should be first directed to the Public Health Programme Manager. If you need to make direct contact with the Payroll department they are based in Gloucestershire.
Carol Benson is the Payroll Clerk dedicated to Public Health and her contact is 01452 300222 Ext 2818.