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Foundation Recruitment

Choose Northern Ireland as your first choice for Foundation Training

Some Trusts are undergoing major reconfiguration of services and occasionally services are moved due to unforeseen circumstances. Posts in some programmes may change in location prior to August 2027.

There are five Health and Social Care Trusts or Local Education Providers (LEP) in Northern Ireland who contribute to the education and Training of foundation doctors.

Each Trust has a Director of Medical Education who is the doctor who is responsible to the Deanery for the quality control processes within each Trust with respect to all doctors in training posts which may be Foundation, General Practice or Specialty.


Foundation Programmes 2027 – 2029

Timetable for Foundation Programme 2027-2029 Recruitment:

Oriel Registration Opens 15 September 2026
Application Window Opens 23 September 2026
Application Window Closes 07 October 2026 12:00 midday (BST)

OVERVIEW

The NIFS offers 21 Specialised Foundation Programmes in conjunction with Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and Ulster University (UU) in Derry/Londonderry.

During the F2 year of SFP, there is a dedicated 4-month placement in academic research or medical education.

Of the 21 SFPs available in NI, 15 have their F2 year based in Belfast with clinical placements in the Belfast Trust hospitals. Their research disciplines are affiliated with QUB.

The remaining 6 SFPs in NI have their F2 year based in Derry/Londonderry with their clinical placements in Altnagelvin Area Hospital in the Western Trust. Their research disciplines are affiliated to UU.

 

Allocation Process

The F1 allocation to the Northern Ireland Foundation School will be conducted via the standard UK Preference Informed Allocation process for August 2027 intake. Once Applicants have received confirmation of allocation to NI, they will have the opportunity to preference a Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP).

Those that wish to express interest in an SFP Programme will be asked to complete an SFP preference form, further information on which will be available in the Welcome Letter issued to all those allocated to Northern Ireland.

The SFP preference form will be reviewed by clinical academics from QUB and UU.

When applicants are completing the SFP preference form, they will also be asked to rank all 21 available SFP 2 Year programmes and the Disciplines associated with them. Applicants will be allocated to a programme based on the Clinical Academic scores of the SFP Preference questions. Details of Programmes, Disciplines and the proposed SFP Preference questions can be found below.

 

As applicants will not know if they have been successful at receiving an SFP programme until allocation day, they should still continue to rank the other 342 FP Programmes available.

 

If any applicant allocated to a programme, either FP or SFP, decides they no longer wish to undertake that programme, they will be required to withdraw from the entire process.

The NI Foundation School will be hosting a webinar for all allocated applicants to discuss the next stage of the allocation process including further information on SFP.

 

Timeline

The NI SFP timeline is due to take place as below, however, this is subject to change. For further information regarding a potential change, please refer to UKFPO Applicant timeline. The SFP Preference Form will be available for completion for 1 week following allocation to Northern Ireland.

Allocation to Foundation School

To Be Confirmed by UKFPO

Application window for SFP Opens

(Including programme and discipline preferencing)

To Be Confirmed in line with UKFPO Timeline

Application window for SFP Closes

To Be Confirmed in line with UKFPO Timeline

Confirmation of Programme Allocation

To Be Confirmed by UKFPO

 

 

Programmes, Disciplines and the proposed SFP Preference questions

Please see below Disciplines offered for 2026 Intake. Those available for 2027 will be confirmed in due course.

Combined Available Disciplines 2027 - 2029

 

Specialised Foundation Programmes 2027 – 2029

 

Proposed SFP Preference Form Questions

 

I have been allocated to an SFP programme, what if I no longer want it?

Applicants who no longer wish to take up their allocated SFP programme will be withdrawn from the full Foundation process for intake August 2026.

 

Can I defer my SFP?

Those applicants who want to defer their start date can do so for statutory reasons in line with GMC Guidance. Deferral of a start date may impact on the discipline you have been offered as the SFP Supervisors may not be available for a different time period other than that previously agreed.

 

Can I train at Less Than Full Time (LTFT) during SFP?

Training at LTFT would lengthen the time to complete F1 and would therefore impact on the allocated F2 year. For example, training at 50% would require 2 years to complete 12 months whole time equivalent F1 training. We would not be able to hold the full F2 year for that time. It would be ensured LTFT Trainees would receive their full Foundation Training but the exact placements in which this would happen may vary, including the stage at which the SFP placement would be completed. The Medical Schools agree to facilitate a certain number of SFPs each year and we would be required to work with them to ensure they are able to accommodate the placement.  

Regarding completion of the SFP 4-month placement during F2 as LTFT, the placement can be for a maximum of 4 months only, regardless of LTFT percentage. This is because a facilitator is available for a 4-month period only, and also because all NI doctors training LTFT must rotate at 4-month intervals in the same way as fulltime peers.

 

I need to be in a specific area, can I still undertake an SFP programme?

SFP is only available within the Western or Belfast Trusts. Should an applicant need to be placed in another Trust due to Special Circumstances, we will be unable to facilitate an SFP Placement. If an applicant is successfully allocated to an SFP placement, the programme allocation cannot be changed.

 

Will there be a waiting list for SFP?

In the event more than 21 applicants preference and are deemed appointable for SFP, a waiting list will be created. This waiting list will be valid until mid-June 2026. If an SFP position becomes available, the person at the top of the list will be contacted and asked if they wish to take the position. If an SFP placement becomes available after mid-June, it will remain unfilled. Should someone on the waiting list turn down an offered SFP Programme, it will not affect their FP allocation but they will not be offered another SFP.

 

I want a discipline offered by QUB but my SFP will be in the Western Trust, can I do it there?

There is no option to choose a discipline offered in a different Trust. If you are allocated to the Western Trust, you must choose one of the UU disciplines. Likewise, if you are allocated to the Belfast Trust, you must choose one of the QUB disciplines.

 

Should I still preference the other 342 Foundation Programmes?

Yes, all applicants are encouraged to review and preference the standard 2-year Foundation Programmes

 

What if I disagree with the panel outcome?

If you feel the process was not carried out in a fair and transparent manner, please send an email to confidential.foundation@hscni.net (maximum 150 words) explaining your reasons for this. This will then be reviewed by the Academic lead for the process and a response will be provided in due course.

 

The application window for F2 Standalone Recruitment starting in August 2025 opens 7th January 2025 and closes on 21st January 2025 (12:00 midday, GMT) .

Applications are made through the Oriel System.

If you have any queries regarding this programme, please contact UKFPO team via F2 Stand-alone - UK Foundation Programme or further information.

Please note applicants  who are currently working as part of the two-year programme or have successfully completed the F2 year and  received a Foundation  Achievement of Competency Document (FACD) / Foundation  Programme Certificate of Completion  (FPCC) are not eligible to apply for F2 stand-alone  posts. Current F1 trainees  are advised  to consider  alternate  guidance  in relation  to options  for applying for an Inter-Foundation  School Transfer (IFST).

Pre-Allocation to the NI Foundation School

If you need to be allocated to a particular Foundation School due to your personal circumstances such as caring responsibilities, health reasons or for ongoing educational support, and your circumstances meet one of the national criteria, you can apply for pre-allocation to that particular Foundation School in the main application form on Oriel. For further information on the national pre-allocation process, please refer to the UKFPO website here.

Those who are pre-allocated to the Northern Ireland Foundation School are only allocated to the School, not a particular area within it. Should you need to be in a specific geographical area, a Special Circumstances application will be required.

Linked Applications

If you wish to be allocated to the same Foundation School as another applicant, you can choose to link your FP application to the other applicant on Oriel. Further information can be found here on the UKFPO website. Northern Ireland will honour linked application to a School level but cannot guarantee you will be allocated to the same area within the School as your linked applicant.

 

Requirements for Starting Foundation Training:

Please be aware that the AccessNI Code of Practice, Policy on Disclosure Information and the Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders are available on request from pecs.nimdta@hscni.net.

Further information on Access NI checks is available at:  Access NI Checks - Guidance

Further information on the Pre-Employment Health Assessment is available at: Pre-Employment Health Assessments

If you have any questions specifically relating to the Northern Ireland Foundation School, please email: foundation.nimdta@hscni.net