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Support and Guidance Information

The Hospital Department offers advice and support to doctors in training and School Boards on all matters relating to Specialty Training.  The following sections provide guidance – for a list of our Trainee Policies and Guidance visit our Trainee Policies / Guidance page:

A trainee may seek to take time out of their specialty training programme whilst retaining their NTN.

Trainees must apply prospectively to the Associate Dean for Hospital Specialty Training to take time out of programme. Trainees considering a period of Out of Programme Training, Research, Experience or Career Breaks (OOPT/R/E/C) should discuss their plans with their Head of School (and/or Training Programme Director where appropriate) before proceeding with an application.

Trainees will not be permitted to spend the last 6 calendar months of training prior to CCT outside a GMC approved UK training programme.  This is to facilitate the requirements for revalidation. Approval of OOP will depend on the following:

  1. The application meets the criteria set out in this document
  2. The ability of the training programme to accommodate the request
  3. The impact the resulting vacancy would have on service delivery
  4. The relative merit of the application in relation to other OOP applications received The Deanery recommends that applications are submitted at least 6 months prior to the date of the planned OOP to ensure sufficient time is available to obtain prospective approval for OOP and to enable 3 months’ notice to be given to the employer.

 

For further guidance and information on applying please see the following:

 

Out of Programme Policy including Application v1.8 (August 2022)

 

The Gold Guide – 9th Edition (published August 2022)

There has been a recent change to the NHS Pension Scheme which will have an impact on trainees going out of programme.  For more information please see the link below:

If you are planning on going out of programme, you are strongly advised to contact your current employing Trust and/or NHS Pensions to discuss how this may impact on your individual circumstances.

Please click here for IDT Information.

Acting up as a Consultant provides trainees with the experience of navigating the transition from junior doctor to consultant, while maintaining an element of supervision associated with being a trainee.

NIMDTA are supportive of this valuable developmental opportunity for the following reasons:

  • The clinical aspects of the job will provide insight into the role of the consultant: supervising the admissions take, leading ward rounds and multidisciplinary teams, and running clinics.
  • Trainees get a chance to experience and appreciate the often large non-clinical side of the consultant role, such as participation in departmental, directorate, and committee meetings; engaging with management teams; report writing; and service improvement planning.
  • Acting up allows trainees to understand the idea of working as independent practitioners by leading a team and being responsible for their own time and decision making.
  • Trainees gain a better understanding of consultant job planning and of what to look for in a job plan when applying for a substantive post.
  • The experience will help trainees to cultivate certain skills, such as learning how to maintain an approachable disposition but to balance it with the necessary authority.
  • Acting up provides an opportunity to gain a deeper insight into how to negotiate professional relationships with medical colleagues, nurses, and allied health professionals.
  • Being able to draw on the experience of acting up will be useful when completing applications for consultant posts, when asking for references, in the interview process, and during the early stages of a career as a consultant.

Trainees who are in their final year of training are eligible to ‘Act Up’ as consultants for one single fixed period of time, up to a maximum period of three calendar months.

Where doctors in training are acting up, this should be for the duration of their entire working week including any out of hours responsibilities.

Less than Full Time (LTFT) trainees are also eligible to act up as a consultant for one single fixed period of time, however this can be pro-rata.

The period of ‘acting up’ cannot extend past the date of CCT but may be counted towards CCT or CESR (CP) with approval from the relevant Royal College.

When in post, the term ‘acting up’ and not ‘locum’ must be applied.  Trainees who are post CCT will not be eligible to ‘Act Up’ but will be expected to take up the post as Locum Consultant.

Upon taking a Locum Consultant post trainees will be asked to resign their National Training Number (NTN).

Out of Programme Policy including Application

 

Regional Guidance on Relocation, Removal and Excess Travel Expenses for Doctors in Training

 

Monitoring Guidance for Junior Doctors