Less Than Full Time (LTFT)
For the full policy please see the Regional Less than Full Time Training Policy
If you are a student who wants to start foundation training on a less than full time basis, you still need to apply for Foundation Training through the national foundation process in the same way as all other applicants. Once allocated to a Foundation School, you will need to complete an application form (available from the link above). If you are planning to train in the Severn Foundation School please contact us at the very earliest opportunity to discuss your training needs.
Please note working on a LTFT basis will extend the time you are in your training programme.
Once accepted in to the School, trainees can apply to work less than full time at any point during their training.
- Less than full time training opportunities depend on funding support from NHSE, trust funding and suitable posts being available in the relevant trust.
- Wherever possible, less than full time foundation doctors will rotate through the specialties allocated to them on their original full-time foundation programme, but this cannot be guaranteed and they may find their programmes change to accommodate the needs of the trust or to enable opportunities to slot-share.
- Any trainee who is allocated a supernumerary or part time in a full time slot placement, will be required to slot-share should the opportunity arise.
- If you opt to go less than full time or take time out of training whilst in an SFP or FPP or FP programme, this may result in an adjustment to your allocated programme placements. Your future placements would need to be agreed in discussion with your Academic/ Educational supervisor, employing trust and Head of Foundation School. For example, if your programme offers an academic component then you may find that the way this is organised or offered is amended.
Should you no longer wish to train less than full time, you will be able to return to full time training when an appropriate placement becomes available. Until that time, you may be required to continue working on a less than full time basis. Please refer to the Regional Policy for the notice period required for any changes.
Any changes to your working arrangements, such as an increase/decrease in hours including requests to return to full time training, must be approved via the submission of a change in hours form. The form is required to update your training record and for completion of training date adjustment.
If you have any queries relating to Less Than Full Time Training in the Severn Foundation School please contact england.sevfoundation.sw@nhs.net
General principle
If the foundation doctor has less than one placement to complete past August, then we would ask the trust to find somewhere to place them on a supernumerary basis and they would remain in the same trust. If the foundation doctor has more than one placement to complete, we would have to use vacant posts across the School unless there is a specific reason why the foundation doctor cannot move trusts.
F1s - Applied for LTFT before start of programme.
FDs normally apply for 60% or 80%
F1 at 60% will take 20 months – will complete 5 posts at F1 and move to F2 in April of their second year.
For F1s at 60% another full year F1 programme will be identified (normally a 2 year programme is pulled from the recruitment round to facilitate this). The doctor will complete 8 months of the 2nd F1 year and move to F2 in April, completing the last F1 post as an F2. The doctor will then move to the F2 rotation attached to the 2nd F1 rotation and they will then have a further 4 month post to complete following this. The last 4 months is likely to be created on a supernumerary basis.
F1 at 80% will take 15 months – will complete nearly 4 posts at F1 and will move to F2 in November of their second year.
For F1s at 80% they will complete their first F2 post as an F1 until November and then continue on their F2 programme until the following August. They will then have 6 months to complete F2. As this last 6 months is more than just one placement, we will need to wait until January of their F2 to identify any vacant posts that the doctor can move into. If there are no suitable vacancies (doctors may be asked to move trusts) a supernumerary post can be created.
F1s – Applied for LTFT during their programme.
All F1s are appointed to a 2 year programme – where possible the foundation doctor should complete their F2 posts as an F1 until they are ready to move to F2. Where this is not possible, the funding from their posts can be moved to the new specialty – no additional funding will be given. Depending on the length of time required for their extra post in F2, trusts may be asked to create a supernumerary post if 4 months or less or use a vacancy for any period over 4 months. If the placement is longer than 4 months we will need to wait until January of their F2 year to identify any vacant posts that the doctor can move into. If there are no suitable vacancies (doctors may be asked to move trusts) a supernumerary post can be created.
F2s – Applied for LTFT before the start of F2.
F2 at 60% will take 20 months to complete.
F2s working at 60% will require a further 8 months on top of their allocated programme. As the placement is longer than 4 months we will need to wait until January of their F2 to identify any vacant posts that the doctor can move into. If there are no suitable vacancies (doctors may be asked to move trusts) a supernumerary post can be created.
F2 at 80% will take 15 months to complete.
F2s working at 80% will require a further 3 months on top of their allocated programme. As the placement is less than 4 months the trust is likely to be asked to create a supernumerary placement.
F2s – Applied for LTFT during their programme.
Using the general principle above, if the foundation doctor has less than one placement to complete past August (the end of their allocated programme), then we would ask the trust to find somewhere to place them on a supernumerary basis and they would remain in the same trust. If the foundation doctor had more than one placement to complete, we would have to use vacant posts across the school unless there is a specific reason why the foundation doctor cannot move trusts.
If the foundation doctor applied for LTFT after January, there might not be any known vacancies at this point as they would have been filled in the F2 stand alone recruitment and swaps processes. These doctors' placements will need to be considered on an individual basis.