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COVID-19 - Adjustments to Study Leave
Due to COVID-19 there are currently adjustments to central study leave guidance which may impact which courses are deemed suitable in the present circumstances. Please refer to the main HEE South West Study Leave Guidance for more information.
Study Leave Guidance for Foundation Doctors in Severn
Study leave (SL), including the core teaching programmes delivered at both Trust and Regional level, should be used to support the acquisition of the outcomes set out in the Foundation Curriculum and to enable foundation doctors to explore career options.
This guidance is set within the foundation operational guide, the junior doctor contract, and the general South West Study Leave Guidance.
The specifics of the foundation guidance support the general principles of the South West Study Leave Guidance; both can be read together.
For context in this guidance, the number of hours equating to one day is 6 hours.
Foundation Year 1 (F1)
The Study Leave entitlement for F1 doctors is 15 days. Foundation doctors training less than full-time are entitled to pro-rata access to study leave time allocations. Except for core and non-core teaching, all study leave requires a study leave application.
F1 study leave should be used for the following activities:
| Study Leave Activity | SL Days | |
| 1. |
Core teaching programme (mandatory 30 hours) The core teaching programme is in-house, formal education and forms part of Foundation doctors’ working week. It should be relevant, protected (‘bleep-free’) and appropriate to the level of training. No SL app form required. |
5 days |
| 2. |
Non-core teaching (mandatory 30 hours) Can include additional core teaching, departmental teaching, grand rounds, Balint groups, Schwartz rounds, simulation training, e-learning, other if approved by FTPD. No SL app form required. |
5 days |
In addition, F1 study leave may also be used for the following activities:
| Study Leave Activity | SL Days | |
| 3. |
ALS / e-ALS One day e-learning plus one day face-to-face. SL application required. |
2 days |
| 4. |
Academic F1 Doctors F1s in Academic Foundation Programmes will be given leave to attend the AFP Research Taster Day at the University of Bristol. SL application required. |
1 day |
| 5. |
UKFP National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day All foundation doctors may use a day of study leave to attend this conference (usually held in January) if they have a presentation or poster as Presenting Author. Travel expenses will be funded. SL application required. |
1 day |
| 6. |
Taster Days F1 doctors may undertake up to 5 taster days towards the end of the F1 year. To fully benefit from tasters, foundation doctors should discuss their career aspirations with their educational supervisor and document this via a Careers Planning Form on their eportfolio. If a foundation doctor has fewer than 5 days of SL remaining, they may borrow days from their F2 entitlement (reducing the number of study leave days during F2). There is no Study Leave funding. SL application required. |
max 5 days |
| 7. |
Presentation at a recognised conference This is subject to ES/CS support and FTPD approval. There is no Study Leave funding. SL application required. |
Any other study leave request for time remaining must be reviewed and approved by the Trust FTPD and the Foundation School Director via an SL application.
If foundation doctors are unable to attend mandatory teaching, either local or regional, they must highlight to local foundation team and complete exception reports. These should be uploaded to the e-portfolio with commentary as to why they could not attend. Trusts may have additional local processes to support this.
Foundation Year 2 (F2)
The Study Leave entitlement for F2 doctors is 30 days. Foundation doctors training less than full-time are entitled to pro-rata access to study leave time allocations and funding.
F2 study leave should be used for the following activities:
| Study Leave Activity | SL Days | |
| 1. |
Core teaching programme (mandatory 30 hours) Made up of:
|
5 days |
| 2. |
Non-core teaching (mandatory 30 hours) Can include F2 Regional Teaching programme (SL application required), additional core teaching, departmental teaching, grand rounds, Balint groups, Schwartz rounds, simulation training, e-learning, other if approved by FTPD. No SL app form required. |
5 days |
| 3. |
ALS / e-ALS One day e-learning plus one day face-to-face. SL application required. Please note that there is no allowance for ATLS, NLS, APLS or other life support courses other than ALS. These may however be supported on a case by case basis with approval from the FSD (see below). |
2 days |
| 4. |
Academic F2 Doctors All academic foundation doctors are encouraged to submit their work to the UKFP Academic Foundation Programme Conference. Travel expenses will be funded. SL application required |
1 day |
| 5. |
UKFP National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day All foundation doctors may use a day of study leave to attend this conference (usually held in January) if they have a presentation or poster as Presenting Author. Travel expenses will be funded. SL application required. |
1 day |
In addition, F2 study leave may also be used for the following activities:
| Study Leave Activity | SL Days | |
| 6. | Attendance at additional F2 Regional Teaching days. SL application required. | |
| 7. | Recognised careers event (such as the COPMeD Careers Conference). SL application required. | |
| 8. |
Taster Days F2 doctors may undertake up to 5 taster days. To fully benefit from tasters, foundation doctors should discuss their career aspirations with their education supervisor and review their requirements for tasters. SL application required. |
max 5 days |
| 9. |
Presentation at a regional or national recognised conference. This is subject to ES/CS support and FTPD approval. There is no guaranteed additional funding, but may be supported on a case by case basis with approval from the FSD (see below). SL application required. |
|
| 10. |
Academic Foundation Doctors Academic foundation doctors will have study leave approved for attendance at either a regional or a recognised event to present their research. Foundation specific events are recommended, however other national events may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Funding is limited to conference day of presentation. SL application required. |
|
| 11. |
Specialty Examinations (TIME ONLY) Study leave should not be used to prepare for specialty examinations during foundation training, but study leave time only may be used to take a specialty examination. SL application required. |
1 day |
| 12. | Educational or Professional Development Study Leave. SL application required. | |
| 13. |
Overseas Study Leave F2 doctors may take overseas study leave. They will need to apply through the HEESW overseas study leave process. This counts as the prime Educational or Professional Development Study Leave, and additional requests will need to be sent to the Foundation School Director for consideration. SL application required in addition to Overseas application. |
If foundation doctors are unable to attend mandatory teaching, either local or regional, they must highlight to local foundation team and complete exception reports. These should be uploaded to the e-portfolio with commentary as to why they could not attend. Trusts may have additional local processes to support this.
Educational or Professional Development Study Leave
Educational or Professional Development Study Leave relates to the following:
- Training which is not required by the curriculum but has been agreed in the foundation doctor’s PDP and significantly enhances their progression to the next stage of their training.
- Other individual training needs which support career progression and have been agreed in the foundation doctor's PDP.
Foundation Year 1
It is not expected that this type of study leave will be granted in F1, as the time is utilised by the guidance given above. However, in rare circumstances, leave may be granted, unfunded, to deliver a presentation. This must be agreed centrally by the Foundation School Director.
Foundation Year 2
The Foundation School is supportive of Educational or Professional Development opportunities for F2s and will endeavour, in line with HEE SW guidance, to fund or part-fund such requests. Whilst there is no set maximum on the amount of funding we can look to provide we do have to be fair to all foundation doctors and any requests will take into account any previously agreed funding already claimed. The overall study leave budget is finite. Foundation doctors are reminded to act sensibly and professionally when requesting funding.
Some courses (such as Wilderness Medicine) may be deemed eligible for study leave time only and will not be approved for funding.
Educational or Professional Development study leave requests must:
- have a corresponding PDP entry on Horus
- be approved by the ES/CS and by the FPD (via the Foundation School SL application form)
- not be for something that is partially or wholly available within the core or regional teaching programmes, or that is closely similar.
- be supported by a statement from the foundation doctor explaining why competencies gained from such an activity cannot be achieved from local and/or regional programmes and what are the benefits to the them (via the Foundation School SL application form)
- If the foundation doctor has applied through the overseas study leave route, this counts as the prime Educational or Professional Development Study Leave funding.
- All study leave funding requests must be submitted prior to attendance in line with the HEE SW guidance, any retrospective requests for funding will not be considered or approved.
- Where required by the Trust, complete your local Trust study leave form in addition to the Foundation School SL application form.
Please refer to the main HEE SW study leave guidance for full eligibility criteria prior to submitting an Educational or Professional Development Study Leave request.
Excluded Expenses
- Statutory and mandatory training required by employers;
- Other employer-related leave;
- Courses for specialty examinations during Foundation Programme;
- Interview Leave of any type;
- Multiple revision courses unless there is a clearly defined exceptional need - such as a recommendation from the Professional Support and Well-Being team at the Deanery, (PSW SW), or the ARCP Panel/Head of School has recommended a trainee to attend;
- Travel, accommodation and subsistence relating to the above exclusions;
- Professional examination fees at any point of training – e.g. FMRCP exams.
- Retrospective applications irrespective of circumstances;
- Fees for courses that are booked and not attended;
- Fees for courses not approved;
- Postgraduate courses e.g. Masters (see Postgraduate courses)
- Royal college membership fees/ E-portfolio fees;
- Travel and accommodation outside of the UK (unless approved by the Postgraduate Dean or delegated representative as part of an application for an overseas course / conference);
- ARCP attendance and associated expenses;
- Taxi fares (only in exceptional circumstances – i.e. the health and safety of a foundation doctor is compromised);
Foundation doctors will be reimbursed at the most economical rate of travel. First Class or business class fares will not be supported. Early booking for travel and accommodation should be undertaken wherever possible to minimise the cost associated with attending an event.
Expenses for overseas travel include travel to the point of exit from the UK; it does not include car parking costs nor taxi fares. Doctors in training will be reimbursed at the most economical rate of travel.
Travel arrangements whilst overseas and subsistence are not reimbursed.
Severn Foundation Doctor Representatives (Foundation Fellows)
The F1 and F2 Foundation Fellows act as foundation doctor representatives for the Foundation School and are at times required to attend local, regional, or national meetings to represent their fellow foundation doctors. It has been agreed that this is professional leave (not study leave) and classed as work. However, one meeting may count towards non-core teaching hours. Travel expenses will be funded.