Foundation Doctors in Training

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UHP are governed by the NHSE Study Leave Guidance. Please therefore ensure that you refer to the NHS England Study Leave Policy guidance for all study leave applications on the NHSE website. Below, you can find details of the important NHSE policy highlights for overseas study leave applications. 

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​Principles: 

• ​Conferences/courses outside of the UK will not normally be supported.

  • Support will be considered for DiTs attending an overseas conference to deliver an oral or poster presentation.

  • These applications require Head of School approval.

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Process: ​

Overseas study leave applications must follow a two-step process for both time and funding. It is the PG DiTs responsibility to ensure the application is submitted to the correct email addresses and in time for it to be processed by both the employing Trust and NHSE SW.​

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• Time

  • Please follow UHP's local study leave application for the time to attend an overseas study leave event. Details of this can be found here.

  • Due to the additional administration involved, we require the local study leave form to reach us 8 weeks in advance of the event date as opposed to the 6 weeks required for UK based event. 

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• Funding

  • Please follow the funding application guidance for Resident Doctors in Training below. ​

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Resident Doctors in Training

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UHP are governed by the NHSE Study Leave Guidance. Please therefore ensure that you refer to the NHS England Study Leave Policy guidance on overseas study leave applications on the NHSE website. Below, you can find details of the important NHSE policy highlights. 

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​Principles: 

• The principles, application process and funding allowance within the NHSE overseas guidance takes precedence over any categorisation of any named course on the course list.

• One overseas conference/meeting, providing all other curriculum requirements are met, will be considered for each PG DiT for any one programme, which can be defined as Foundation, Core, Higher or otherwise every three years (so as not to disadvantage doctors on a run-through programme).

• You will be expected to provide a clear and descriptive supporting statement explaining why competencies gained from an activity cannot be achieved from local and/or regional programmes, what will be their personal gain, as well as how it will enhance the needs of the wider NHS agenda.

• Overseas revision courses will not be approved.

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Funding for overseas study leave will only be considered if there is a documented discussion with the ES about the clear need of the course/conference to meet curriculum requirements, the course/conference provides a clearly stated curriculum outcome and one of the following criteria is met: 

1)    For conferences, when the applicant is the first author and sole presenter of a paper which has been accepted for a poster
       or presentation. This poster or presentation must be based on the PG DiTs own research undertaken as part of a clinical
       training programme or an NIHR recognised academic clinical fellowship or clinical lectureship.
2)    For other courses or activities when there is no equivalent course or activity in the UK. For example: an international
       conference for a very small specialty which does not have a conference.
3)    When the funding required is less than that of attending the cheapest equivalent activity in the UK it is the PG DiTs
       responsibility to provide evidence of this when applying for funding.

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​Process: ​

Overseas study leave applications must follow a two-step process for both time and funding. It is the PG DiTs responsibility to ensure the application is submitted to the correct email addresses and in time for it to be processed by both the employing Trust and NHSE SW.​

​​

• Time

  • Please follow UHP's local study leave application for the time to attend an overseas study leave event. Details of this can be found here.

  • Due to the additional administration involved, we require the local study leave form to reach us 8 weeks in advance of the event date as opposed to the 6 weeks required for UK based event. 

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• Funding

  • Applications for funding should be submitted to the NHSE SW Study Leave inbox with the costs, full agenda/conference details attached.

    • Costs for accommodation and travel should also be included.

    • The email subject heading should read “Overseas REQUEST for Study Leave” and sent a minimum of 8 weeks prior to the event.

    • The application must be signed by the ES/TPD or HoS, whichever is appropriate to the needs of the request. 

  • Upon receipt the application is logged and dated and the PG DiT will receive an email acknowledging receipt. This will be within 4 working days of receiving the application. ​

  • A decision will be returned between 5 to 10 working days from the date of the acknowledged receipt email.

  • If a PG DiT meets the application criteria and their application receives approval, NHSE SW will consider funding either the cost of the course/conference fees or the cost of economy travel and/or accommodation whichever is the lower amount.

  • ​PG DiTs will be given a reference number for the application and this should be given to the Trust, along with any other documentation required by their Trust when submitting a claim. The Trust will include this on the Monthly Study Leave Return. Trusts are unable to reimburse a PG DiT without the allocated reference number.​

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Expenses: 

• Any costs incurred by the PG DiT without having prior approval will be borne by the PG DiT.

• If an external body such as a Medical Royal College suggests a PG DiT attends an international conference, NHSE SW will expect that body to contribute at least 50% of the costs. 

• Where there are different ranges of fees for the event and approval is given to attend, PG DiTs will only be reimbursed for the early bird fees. Membership fees which are included in the event fees will not be reimbursed. 

• Travel to the airport in the UK will be reimbursed at the most economical rate, which may be the equivalent to standard rate train fares or coach. Airport car parking or taxi fares will not be reimbursed. 

• Requests for reimbursement of overnight accommodation costs will only be granted where it is not reasonable to travel on the day of the event or end of the event. Overnight accommodation is in alignment with the UK agreed rate

• Subsistence and travel whilst abroad must be met by the PG DiT.​

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Locally Employed Doctors

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Principles: 

Funding for overseas study leave will only be considered if there is a documented discussion with the ES about the clear need of the course/conference and one of the following criteria is met: 

1)    For conferences, when the applicant is the first author and sole presenter of a paper which has been accepted for a poster
       or presentation. This poster or presentation must be based on the resident doctors own research.
2)    For other courses or activities when there is no equivalent course or activity in the UK. For example: an international
       conference for a very small specialty which does not have a conference.
3)    When the funding required is less than that of attending the cheapest equivalent activity in the UK it is the doctors
       responsibility to provide evidence of this when applying.

 

Process: ​​

Please follow UHP's local study leave application to apply to attend an overseas study leave event - including the £577 cap for study leave expenses for locally employed resident doctors. Details of this can be found here.​ 

 

Expenses: 

• Locally employed doctors will only be reimbursed up to £577 per contact year in study leave expenses - including any overseas study leave applications. 

• Travel to the airport in the UK will be reimbursed at the most economical rate, which may be the equivalent to standard rate train fares or coach. Airport car parking or taxi fares will not be reimbursed. 

• Requests for reimbursement of overnight accommodation costs will only be granted where it is not reasonable to travel on the day of the event or end of the event. Overnight accommodation is in alignment with the UK agreed rate.

• Subsistence and travel whilst abroad must be met by the doctor. 

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