Flexible Training Grade Posts
Application Procedure for Flexible Training
All requests for trainees to work flexibly within UHSFT should be made both to Medical Personnel and to Dr Wagih Moussa (Clinical Tutor) who will oversee the allocation of trainees. Approval for supernumerary flexible training will be made (as previously agreed) on the basis of
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Educational need and priorities of the individual doctor (e.g. is this a senior trainee who requires specialist training in UHSFT who would take priority over another trainee whose training needs could be met in another trust)
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Availability of funding
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Service provision (i.e. compliance of rotas)
An application form (see Downloads window, right) must be completed and sent to Dr Wagih Moussa for approval before a contract will be issued. When a flexible trainee leaves the trust Medical Personnel and Dr Wagih Moussa should be informed. The budget used to support their salary and OOH supplement will be reallocated as below.
In all circumstances individual specialties should liaise with the deanery and training programme directors to explore the possibility of a slot-share as this is financially advantageous. With the overall reduction in hours and the fact that these posts are supernumerary to the rota, it should be possible to ensure that all flexibles fall into band FB or FC. No new contracts for FA posts will be approved unless there are compelling educational reasons.
All contracts are renewed yearly for flexible trainees. Dr Wagih Moussa and Medical Personnel in liaison with postgraduate education leads will review all renewal of contracts. Renewal of contracts will not be automatic but subject again to educational need and budget constraints.
Changes to the Management of Flexible Training Grade Posts
As was agreed at TMB, the financial management of all medical supernumerary Flexible Training Grade posts is being transferred from the Care Groups and Divisions to the Integrated Directorate of Education and Learning (IDEAL). The flexibles employed in slot shares (sharing a full time slot) will remain within Divisions.
The staff costs and associated budgets held in Divisions for these staff will be transferred to a central cost centre. The transfer will be backdated to April 2006 but as both the staff cost and the budget will move from the Division's budget there should be no financial impact. The advantage of this system is that it will enable care groups/divisions to take on supernumerary flexible trainees using this central budget.
The Director of Medical Education will hold the budget and sign off approval for all supernumerary posts. Any changes to the contracts of the current trainees will also need approval from the Dof ME.
In the current financial climate there will be no scope to increase the budget for flexible trainees and it likely that there will be a pressure to reduce the costs to the trust. Currently the spend on supernumerary flexible trainees alone (without taking into account the extra funding needed for slot shares) is £1.4 million with the trust spending almost £400k from its budget to support OOH supplements.
In the first instance we will be undertaking a review of all supernumerary posts using up-to-date information from HR. Dr Wagih Moussa will contacting Care Groups to discuss individual trainees.