Code of Practice - Terms and Conditions

The Medical Staffing Department(s) at the Trust(s) are advised of your provisional placements and should contact you to make the necessary arrangements and to carry out any pre-employment checks. If you have not heard from them at least four weeks before your starting date, you must contact them to ensure that the necessary arrangements are made.

Hours – your duty hours will be between 40 and 48 hours per week (part-time staff pro rata) depending upon the pattern of work offered by the employer, which should be in accordance with paragraph 20 of the national terms and conditions of service for hospital medical and dental staff ad doctors in public health medicine and the community health service (England and Wales), “the TCS”, as amended from time to time. This may (or may not) include work in the evenings, at night and weekends.

Terms and Conditions of Service (TCS)can be found on the NHS Employers site.

Pay – you should be paid monthly at the rates set out in the national terms and conditions of service for hospital medical and dental staff and doctors in public health medicine and the community health service (England and Wales), “the TCS”, as amended from time to time. The payscales are reviewed annually. Current rates of pay may be viewed at the NHS Employers website. Part-time posts will be paid pro-rata.

Pay supplement – depending upon the working pattern and hours of duty you are contracted to undertake by the employer you should be paid a monthly additional pay supplement at the rates set out in paragraph 22 of the TCS. The current pay scales may be viewed at the NHS Employers website.

The pay supplement is not reckonable for NHS pension purposes.

The pay supplement will be determined by the employer and should be made clear in their offer of employment and subject to monitoring.

Pension - you will be entitled to join or continue as a member of the NHS Pension Scheme, subject to its terms and rules, which may be amended from time to time

Annual leave – your entitlement to annual leave will be five or six weeks per annum depending upon your previous service/incremental point, as set out in paragraphs 205–217 of the TCS.

Sick pay – entitlements are outlined in paragraphs 225-244 of the TCS.

Notice – you will be required to give your employer and entitled to receive from them notice in accordance with paragraphs 190-198 of the TCS.

Study leave – the employer is expected to offer study leave in accordance with paragraphs 250–254 of the TCS. Local policy and procedure will be explained at induction.

Travel expenses - the employer is expected to offer travel expenses in accordance with paragraphs 277-303 of the TCS for journeys incurred in performing your duties. Local policy and procedure will be explained at induction. You are advised to check eligibility and confirm any entitlement with the employer before incurring any expenditure.

Subsistence expenses - the employer is expected to offer subsistence expenses in accordance with paragraph 311 of the TCS. Local policy and procedure will be explained at induction.

Relocation expenses – the employer will have a local policy for relocation expenses based on guidance from Health Education South West and on paragraphs 314–315 of the TCS.

You are advised to check eligibility and confirm any entitlement with the employer before incurring any expenditure.

Pre-employment checks – all NHS employees are required to undertake pre-employment checks. The employer will confirm their local arrangements expected to be in line with national guidance.

It is essential that Occupational Health screening and other pre-employment checks take place prior to your arrival, if your Trust has not been in touch by four weeks prior to your start date please ensure that you contact them.

Professional registration – it will be a requirement of employment that you have professional registration and a license to practice with the GMC for the duration of your employment.

Health and safety – all employers have a duty to protect their workers from harm. You will be advised by the employer of local policies and procedures intended to protect your health and safety and to comply with these.

Disciplinary and grievance procedures – the employer will have local policies and procedures for dealing with any disciplinary concerns or grievances you may have. They will advise you how to access these, not later than eight weeks after commencement of employment.

Educational supervisor – the employer will confirm your supervisor on commencement.

General information on Health Education South West's management of Specialty Training programmes, including issues such as taking time out of programme and dealing with concerns or complaints, is available on the Severn and Peninsula Postgraduate Medical Education websites and in the national ‘Gold Guide’ to Specialty Training.

Please ensure that you inform the relevant Postgraduate Medical Education office of any changes to your contact details. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us via Severn Support or Peninsula Helpdesk.

Further information about your Training Programme

The Training Programme is managed by the Postgraduate Specialty School, through the relevant Specialty Training Committee / School Board and Training Programme Director. As part of the programme you may be required to rotate to placements in the same Trust or in different Trusts, at which time your employer will change accordingly. You will be advised in due course where future placements in the programme are to be undertaken.

You are encouraged to look at the relevant Postgraduate Medical Education website (Severn  / Peninsula) where further information relating to specialty training will be made available.

Further information about your employment

An employment contract detailing terms and conditions of employment and confirming your start date for your first placement will be issued by the Trust in which you will be employed. The rota, banding supplement and salary point applicable to the post will be confirmed by Medical Personnel at the Trust in which you will be employed.

Your employment will be subject to satisfactory references and acceptable pre-employment checks including health clearance at the employing Trust and a Disclosure and Barring Service check. The Trust in which you will be employed will contact you to arrange these. Please note that it may take a number of weeks for arrangements to be made, but you will be contacted, therefore please do not contact the Trust or Deanery regarding checks in the interim period.

The Trust will be your employer for the duration of this placement. The Trust will therefore receive a copy of your application form, General Medical Council Certificate (GMC), references, qualifications, passport, appointment letter and other relevant documentation. The Medical Personnel or Human Resources Department will contact you regarding these issues.

You should ensure that you enrol with the appropriate Royal College/Faculty.