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Less than Full Time Training

CONTENTS

POLICY

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1

From 6th May 2025 Resident Doctors in Specialty Training (including Primary Care) will need to apply for less than full time training or change to their hours through the Trainee Self Service portal - https://trainee.tis-selfservice.nhs.uk/. Any applications submitted on a word document will be declined and the Resident Doctor will be asked to complete another application. 

Foundation, Public Health and Dental will continue to use the word form attached to this policy. 
2. SCOPE
2.1

This policy applies to all Resident Doctors and Dentists taking up approved training posts with NHS England working across the South West and applies to the following grades: -

  • Foundation Year 1 doctors in training
  • Foundation Year 2 doctors in training
  • Doctors in Core Training (CT1 – CT4)
  • Specialty Registrars (StR)
  • Academic Clinical Fellows (ACF)
  • Clinical Lecturers (CL)
 2.2 This policy is written to complement ‘A Reference Guide for Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK’ (Gold Guide)
 3. ELIGIBILITY
 3.1

Employment legislation describes the statutory right to request flexible working but does not set a priority order around any reasons for requesting flexible working.   

All well-founded reasons will be considered, however, support to progress the application may be dependent on the capacity of the programme.  
3.2

Requests to work less than full time training or change of hours can either be made at point of application for entry into training or at any time the Resident Doctor of Dentist has been accepted into training.
3.3

Where a Resident Doctor or Dentist no longer wishes to train on a less than full time basis, they will return to full time training when an appropriate placement becomes available.  Until that time the Resident Doctor or Dentist will continue to work on a less than full time basis.  
4. TRAINING PLACEMENTS
  Less than full time training may be undertaken in one of three ways listed below.
4.1 Slot-Sharing

4.1.1

 Slot-sharing works on the basis that two Resident Doctors or Dentists occupy one full time post and manage the out of hours work between them.
4.1.2 Flexibility will be required where specific working days are required by either or both parties. Typically, slot-sharers will work separate days of the week with overlap on one day or more.
4.1.4 Opportunities for slot-sharing should be explored before any alternative arrangements are considered.
4.2 Part Time in a Full Time Slot
4.2.1 A Resident Doctor or Dentist occupies an established full-time post but works reduced hours. 
4.3 Supernumerary
4.3.1 Supernumerary posts are those that are in addition to the usual complement of training posts in an employing Trust.
4.3.2 Supernumerary placements will only be considered in exceptional cases and with the agreement of the Postgraduate Dean (or nominated representative).
5. ROTATIONS
5.1 Resident Doctors and Dentists will normally be expected to move between posts within rotations on the same basis as a full-time Resident Doctorand Dentist in the same specialty, to ensure they receive a coherent programme of training that is educationally comparable. 
5.2 Resident Doctors and Dentists on a programme that rotate through different specialties, such as Foundation, Internal Medicine Training, General Practice and Core Surgical Training may find their previously planned rotations change to enable opportunities to slot-share within the programme. 
5.3 Resident Doctors and Dentists working less than full time will result in a pro-rata extension to training time.  Whilst training is assessed by evidenced capability and not solely time requests for an earlier completion date will need to be made through the acceleration process.   
6. WORKING HOURS
6.1

The table below will assist in calculating the less than full time training required to meet the full-time equivalent quota for training.

WTE 6 months 12 months 18 months 24 months 30 months 36 months
F5 (50% WTE) 12 months 24 months 36 months 48 months 60 months 72 months
F6 (60% WTE) 10 months 20 months 30 months 40 months 50 months 60 months
F7 (70% WTE) 9 months 17 months 26 months 34 months 43 months 51 months
F8 (80% WTE) 8 months 15 months 23 months 30 months 38 months

45 months

For example, a three-year full-time training programme working 60% whole time equivalent may take 60 months (five years) to complete, subject to satisfactory progression. 

The table above should be used as a guide only.  The duration of training for less than full time Resident Doctors or Dentists will be determined in consultation with the Training Programme Director / Head of Foundation School or equivalent. 
6.2 In line with the GMC position statement (2017) on less than full time training,  Resident Doctors will be required to undertake no less than 50% full time training.  
6.2.1 Only where a Resident Doctor experiences exceptional difficulties may the Postgraduate Dean reduce the time requirement further.  The absolute minimum is 20% of full-time training with the expectation that Resident Doctors and Dentists should not take a placement at this level for more than 12 months. 
7. OUT OF HOURS WORK
7.1 Day time working, on-call and out of hours duties will be undertaken on a pro-rata basis to that worked by full time Resident Doctors and Dentists in the same grade and specialty. 
7.2 The only exceptions to this are circumstances for less than full time training which make this impossible, provided that legal and educational requirements are met. 
8. UNDERTAKING ‘OTHER WORK’ WHILST TRAINING LESS THAN FULL TIME
8.1 Resident Doctors or Dentists in less than full time training placements are not precluded from undertaking other work although they should ensure that in undertaking this work, they practice according to the GMC’s good medical practice and that this does not impact negatively on their training. 
8.2 Where undertaking additional work within the remit of holding a licence to practice the Resident Doctor or Dentists must utilise the annual submission of the Form R to ensure the Postgraduate Dean as their designated Responsible Officer is aware. 
  Any work including locum work needs to be included in the Form R and on the Wider Scope of Practice Form for work undertaken in the capacity as registered medical practitioner outside of trust, Wider Scope of Practice Form 
9. STUDY LEAVE
9.1 Resident Doctors and Dentists are expected to make appropriate personal arrangements to access fixed training days when they are not rostered to work.  This will require flexibility on part of the Resident Doctor or Dentist to ensure they have access to all the educational components of the training programme equivalent to their full-time counterparts. 
9.2 Less than full time Resident Doctors and Dentists should refer to the Study Leave guidelines for information on the allocation and application process.
10. FREQUENCY OF ARCP 
10.1 Less than full time Resident Doctors or Dentists will have an ARCP not less than annually but at intervals of no more than 15 months but may need an ARCP at critical progression points in training.
10.2 Assuming satisfactory progression the grade will typically adjust after 12 months whole time equivalent intervals.  This will not necessarily align with the ARCP nor rotation dates. 
11.  PERIOD OF GRACE
11.1 The purpose of the period of grace is to provide Resident Doctors or Dentists (excluding those in General Practice) time to secure a Consultant or other post following attainment of their CCT. Please refer to the POG policy for more information.
11.2 The maximum duration of the period of grace is six months whether training full time or less than full time. 
12. ACTING UP
12.1 Resident Doctors or Dentists may apply to act up as a consultant and credit that time towards a CCT.  This will normally be for a period of three months or pro-rata for less than full time Resident Doctors or Dentists.  Please refer to the Acting Up as a Consultant Policy.

13.

 APPLICATION PROCESS AND NOTICE PERIOD

13.1

Resident Doctors in Specialty Training  (including Primary Care) will apply to change their hours through Trainee Self Service portal - https://trainee.tis-selfservice.nhs.uk/ 

Notification of the outcome of the application will be provided through the Trainee Self Service portal.  

13.2

Foundation, Public Health and Dental will continue to use the word form attached to this policy. 

The word application form attached will need to be emailed to the appropriate Education Programme team for consideration 

Notification of the outcome of the application will be provided via email.  
13.3 Applications must have the support of the Resident Doctor or Dentists Training Programme Director or equivalent 
13.4 Resident Doctors and Dentists must apply with at least 16 weeks’ notice to change their hours to allow sufficient time for the employing Trust to be notified and the Training Programme Director to undertake rotation planning. If less notice is received the application will still be considered but the start date may be delayed. 
  Requests to change of hours at short notice on health grounds will be agreed on a case-by-case basis. 
14. APPEALS PROCESS
  An appeal is an opportunity to question a decision or complain about treatment which a Resident Doctor or Dentist considers to be unfair.  
14.1 Eligibility for Appeal
14.1.1 Resident Doctors and Dentists whose request to change their working hours has been refused are eligible to appeal.   
14.2 Registering an Appeal
14.2.1 Appeals should be submitted using the ‘Notification of Appeal’ available from the website to england.ltft.sw@nhs.net within 15 working days of the decision about which you are appealing being made. 
14.2.2

NHSE will endeavour to acknowledge appeals in writing within five working days after it is received. 

The Postgraduate Dean will nominate a representative to investigate the circumstances of the appeal.  The process will be explained to the person submitting the appeal who can expect it to be resolved in a reasonable and appropriate timeframe.   

This page was last updated April 29th 2025 (19 hours ago)