Workforce, training and education
Yorkshire and Humber
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Sources of Support

There is a wide range of local, regional and national sources of support should a trainee find themselves in difficulty (for whatever reason).   

Trainees who find themselves in difficulty are encouraged to speak to their Clinical Supervisors, Educational Supervisors or Training Programme Directors promptly in order to get the most appropriate support.

 

Well-being Resources

The Yorkshire and the Humber Foundation School team has compiled an extensive list of the local, regional and national resources available to trainees of all levels. It is a living document which is edited and updated on a regular basis. It was last updated in May 2019. 

The information is held in the Well-being Resources document.

If you have any resources that you would like to be added to the document please contact the Foundation team (foundation.yh@hee.nhs.uk).  

 

Local counselling

Health Education England - Yorkshire and the Humber funds local counselling services for both Doctors and Dentists alike. One-to-one counselling is provided on a confidential self-referral basis. Full details can be found on the Learner Support website. 

North, East & West Yorkshire: "Take Time", please see the leaflet at the bottom of the page.

South Yorkshire: Workplace Wellbeing

 

Freedom to Speak Up Guardiansfreedom_to_speak.png

All NHS trusts have a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian to support all staff members to speak up about their concerns.

These concerns can be raised anonymously. 

For more information, please review the Freedom to Speak Up programme on the eLfH website. This includes details on the role and supporting videos. 

To find your local guardian please use the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian Directory.

 

Careers advice

Uncertainty about career options can be a cause of stress and anxiety. 

The Foundation School aims to help trainees make informed decisions about their future through the "Regional Training Day 1 - Careers" for F1s and F2s. There is also a wide range of online resources for foundation doctors which can be accessed via the "Additional resources" document (see documents at the bottom of the page).

 

SuppoRTT (Supported Return To Training)

Many trainees take a period of absence from training for a number of reasons which can often vary in duration. This can include; Parental leave, OOP, Carers leave and Sickness. HEE understands that regardless of the reason, returning back into training can be a difficult and stressful time for a trainee. However, you are not on your own, Health Education England and your School are here to support and guide you through this process.

For further information please access the SuppoRTT website or contact the SuppoRTT team at supportt.yh@hee.nhs.uk.

 

Less Than Full-time Training (LTFT)

Health Education England, working across Yorkshire and the Humber (HEEYH) offers support to all trainees who, for well-founded individual reasons, wish to be considered for Less than Full-time Training (LTFT). The intention is to keep doctors within the NHS who might otherwise leave due to an inability to work on a full-time basis. LTFT is available to all training grades within HEEYH. 

The key aims of LTFT training are:

  • To retain doctors within the NHS workforce who are unable to train on a full-time basis
  • To promote career development and work/life balance for doctors training within the NHS
  • To ensure continued training in programmes on a time-equivalent (pro rata) basis
  • To maintain a balance in LTFT arrangements with regards to educational needs and those of the service

NB: All foundation trainees across Yorkshire are supported by the LTFT team at the HEE Head Office in Hull. 

For further information please access the LTFT website here  or contact the Foundation LTFT team at england.foundation.yh@nhs.net 

Inter-Foundation School Transfers

UKFPO National IFST window: We follow the national UKFPO process for IFST requests, with a set application window, usually in March each year.  Guidance, dates and application forms are available on the UKFPO website.

If you are looking to move out of YHFS to another school or within YHFS we will review your application.  You must complete an application form, send the relevant supporting information and meet the eligibility criteria for your application to be reviewed. Even if your application is successful, there still needs to be a post for you to move into.

Funding and posts are limited. If there is no post available, you will need to stay in your allocated post. Moves will take place at the nearest rotation point. However, we would prefer to give trusts 12 weeks’ notice of moves where possible, either to prepare for an incoming trainee, or to try and fill the gap they are being left with. 

Exceptional Inter-Foundation School Transfers

We appreciate that circumstances change and that all transfers may not fit within the national window. We deal with exceptional requests for IFST on a case-by-case basis, using Dean/FSD discretion, but still following the UKFPO guidance and using the same application forms. In all cases whether national or exceptional, there still needs to be a post for you to move to. Even if your application is approved.  

Exceptional requests should be sent to foundation.yh@hee.nhs.uk . We can then send the relevant application for to you to complete. If you are looking to move within YHFS then our FSD will review the application. If you are looking to move to a different Foundation School, we will also involve the FSD/Dean for that school. There will be a dean-to-dean discussion about your application, circumstances and post availability (this may be delegated to FSD to FSD).  

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