Recruitment and Retention FAQs

This section details answers to general FAQs relating to recruitment.

In addition, recruitment occurs every year but the make up of the training programme changes every so often in order to optimise the training environment, react to feedback from trainees and resolve workforce issues across the region. From 2018 onwards the Specialist Training rotation within Yorkshire and the Humber School of Anaesthesia changed. Specific information relating to this change is available in a subsection of the "About your Programme" tab, available HERE.

I am interested in Dual training with Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) in my ST training. Which speciality should I apply for first?

This depends upon your background training so far (ACCS versus Core), your other previous experience, the current competition ratios and several other factors. You should speak to the Training Programme Directors in both Anaesthesia and ICM in the region you are interested in working to get up to date information. In practice, application for both will allow you maximum chance to be offered a post, and will allow more time to make the decision. Note, Dual training cannot be applied for in one process- once training programme has to be entered first, and then the other has to be applied for and you must successfully complete the recruitment process in this too. Please see the RCoA and FICM websites in the useful links.

Will it be possible to centralise employment to avoid repeated paper work and difficulties with maternity pay, as happens around Sheffield?

I’m afraid that won’t be possible. We have done this in the past, but no hospitals in West Yorkshire are willing to be host HR.

Will I be told what rotation I have been allocated prior to accepting the post due to the implications of turning down an NTN?

You will initially have a choice of ranking all the potential Yorkshire & the Humber posts as well as other deaneries. So, you may be presented with 100 different options and can rank as many or as little as you would wish to apply for. We are designing several separate rotations. Some rotations will not be wanted for individuals, so might only rank 10 rotations that they would accept. The computer will match interview rank with choice, and an offer will be made. You can at that point decline the offer. This year all of the UK is included in the ranking, so a highly ranked trainee in another deanery with few posts, will get offered a post in Yorkshire before a lower scoring Yorkshire trainee if they have listed Yorkshire as a possible choice. I can assure all that anyone that is offered a post then wishes to resign it 3/12 before start, will not be classed as having resigned from a training programme for the purpose of future applications. So, to avoid being offered any rotation that you don’t want then simply don’t rank it in your choices.

Will I be told broadly where the job is allocated at the time of application?

You will see all the possible rotations on offer in Yorkshire and the Humber, as well as all the vacancies from around the country. You can rank only the ones you want, or would possibly accept. Don’t rank any that you wouldn’t tolerate. So if you score high enough to be offered a post in your choices, then you can know for sure that it is one of the ones you ranked as acceptable.

Will I get a say in where I am placed, will there be any opportunity for requesting a change of placement if there are evolving training needs?

The rotation offered is what is expected to be delivered by us and experienced by you. Evolving training needs will always effect change. We are committed to delivering the curriculum, so you will only ever be moved from the planned rotation if that placement cannot deliver what is needed at that time.

I wish to train Less Than Full Time at core or at Higher level.

We permit LTFT at any level along the guidance issued by the Gold Guide. Criteria for this is laid out within the Gold Guide. We permit training where granted at any percentage above 50%. We do not advise LTFT for core/ACCS, due to the steep learning curve for anaesthesia in the early years.

How will mat leave / LTFT training be organised, will an advance structure be given?

As soon as we aware that a trainee wishes to train as LTFT, we will bespoke design their rotation.

Will trainees with young children be given any dispensation to avoid very long commutes?

There will be no commutes significantly over an hour, though some in the East rotation are now over 1 hour. Whilst all circumstances are taken into consideration during rotation planning we prioritise training needs. We are also cautious not to discriminate against trainees without children, but to try and have a fair and balanced rotation.

Can trainees link applications to be guaranteed work in the same area as another individual?

During the offers process applicants can take advantage of the Enhanced Preferencing. This enables them to change their preferences after they have been offered or accept a post, effectively opting to be downgraded into a post nearer their partner during the next round of upgrades. For more information please see the “Specialty Recruitment Applicants Guide”

I have been exited from a programme before or I have resigned from a programme before, and I wish to return to training.

To apply for entry into a programme you have previously received an ARCP4 for, or have resigned from, requires a letter from the Dean of the Deanery you were training in at the time. Please start this request well in advance of your application.