Less Than Full Time Training
Yorkshire and the Humber Deanery supports postgraduate doctors and dentists in training (PGDiTs) who wish to train Less Than Full Time (LTFT).
LTFT training aims to:
- Retain doctors and dentists in the workforce who are unable to continue their training on a full-time basis for a well-founded individual reason.
- Promote career and personal development as well as work/life balance and wellbeing.
- Ensure continued training in programmes on a time equivalence (pro rata) basis.
The Application Process
Before applying for LTFT, please note the following important points:
- Please read and familiarise yourself with the Guidance for Doctors and Dentists in Training applying for Less Than Full Time (LTFT) / change in training percentage.
- You MUST meet with and have your TPDs agreement in writing before we can approve your application. However, if your TPD is away, do not delay in submitting your application as you can send us your TPDs agreement after you have applied.
- Your application must allow for 16 weeks’ notice of the intended start date. The 16 weeks is counted from the date your application is submitted to the Deanery team, not the date of any discussions with TPDs or Trusts. The Deanery is unable to process any application outside this window unless it meets the defined exception criteria or you are a new starter with a late offer (see below).
For Foundation, Dental and Specialty training:
- The deadline for submitting an application for an August 2025 start date is 21 April 2025.
- The deadline for submitting an application for a September 2025 start date is 18 May 2025.
- The deadline for submitting an application for an October 2025 start date is 15 June 2025.
For GP training: please contact england.gpplacements.yh@nhs.net to confirm the deadline for your requested start date.
- NEW STARTERS ONLY: Due to national recruitment timelines, the process does allow for accommodating new starters with late offers who are unable to meet the 16-week deadline. However, do not delay in submitting your application and give the Deanery as much notice as possible. The earlier you submit your application, the more likely your Trust will be able to accommodate your request.
- Exceptional circumstances are defined as a sudden (within 12 weeks of the date of your application) change in circumstance related to health, parental care, or other caring responsibilities that could not be planned for in advance.
Examples of evidence of exceptional circumstances are listed below:
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Supporting Documentation |
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Disability / ill health. |
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Responsibility for caring for ill/disabled partner, relative or other dependent. |
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Responsibility for childcare. |
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Application Forms
Please use the links below to access the relevant application form:
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If you need any help with your application, please contact your relevant Programme Support Team at the email address below:
Foundation Training - england.foundation.yh@nhs.net
Dental Training - england.dentalsupport.yh@nhs.net
General Practice Training - england.gpplacements.yh@nhs.net
Specialty Training - england.stp-ltft.yh@nhs.net
Our Professional Support team are also available if you would like to discuss your application in further detail.
NHS England have refreshed the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for LTFT to ensure greater flexibility for Doctors in Training. This work has been part of the Enhancing Junior Doctors Working Lives and aligns closely to Gold Guide 10th Edition.
In 2023, a regional group of NHS England managers and administrators, LEP representatives and Postgraduate Doctors in Training (with input from Heads of Schools and Training Programme Directors) worked on a local process that aligns to the overarching NHS England LTFT SOP. A refresh of this process has taken place in March 2025.
Points of note are detailed below.
- Postgraduate Doctors and Dentists in Training must meet with their TPDs prior to submitting their application.
- Traditional categories are removed, anyone can consider LTFT.
- Applications must give 16-weeks’ notice of a start date unless there are exceptional circumstances (as defined in our Guidance for Doctors and Dentists in Training applying for LTFT/change in training percentage).
- Local Education Providers (LEPs) must be consulted for applications that have less than 12-weeks' notice.
- Ros Roden (Professional Support Clinical Lead) is the clinical lead for LTFT.
- Applications are managed by individual Directorate administrative teams within the Deanery; however, the same principles apply irrespective of School (e.g Specialty or Foundation), or profession (e.g. Medical or Dental).
All processes across Directorates will be reviewed on an annual basis in line with the annual review of the NHS England national SOP.
- Guidance for Doctors and Dentists in Training applying for Less Than Full Time (LTFT) / change in training percentage (March 2025)
- NHSE Yorkshire and the Humber LTFT Guidance (March 2025)
- NHSE Yorkshire and the Humber LTFT Process Flowchart (March 2025)
- NHSE Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for LTFT (2024)
Trainers (and PGDiTs) may find the below resources helpful:
- LTFT Checklist for TPDs & PGDiTs, to support the initial conversation with the postgraduate doctor in training.
- LTFT Roles and Responsibilities, which explains the roles of all those involved in the LTFT process.
- This video is an example of the conversation between a Training Programme Director (TPD) and a Postgraduate Doctor in Training (PGDiT)
You can find support from your peers on LTFT below:
Facebook: A group of volunteer admins, who are also LTFT Postgraduate Doctors in Training (PGDiTs), run a Facebook group for all LTFT doctors. This is a public forum intended to offer peer support, respond to common LTFT queries and sign-post for further advice. This group is searchable on Facebook as 'LTFT Trainees Forum', and there are a series of joining questions.
WhatsApp: There is a WhatsApp group for Yorkshire and the Humber LTFT doctors. It is intended to enable peer support, find a response to common queries and signpost for further advice within the region. If you wish to join this group please contact: either michelle.horridge1@nhs.net or katherine.miller13@nhs.net to request this.
The rules for participating in either of these groups are in line with all online activity: be polite, kind, professional, and respectful, and don't post anything you wouldn't be prepared to sign.
