Annual Leave
How much annual leave are you entitled to? Well, it depends what point you are on the StR pay scale.
- Up to point 02, annual leave entitlement is 25 days in a GP post, 27 days in a hospital post (as they get 2 extra statutory days).
- Point 03 and above entitlement is 30 days in GP, 32 in a hospital post (i.e. 5 extra days).
So, a trainee who starts GP training straight from Foundation Year and assuming they do a full-time 3 year programme will be…
- On the minimum point of the StR pay scale in ST1 (point 00);
- Point 01 in ST2;
- Point 02 in ST3.
So the majority of trainees are only entitled to 25 days of annual leave. There can be confusion thinking that ST3 equals point 03 on the pay scale, but it doesn’t necessarily. You only become point 03 if you’ve worked in other posts after Foundation BUT before joining the GP training scheme (e.g. you’ve changed career).
Study Leave
Please see the links below for up to date guidance:
Study leave application flowchart: https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/helpdesk/attachments/7037495944
Study Leave Guidance: https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/home?studyleave
Course codes: https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/helpdesk/attachments/7080166115
Exam Leave
Leave to take exams is usually counted as part of your Study Leave allowance. However, you can only take it as Study leave as dictated below…
Exam leave for the day of the MRCGP
– For the first attempt, leave is granted with pay and expenses.
– For subsequent attempts, leave is granted without pay and expenses.
Exam leave for the day of a diploma (such as DRCOG, DFSRH, DCH, DGM)
– Provided educational approval is given, leave will be granted without funding.
Exam preparation leave
– There is no automatic entitlement to Exam Preparation Leave for private study in order to prepare for an exam.
– In exceptional circumstances, the employing body may grant leave for up to 2 days to prepare for an exam but no more than 3 days in a year.
Please keep a log
In addition to Annual and Study leave, you are allowed time off from the training programme for any of the types of leave mentioned below, in accordance with the contractual arrangements with your employer. However, we would like to reiterate the fact that the total, aggregated allowance for the types of leave below must not exceed…
- one week in any 6 month post or
- two weeks in a 12 month training period or
- six weeks over a 3-year training period
(Please note that one year would be a calendar year beginning from programme start date).
Please keep a log of all your leave throughout your 3 year training programme (sickness, parental, maternity and anything else). ‘The ES Workbook’ will help keep a tally of these for you.
Remember, informing the different stakeholders who need to know is the trainee’s responsibility. Failing to do this early on will mean that any gaps that need making up in your training programme will be picked up too late to do anything about and only you lose out. We do not want this to happen to you.
Sick Leave
If you need time off sick, there are 2 aspects you need to think about:
Your Employment
– You should contact your workplace immediately to let them know you can’t come to work. In GP this might be the Practice Manager or your Trainer, in hospital the Rota Coordinator, departmental secretary or your Clinical Supervisor. Try to have a conversation or full message exchange – don’t just leave a message and hope it gets through. If you can give them an idea of how long you are likely to be off sick, this is helpful.
– You must send sick notes to the correct admin department in your employing organisation – if you don’t, you may not get paid on time.
Your Education
– If you are absent for more than two weeks in any one year for any kind of leave in addition to the study and annual leave allowance, that excess must be made up with additional training time at the end of your training programme.
– If you are absent for more than the two weeks allowance, please let the following people know:
1. Your scheme’s GP administrator
2. The Training Programme Directors
3. The Deanery