Need Study Leave

You are entitled to 30 days study leave per year (pro rata). This includes attendance at HDR and Modular Day Courses. In addition to these we aim to facilitate your attendance at extra courses relevant to the GP curriculum. Attendance at these is generally easier to organise during your GP posts. From the scheme’s educational budget we will endeavour to fund the following for each trainee during the course of their scheme: 

• a local AKT preparation course.
• a local CSA preparation course. 
• the RCGP annual conference on one occasion during the scheme. 
• an additional curriculum relevant course on one occasion during the scheme. 

If you want to attend a course you need to: 

1. Arrange cover for your absencet: in a hospital post, this means liaising with your peers. In a GP post, this means liaising with the practice manager. 

2. Fill out a study leave application/approval form. Forward this onto studyleave@bthft.nhs.uk who will confirm with the Training Programme Directors if your application can or cannot be approved. Forms must be submitted as far in advance as possible and no later than 6 weeks prior to the proposed leave.  Time off for study leave must be agreed by your Trainer/Hospital Consultant and the Practice Manager/Rota Coordinator. 

3. If study leave is approved, go ahead and pay for the course yourself. If study leave is not approved a brief explanation will be provided. 

4. When the course is over, then fill out an expenses claim form, which helps you to reclaim what you’ve paid. Claim forms must be submitted as soon as possible after the study leave has been completed. Claims submitted after a 3 month period has elapsed will NOT be eligible for payment. Claim forms will not be processed unless accompanied by receipts. Forward the completed forms to studyleave@bthft.nhs.uk who will forward the claim to payroll on your behalf. 

If you are travelling via your own vehicle, travel expenses can be calculated at 0.28p per mile. A receipt is not required for this. Fuel is not reimbursed and parking receipts are classed as subsistence.

5. Reimbursement – Once your Expenses Claim Form and receipts have been checked and verified, your claim form will be referred to the Postgraduate Medical Education Lead for final sign off and then to payroll for reimbursement.

Payroll will include reimbursement in your pay for the current month. If your Expenses Claim Form is submitted after the roll over date, your reimbursement will be included in the next month’s pay.

For any queries regarding payment, please contact Payroll directly on 01274 251 000 or expenses.payroll@bdct.nhs.uk

WHAT TYPES OF ADDITIONAL COURSES WILL BE FUNDED? 

Because of limited resources, we are unable to promise funding for any specific courses. The current priority for funding is for LOCAL courses where the educational activity: 

1. Prepares you for the requirements of MRCGP 

2. Tackles an essential component of being a GP 

Educational activities to pursue your personal learning interests or development towards a potential role as a GPwER will not be given. So, essentially you need to decide whether to pursue going on an additional course in the knowledge that reimbursement of your expenses may not be honoured. 

A simple way of doing this is to decide whether FOR YOU, you think the course is a) absolutely necessary and essential or b) simply interesting and desirable. But again, remember, even if you decide to go on the grounds that you feel for you it is absolutely necessary and essential, reimbursement is still not guaranteed. 

For additional curriculum relevant courses we ask you to put a proposal to the TPD team as to how the course will help you address your specific identified learning needs and also to confirm that it has the support of your clinical or educational supervisor. 

EXAM/EXAM-PREPARATION LEAVE 

• 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 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 practice or trust may discretionary leave to prepare for an exam up to 3 days in a year. Again, please remember that this is discretionary and there is no automatic individual right.