LTFTT & Maternity

There are a number of actions for you to undertake in preparation for and during your maternity leave:

Who should I tell about my maternity leave?
Please contact the following people to inform them of your pregnancy and due date:

• GP School Placements for Pennine – o.khatab@nhs.net
• Workforce Benefits Service at HRI, giving appropriate notice as set out in NHS Employers Terms and Conditions Placement provider for current and next placement (workforcebenefitsservice@cht.nhs.uk)
  You must give your manager notice of the date you intend to start your maternity leave and forward your MATB1 to Workforce benefits by the end of the 15th week before the baby is due (ie 26 weeks).

As there will now be a break in your training programme, we will need to review your placements both in hospital and General Practice. We will do our best to accommodate you with a rotation similar to the one you were previously following, but please be aware that there may be changes to some of your posts. We will ensure that you are kept informed of your rotations with at least 12 weeks’ notice as required by the Code of Practice.

Pay and Contracts

• CHT HR department can give you information about your maternity pay. You should also notify your future placement.
• If your employment contract with your current employer is due to end less than 11 weeks before the start of your maternity leave, it may need to be extended to cover your maternity leave to ensure that you receive maternity pay as appropriate. If this would apply to you, please discuss this with your employer and Omar Khatab at the earliest opportunity (o.khatab@nhs.net)

Portfolio, ARCP and Revalidation

• Ensure your Portfolio is amended to state when you will be on maternity leave.
• All trainees must complete a Form R every 12 months. This requirement continues during maternity leave. The Revalidation and Accreditation Team will contact you to request the form if required.
• You must complete an Educational Supervisor’s Review every 6 months during your training whether you are a full or less than full time trainee.
• Before you start your maternity leave, you may find it helpful to ensure that the evidence including all assessments in your Portfolio is up to date and arrange with your Educational Supervisor to complete an ESR to cover the period in training up to the start of your maternity leave. An ESR should not usually cover more than 6 months, but the RCGP will allow an ESR to cover a slightly longer period (8 months maximum) where maternity leave or less than full time training make a 6 month review impractical.
• You must arrange for a Clinical Supervisors Report to be completed to cover your post up to the start of maternity leave, however short this training time is.
• During your maternity you will have an ARCP, if it is due. However, you do not need to do any preparation for this while on maternity leave apart from uploading a form R. The ARCP will be an Outcome N2, reflecting that you are on maternity leave.
• You will not need to have an out of programme Educational Supervisors Review during this period.

Annual Leave and Keep In Touch Days

• Annual Leave – Plans for taking annual leave to which you are already entitled should be discussed with your current and future employers. You will continue to accrue annual leave whilst you are on maternity leave and this accrued leave is usually taken in a block at the end of your maternity leave. The annual leave that is accrued while you are on maternity leave does not count towards your training time which will recommence from when you actually return to work.
• Keep in Touch (KIT) days allow you to work up to 10 days during your maternity leave under your contract of employment without losing your SMP/MA entitlement. They can include training days and other activity that allow the employee to keep in touch with the workplace. You will also need to ensure you have appropriate medical indemnity if you are seeing patients. Please note if you carry out these days when in receipt of any maternity pay, you may not receive your full normal rate. It is therefore advised that you carry out these days when in your unpaid maternity leave. Please remember KIT days should be taken before the accrued leave commences as you cannot claim for payment when you are already being paid for leave.

GMC registration and Medical Defence

• You must maintain your GMC registration with a licence to practice whilst on maternity leave.
• You must ensure that you have the appropriate level of medical defence including the enhanced cover required if working in General Practice in place for your return to work.

Returning to work

• You must stay in touch with your Lead Employer and the Placements team (o.khatab@nhs.net) to let us know in advance of your intended return dates or any changes to your plans so that we can plan for your placement on return to work. Please note that as you will be out of synch with your training year colleagues, it may be necessary to change your allocated posts that occur after your maternity leave as explained above.
• If you wish to return to work Less Than Full Time you must complete an application for LTFT and send it to LTFT Y&H to be approved by the Associate Dean. You should apply at least 16 weeks before the start of your post. If you are already LTFT but wish to change your working percentage, you will need to apply to change percentage, at least 16 weeks before the start of your post. The application form for LTFT is: https://forms.office.com/e/XdDf2Qgr2A. Full policy details can be found here: Less Than Full Time Training | Health Education Yorkshire and Humber (yorksandhumberdeanery.nhs.uk)
• Supported Return to Training (SuppoRTT): You must meet with your Educational Supervisor or Training Programme Director approximately 12 weeks before your anticipated return date, and complete a pre return to training form
• More information with supported return to training can be found here – Supported Return to Training | Health Education Yorkshire and Humber (yorksandhumberdeanery.nhs.uk)