What should I do if a trainee requires extended leave from the programme?
In the specific case of statutory maternity leave, NHS employees are entitled to up to 52 weeks of leave. Employing Trusts will have their own specific policies; however, these are governed by the standard NHS terms and conditions as described by NHS Employers. We will then adjust the deadlines for the completion of workplace-based assessments to account for this proportionately.
If an HSST trainee wishes to take any extended leave, including maternity leave or part-time working, they should contact the school as soon as possible to discuss and agree on an appropriate timeline for completing the programme. Any planned leave from the programme, including maternity leave, will require a revised training plan. This must be written by both the trainee and Supervisor and submitted to the school and NHS England for sign-off, with agreed timelines to ensure any risks are mitigated.
The trainee must also contact Manchester Academy for Healthcare Scientist Education (MAHSE) to agree on a timeline for completing the academic components of the programme.
Similar guidelines will apply to other forms of statutory leave, including paternity leave.
Can a trainee move between employers?
Trainees occasionally request a transfer of their training contract from their original employer to another, either within or outside the NHS England commissioning office that initially commissioned the position. This can cause issues, as HSST posts are agreed upon as part of a local or wider (consortium, regional) workforce need within the current employer’s workforce plan. A distinction must also be made between those who have already embarked on the HSST programme and those who have received an offer of appointment but have not yet started.
We can assist and advise with transfer arrangements. However, it is the trainee’s responsibility to negotiate between the employers, who provide the salary, and the commissioners, who provide the educational allowance. We understand that personal circumstances can change during a 5 year training programme, and that individuals may need to move from one location to another. In all cases of transfers, the new training centre must meet the school’s standards and conditions of approval for HSST training. Additionally, no further places will be supported for the original organisation until any amounts due under the agreement have been paid in full.
Transfers within the local NHS England commissions region
If a trainee has not yet taken up their post and the proposed transfer is within the local NHS England commissioning region, the local NHS England office must agree to the transfer of the training allowance between employers within its area. Salary costs would remain the responsibility of the original employer. This would be a matter for agreement between both employers and the local NHS England office, and would be subject to consideration of local manpower planning and the impact on the local health economy.
Where an agreement can be reached, the designated location of the HSST training post would move to the new employer. However, this would be contingent upon a formal commitment by the new employer to undertake the training responsibilities and meet all associated local costs. If an agreement cannot be reached and the trainee chooses to continue with the transfer, they would be recorded as declining the offered HSST post, and the post to which they transfer would not be eligible for designation as a HSST training post at the time of the transfer.
If a trainee has already started their HSST training and has been in post for a minimum of 12 months, such a transfer is possible. It will require an agreement between both the current and proposed employers, as well as the local NHS England office. Authorisation of the transfer requires a formal commitment by the new employer to undertake the training responsibilities and all associated costs. If an employer is unable to meet these requirements and the trainee chooses to proceed with the transfer, their status would be recorded as having exited the programme.
Transfer outside the local NHS England commissions region
If a trainee has not yet taken up their HSST post and applies for a transfer of training outside the local NHS England commissioning region, this request will be denied. Funding for the HSST post is allocated to the identified employer only, and the training allowance is similarly restricted to the local NHS England commissioning region. If the trainee chooses to continue with the transfer, we would record them as declining the offered HSST post. The post to which they transfer would not be eligible for designation as a HSST training post. The local commissioner and employer would need to consider whether the post, if an In-Service post, could be converted into a Direct Entry post.
If a trainee has already started their HSST training and has been in post for a minimum of 12 months, such a transfer may be possible. It will require an agreement between both the current and proposed employers, as well as the local NHS England office. Authorisation of the transfer requires a formal commitment from the new employer to undertake the training responsibilities and all associated costs. If an employer is unable to meet these requirements and the trainee chooses to continue with the transfer, their status would be recorded as having exited the programme.
Can a trainee continue on the programme if they move to a new role?
If a trainee moves to another role for professional advancement, it is important that their new employer is aware of, and agreeable to, the continuing commitment and support required to ensure the training for HSST can be completed.
The trainee must inform the school and their local education office of their change of role. Assurances that their new employer can offer a suitable training environment will also be required.
What are the requirements for HSST Trainees protected time?
An allowance of 52 days each year protected time, used flexibly for academic studies and which excludes the time spent attending residential sessions at the HEI or other time attending conferences or on placement outside the host laboratory.