How to raise a concern about progress

A vital part of the Annual Review of Progression process that enables trainees and training supervisors to highlight any significant barriers to progress.

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For the Annual Review of Progression the school will provide an online form that the trainee or training supervisor must complete and submit. This will be available during the review period in November each year. Each trainee and training supervisor will be sent an individual link to the form via email at the end of beginning of November.

The form will be in 2 parts:

Part 1: confirmation of data held about the trainee in relation to completion timelines, interruptions, extensions or other adjustments and progress on the programme. This part must be completed by all trainees and their training supervisors.

Part 2: raising a concern – this section should only be completed if there are current or prior issues that have impacted on trainee’s ability to progress as planned over the last 12 months that you think the school should be aware of. Issues that can be or have been resolved locally and do not impact on any required elements of the programme (e-portfolio, academic programme or professional assessments) do not need to be reported.

The school will take a pragmatic view in relation to assessing trainee progress. If there is minimal impact/effect in relation to progress the issue does not need to be reported. Similarly, if there are no concerns/issues there is no requirement to complete the second part of the form.

Trainees or training supervisors should only complete the form if there are active and significant barriers to progress that require further support or adjustment to the training. Failure to disclose issues at this point may impact on any future requests for additional time or adjustments to the programme. Providing this information will help the school to understand the reasons why progression is not being made and will enable us to offer support in a timely way.

Issues experienced may vary considerably between trainees but could include and are not limited to one or more of the following:

  • health and wellbeing – e.g, sickness over 6 weeks or more, chronic health conditions
  • learning differences – e.g., neurodivergence that is recently diagnosed or suspected and without current strategies to manage
  • academic progress
  • conduct, capability and performance
  • training delivery – e.g., level of supervision, access to training and/or training plans, organisation of training, training supervisor long-term absence etc
  • equality, diversity and inclusion
  • absences from training – e.g., due to bereavement, recent carer responsibilities or other prolonged absence (6 weeks or more)

Universities will be contacted directly by the school to report by exception.

Statutory leave, including maternity, paternity, parental or adoption leave does not need to be reported via this route but details of any absences of this nature should be emailed to england.nshcs@nhs.net so that funding, completion and progression timelines can be adjusted accordingly. Annual leave is excluded and should be managed in accordance with relevant local employment policy.

If you wish to raise a concern about progress you can do this at any time to england.nshcs@nhs.net. However, the raising concern form is designed specifically for the Annual Review of Progression process and will only be available during the review period for this purpose.