Message from Jane Lynch, your Training Programme Director
Welcome to the ETP December memo, we hope that all trainees and training officers are keeping safe and that your training journey is progressing well. We hope that new trainees have settled down in their new departments and are enjoying the learning experience both in the department and via the university blocks.
We recently held a ‘Train the Trainer’ virtual session, it was great to see so many training officers there and to answer many of your questions. For anyone who missed the session this will be available to view. Please contact sally.clee@hee.nhs.uk who will provide the link and can also register your commitment to view it.
The month of December is a great time to reflect on the past year, with many people around the world making New Year’s resolutions on changes they want to make in the following year. We would like to wish you a very Happy Christmas for those celebrating it and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Festive period opening times at the School
Over the festive holidays the School will be available as outlined below:
- Monday 27th December – Closed
- Tuesday 28th December – Closed
- Wednesday 29th December – Friday 31st December – Reduced staff so responses may take longer than usual
- Monday 3rd January – Closed
- Tuesday 4th January – Normal opening hours resume
OneFile forms during the festive period
Due to staff work schedules during the holiday period, any forms sent to the School via OneFile requiring a “centre monitor” action may take up to 5 working days to action, instead of the usual 2-day turnaround we aim for. Please keep this in mind if you send us anything between 20 December and 31 December. We should be back to normal turnaround times from 4 January.
Click here to find out how to contact the National School
Changes in your training – please make sure the School is aware
It is important the School be made aware of any changes to your training which may impact on your ongoing progression, participation or completion of the programme. The School will co-ordinate with commissioning teams and universities to make sure all organisations involved in your training are aware of the latest position to ensure you receive appropriate advice and support so that your training programme can be managed effectively. This applies to all trainees in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Examples of circumstances in which you or your supervisor must notify the School:
- Statutory leave – we will need to know the dates of intended leave (maternity, paternity, parental, adoption leave) and any flexible arrangements requested on return so that your programme and training plan can be reviewed and your revised completion timeline confirmed.
- Long term sickness absence – any period of sickness over 6 weeks or more should be confirmed with the School or if there are multiple short term absences that trigger local employer policies. It is an opportunity to seek advice about processes that can support your training, such as the Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances policy, and to seek support from the training support team in the School to discuss matters with you and your supervisor in more detail. Click here to find the Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances policy.
- Changes to your training officer/supervisor – this needs to be updated in OneFile but the School also needs to know for accreditation purposes and to ensure that we are communicating with the right people at the right time about your training. Click here to find the change notification form.
- Decision to leave the programme – it is important that you get in touch with the School if you are considering leaving the programme, particularly if this is as a result of issues with your training. Try to speak to us early to get advice and support so that you can determine if leaving is the right choice for you. We will always support your decision to leave but if we can help with any issues that are influencing that decision then we would like to know to see if we can resolve them with you.
- Transfer of training or early employment – there is a policy for this so please review and submit an application as soon as you receive the offer, or earlier if possible, so the School can review and confirm if your training can continue to be supported in your new department. It is currently written for STP but is applicable to all commissioned programmes (HSST and ETP). Click here to find the transfer of training policy.
Any changes of the above nature should be communicated to nshcs@hee.nhs.uk and the relevant team in the School will advise you.
Missed a previous edition of the ETP Monthly Memo?
We’ve published copies of the Monthly Memo for ETP trainees and training officers on our website.
Click here to view previous editions of the ETP Monthly Memo