Access to SuppoRTT in the East of England (EoE) is available to all trainees in the region who are planning to take, or already on, an approved period of time out of training for one or more of the following reasons:

• Parental / maternity leave exceeding 3 months
• Out of Programme for Research (OOPR) or a Career Break (OOPC) 
• Global Health Fellowship
• Sick leave of 3 months or more
• Doctors who have been out of training for more than 3 months and have accepted an East of England training post

Trainees will complete an individualised SuppoRTT plan and participate in structured planning and review meetings when leaving and returning to training with their TPD/College Tutor. This will enable trainees to document any plans to stay up to date with training whilst away from practice and also identify any anticipated support required upon their return.

The SuppoRTT plan is broken down into 3 parts with each part being completed at a different stage:

Part 1 of the SuppoRTT plan is completed 3 months in advance of the trainee’s anticipated leaving date. This provides trainee’s with the opportunity to plan time away from clinical practice with the TPD/College Tutor and document plans to stay up to date with training whilst away.

Part 2 of the SuppoRTT plan is completed 3 months in advance of the trainee’s return date. This provides trainees with the opportunity to plan the return to clinical practice with the TPD/College Tutor and document any anticipated support required upon their return. If a trainee feels enhanced shadowing is unnecessary this should be clearly indicated on part 2 of the form at this stage.

Part 3 of the of the SuppoRTT plan is completed 2 weeks after the trainees return date. This provides trainees with the opportunity to review the return to clinical practice with the TPD/College Tutor.

Trainees must upload their SuppoRTT plan to their ePortfolio and email it to supportt.eoe@hee.nhs.uk  once each part is completed. 

Please find the SuppoRTT plan form available for download at the bottom of this page.

In order to rapidly regain clinical knowledge and confidence, doctors returning to training following a sustained period of absence will be strongly encouraged to participate in a period of enhanced shadowing for 2 weeks prior to their return date.

During this 2 week period;

• Trainees will participate in closely supervised work and by the end of the period trainees should be working at a level commensurate with re-entry into the training programme.
• Trainees will be surplus to the rota at their employing Trust and will not be used to fill rota gaps
• Trainees are able to work a two week period (10 working days) and this can be on a pro-rata basis for LTFT.
• The trainee’s employing Trust will pay the trainee for this period via the usual pay mechanisms.

Opting Out

If a trainee feels enhanced shadowing is unnecessary they should discuss this with their TPD/College Tutor during their return to training meeting 3 months in advance of their anticipated return date. The trainee’s intention to opt out of enhanced shadowing must be clearly indicated on part 2 of the SuppoRTT plan form.  

Trainees can volunteer to work out of hours/on-call during the enhanced shadowing period providing a peer or consultant colleague is identified to offer supervision.

If trainees wish to participate in OOH/on-call this should be discussed and agreed in advance with their TPD/College Tutor.

A number of spaces on pre-existing specialty specific training courses and teaching days have been ring-fenced by Training Programme Directors (TPDs) and Heads of School (HoS). These spaces have been specifically reserved in order for trainees currently away from clinical practice to attend.

A full list of accessible courses and teaching can be found on the SuppoRTT events web calendar: Local courses 

Trainees wishing to attend any of these courses should express interest with their TPD and reserve a space in good time. Booking instructions provided on the SuppoRTT events calendar must be followed in order to confirm any course reservations.

Contribution towards external training courses

Attending pre-existing local courses is the preferred method for re-developing competence and confidence. If there are no suitable local courses available, there may be a small amount of funding available for returners requiring further development of a specific skill set to attend external courses  

Attendance at an external course will need to be discussed and agreed with the trainee's TPD/College Tutor and documented in part 2 of the SuppoRTT plan form. A SuppoRTT funding request form will then be completed by the trainee in advance of the agreed external course, approved by their TPD, and submitted to HEE EoE for final approval.

If approved by HEE EoE, the cost of the course and any reasonable standard travel expenses incurred will be reimbursed to the trainee via the employing Trust's usual expenses process.

Contribution towards childcare costs for trainee attendance at SPLIT/KIT days

A small amount of funding may be made available to reimburse childcare costs incurred whilst trainees attend KIT or SPLIT days. 

Any planned KIT/SPLIT days should be documented by the trainee on their SuppoRTT plan form.

A SuppoRTT funding request form should then be completed by the trainee in order to reclaim childcare costs and submitted to the relevant authoriser for approval.

If approved, a contribution towards childcare and any reasonable standard travel expenses incurred to attend the KIT/SPLIT day will be reimbursed to the trainee via the employing Trust's usual expenses process.

For trainees considering Less Than Full Time training, the east of England LTFT process should also be followed.

Please click here for LTFT

For trainees taking time out of programme for research (OOPR), a career break (OOPC) or a Global Health Fellowship as part of OOPE, the East of England OOP process should also be followed.

For trainees taking OOP the return date will be the date stated on their OOP application form. Please click here for OOP process and application form

When returning to  a general practice placement, for the first two weeks,  the trainee should be offered the usual GP practice induction period. This should include the opportunity to sit-in with various members of the practice team and a general reorientation to practice systems and protocols. Joint surgeries and home visits should be considered and regular/daily debriefs should also take place. Tutorials during this induction period should focus on identifying individual learning needs and planning how to meet these, including refreshing the trainee’s clinical skills. They should have a meeting with their supervisor towards the end of this period to ascertain that they are confident to return to ‘normal’ consultations.

If, following discussion, the GP trainer feels that the GP trainee needs more assistance than this,  please discuss this with the appropriate TPD/AD. The possibility of an extended induction will then be considered, including a double trainers grant for up to one month