If you have a query that is not covered in the below FAQs, please get in touch with our team at england.ltft.eoe@nhs.net
Any trainee in a substantive NHSE approved post can apply for less than full time training. If your eligibility is approved, this will be accommodated as soon as practically possible.
All well-founded reasons will be considered, however support to progress the application may be dependent on the capacity of the programme and the effect the request may have on the training available to other doctors in training on the programme. It is expected that all those applying due to disability or ill health and caring responsibilities will be accommodated. It is no longer necessary to supply evidence from your GP or from OH in the first instance, although this may be requested at a later time point.
Trainees are required to submit a Change in plan form only if they wish to change their percentage of full time work or if their slot share partner changes. The Change in Plan form is located on the same form as the stage but it appears after selecting the change in plan dropdown on page 2.
A Change in Plan form should be submitted 3 months before the planned start date.
Trainees are no longer required to complete a renewal form whenever they rotate trust or practice as they will be notified of the trainees' LTFT status prior to joining the trust.
Applicants should apply to NHSE with no less than 12 weeks (3 months) notice of their proposed LTFT start date and it will take up to four weeks process the forms. You must receive written confirmation of your Form 1: Eligibility Assessment & Training Plan (or From 2: Renewal Training Plan if you are renewing) before you begin to train LTFT. Please note that it may not be possible to accommodate your proposed LTFT training plan straight away.
The GMC Postgraduate Board have issued a position statement determining that trainees will be required to undertake no less than 50% of full-time training. LTFT Trainees can train between 50-95% of full time.
For the small number of trainees who experience exceptional difficulties, it has been agreed that postgraduate deans should have flexibility to reduce the time requirement further. This needs individual discussion with the trainees TPD and then with Dr Abigail Taylor, AD for LTFT
In the first instance you really need to discuss this with your TPD and Medical Staffing / Practice, as they will need to ensure you can be accommodated. If this is agreed with your TPD and Medical Staffing / Practice, we need a confirmation email from yourself and your TPD stating whom this has been agreed with and what date you will be commencing 100% from. We will then let the necessary people know of these changes in order for any financial adjustments to be made.
Training is becoming more competency, rather than time based and your progress should be reviewed at each ARCP. As a rule of thumb, your training will be extended so that you are training for the same sort of time as your full-time colleagues. For example, a year at 60% full time equivalent is 7.2 months. This is the minimum time that will count towards your CCT.
Foundation trainees- please discuss with the Foundation School as Foundation Training is time based and, generally, full placements need to be completed.
Yes, this is supported both by CATO and NATO and NIHR. Please discuss with your TPD. Academic lead and the relevant lead in CATO or NATO before submitting your application to NHSE.
Please discuss pay with your employer (trust HR or Lead Employer for GP/PH trainees). The BMA webpage is also helpful:
https://www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-contracts/pay/pay-banding/how-pay-banding-works
Yes, but this must be declared on your form R if the work requires your license to practice.
If you are doing locums, please discuss this with your ES/TPD before agreeing the shift (unless a true emergency). Trainees who are LTFT and do an excessive number of locum shifts may be asked to reconsider their LTFT status.
Locum shifts will not count towards training.
Annual leave for LTFT trainees is calculated on a pro-rata basis, so if you work 60%, your annual leave entitlement will be 60% of that of a full-time trainee. You should contact your employing Trust or lead employer for exact calculations.
Yes, you should inform you employer, TPD and NHSE of your planned maternity leave dates as soon as possible. Please email the Programme and Information Team: england.edit.eoe@nhs.net and they will ensure your records are updated at HEE accordingly.
Trainees do not need to tell NHSE if their LTFT plan expires before their maternity leave finishes and submit a new plan when they return. They only need to submit a change in plan LTFT application form if their percentage and slot share partner is going to change.
Please note: you are not required to submit an LTFT application to cover your maternity leave period.
Yes, though it is recommended that you first attempt to resolve any issues informally via discussion with your TPD and the AD for LTFT (abigail.taylor39@nhs.net)
If a doctor in training has had their application to train LTFT declined, they may appeal in writing to the relevant Postgraduate Dean sending the email to engaland.ltft.eoe@nhs.net. The Postgraduate Dean’s decision will be final.
No. Period of Grace for full time and LTFT trainees is on a fixed term basis for 6 months only and not pro-rata.
For Foundation TPDs (FTPD) please click here: https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/node/2686 and select your Trust from the options on the left hand side.
For GP TPDs, please click here: https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/gp_programme_directors and identify your programme area.
For all other specialty TPDs, please click Medical Training. Once on the Medical Training page please locate your School from the blue menu options on the right hand side of the page. Once located please select your specialty, then click on the 'Contact Us' menu option on the right hand side of your specialty page which will include contact details of the TPD(s) for the specialty.
Yes, we need a timetable of what you will be doing each day. This is so that we can ensure that you are in line with your FT colleagues and meet your clinical and educational time. FT GP trainees work 28 clinical hours and 12 educational hours. Please discuss this with your TPD and practice and submit this information with your application or it may be returned to you.
You will need to ensure you meet the minimum salary requirements your visa is applying for Less Than Full Time (LTFT) training. You will need to meet the minimum salary requirements of either £20,960 or £23,200 per annum depending on when your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) was issued. This is calculated as a percentage of the going rate. The further guidance on minimum hours worked can be found on the webpage here
Getting Approval
We have informed trainees that while they may be able to reduce their hours to meet sponsorship requirements, LTFT hours will need to be approved by their local HEE Office and/or Trust.
For further information please contact sponsorship@hee.nhs.uk
Reporting Form
You will also need to complete a Reporting Form, that can be found here, which should be completed after your LTFT is approved and before it commences as we are required to report any changes to your salary and working hours to the Home Office.
Approval will need to sought from the trainee's Training Programme Director or Head of School, their Educational Supervisor or College Tutor and medical staffing.
For GP trainees, approval is also needed from their Practice Manager.
Slot sharing means that two (occasionally three) trainees share one slot (two slots if three trainees) on the rota, which supports a greater number of trainees to access LTFT.
For example an 80% LTFT trainee not involved in a slot share would normally be expected to undertake 80% of the on call of a WTE. However, where trainees are in a slot share which exceeds 100% WTE, local discussions will be needed to agree on call arrangements and frequency.
The funding for all on call is paid by the Trust. It is expected that the LTFT trainees in the slot share will cover at least the WTE element of the on call on a 50:50 basis.
Any on call above this will be negotiated, funded and agreed locally. The only exceptions to this are circumstances for LTFT training which make this impossible, provided that legal and educational requirements are met
Yes. The only time limitation is that provisional registration (i.e. F1) can only be held for 3 years and 30 days but most trainees can complete their Foundation programme within that time working at e.g. 60% LTFT.
This needs to be negotiated with your employer as soon as possible. They will try to honour your chosen working pattern, but this is not always possible both for LTFT in a Full Time slot and LTFT trainees who are slot sharing. This should also be discussed with your TPD and Educational Supervisor.
No!