Flexible training

One of the many attractions of becoming a psychiatric trainee is the favourable work-life balance. Psychiatry, as a specialty, has always been supportive of trainees who work less-than-full-time (LTFT)¹. With increasing numbers of women going into medicine, it is likely that demand for less than full-time training will increase².

Reasons for working less than full-time must be “well-founded” and it is the responsibility of each deanery to assess each individual case. Doctors unable to work full-time fall into the following two categories:

Category 1³

Doctors who are:

• Disabled or in ill health (includes being on an IVF programme)
• Being a carer for a relative or partner
• Responsible for looking after young children

Category 2

Doctors who have:

• Unique opportunities for personal or professional development e.g. training for national or international sport
• Service to the wider NHS e.g. sitting on a national committee
• Religious commitment
• Non-medical professional development

Other reasons may also be considered, dependent upon resources and the capacity of the programme. These will be prioritised by the Postgraduate Dean.

To secure a less than full-time psychiatry training post, a training number must be secured in open competition by the same process as trainees who are applying for full-time posts. Once a position has been offered, the trainee should apply to the appropriate deanery to request to work less than full- time. The trainee will usually be required to submit an application form, which may ask for evidence of their reason for wanting to work less than full time. It is advisable to apply for less than full-time training with as much notice as possible and many deaneries state that requests must be made at least three months prior to changing job.  Each post on a rotation must also have educational approval for less than full-time training and be compliant with PMETB and Royal College of Psychiatry training requirements.

LTFT trainees must work at least 50% of a normal working week², usually up to a maximum of 80%. There are also a number of different types of post available:

1. reduced sessions in a full-time job
2. slot-share where two employees cover one full-time role
3. supernumerary where the basic salary is funded by the deanery and out-of-hours is paid by the employing NHS trust.

Many deaneries aim to place trainees into slot-share arrangements or reduced sessions in a full-time job as these require a smaller financial burden on the deanery.

Trainees who work less than full-time will complete their training over a longer duration.

Further details about the LTFT application process should be sought from each individual deanery and each deanery has an associate dean responsible for flexible training. Educational supervisors and programme directors should also be able to provide further information.

References

1. Marshall, J. Chapter 28 Flexible Training. In: Handbook for psychiatric trainees. Editors: Bhugra, D. and Howes, O. RCPsych Publications

2. A Reference Guide for Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK, The Gold Guide Third Edition June 2009

3. Jones, M., Montgomery, J., Thomas S (2008) Flexible training has matured. BMJ Careers http://careers.bmj.com/careers/advice/view-article.html?id=3062

See individual postgraduate deanery websites for more specific information. There is also an NHS careers website: http://www.medicalcareers.nhs.uk/postgraduate_doctors/less_than_full.aspx

Sacha Evans

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Page last updated on 22 May by E Baker-Glenn