The period of acting up should not be confused with undertaking a locum consultant post. By undertaking a period of acting up training, the StR will be moving into an established, Faculty-approved consultant post and will continue to receive regular educational supervision. A StR who is acting up should not use the term ‘locum consultant’ to describe their acting up position. 

A Specialty Registrar can only undertake a period of ‘Acting Up’ in training prior to the completion of training. StRs post completion of training would relinquish their training number and be appointed by the employing organisation as a locum Consultant. 

StRs can apply for a Consultant post 6 months before the end of their training but cannot take up a Consultant post until they have been awarded a CCT and completed training. 

It must be made clear that Registrars do not need to have a period of ‘Acting Up’ experience to be able to achieve leadership opportunities and skills. 

It is recommended that Registrars and Training Locations keep the training programme team updated informally via email as soon as discussions about Acting Up opportunities take place.  This does not replace the need for the formal application process to be completed once an ‘Acting Up’ position is secured. 

Specialty Registrars who are within twelve months of their anticipated CCT date are eligible to ‘Act Up’ as Consultants, for up to a period of between three and six months. StRs may only ‘Act Up’ into a vacancy arising in a Faculty-approved Consultant post. 

Specialty Registrars will be expected to have signed off all learning outcomes before being eligible to commence an ‘Acting Up’ position and must be approved by the Head of School. 

Specialty Registrars will retain their National Training Number (NTN) during the period of ‘Acting Up’ and must not resign from the training scheme prior to taking up the acting up post. 

When in post the term ‘Acting Up’ and not ‘Locum’ must be applied. 

A Registrar whose annual review of progress is deemed unsatisfactory or with unmet learning outcomes will not be granted permission for a period of ‘Acting Up’.  When a Specialty Registrar has had all learning outcomes signed off by their educational supervisor then the Head of School will approve whether the Specialty Registrar can commence a period of ‘Acting Up’ if the opportunity arose.  The Educational Supervisor should inform the Head of School that all learning outcomes have been achieved.  The StR must continue to have educational supervision during the ‘Acting Up’ period. This may be with the pre-existing supervisor or, for the duration of the ‘Acting Up’ period, responsibility may be transferred to another accredited supervisor that is more local to the ‘Acting Up’ post. This needs to be specified in advance and agreed with both supervisor(s) and the Head of School.  

A StR can ‘Act Up’ for a period of between 3 - 6 months (pro rata for less than full-time StRs), provided the conditions relating to the post and supervision within this policy are met. 

Before commencing an ‘Acting Up’ period Registrars must obtain formal approval from the Head of School and apply for a period of ‘Acting Up’. 

An educational supervisor is still required.  When completing the application, it must be made clear who will be supervising the Registrar during the ‘Acting Up’ period – they are still a StR and cannot undertake Consultant level work without direct Consultant supervision still being available in an appropriate way.  

Any ‘Acting Up’ opportunity will only be approved within the SW region. Registrars may receive approval to ‘Act Up’ within another Region but only in exceptional circumstances and if it fits with future career plans. 

The Organisation who have an available ‘Acting Up’ position will be required to hold a selection process based on the needs of the Specialty Registrar and the suitability of the post and suitability of the StR, even if there is only one StR interested. 

The cost of Acting Up payments are negotiated in two ways:- 

In an ‘Acting Up’ post the Specialty Registrar receives their top up Acting Up allowance for in-hours work (i.e. the acting up post) from the lead employer Trust, this is the difference between their basic salary and the bottom point of the consultant salary scale (Medical Terms and Conditions or Agenda for Change). Organisations hosting an ‘Acting Up’ post will be expected to pay the difference between Specialty Registrar’s current salary and bottom point of the Consultant salary scale.  This cost will be re-charged back to the organisation via an invoice process through the Lead Employer finance team.  

In an ‘Acting Up’ post where the Specialty Registrar receives the same top up Acting Up allowance as described above but the re-charge costs of the full Consultant salary will be re-charged back to the organisation via an invoice process through the Lead Employer finance team.  This will be the normal arrangement for an Acting Up post outside of the SW region. 

Population and Public Health Specialist Workforce Programme lead 

April 25