Study leave aims to:
- Enhance clinical education, training and learning.
- Be incorporated as an integral part of the education and training process.
- Provide education and training not easily acquired in the clinical setting e.g. the acquisition of a theoretical knowledge base.
- Support the delivery of curriculum targets.
- Be considered as part of the appraisal process between the Registrar and their Educational Supervisor.
Policy
The Public Health Training Programme will adhere generally to the Severn PGME policy, although funding arrangements differ.
This policy provides further information on study leave and outlines points to consider when applying for study leave. In brief, Specialty Registrars are entitled to a maximum of 30 days study leave per year. It is expected that half (15 days) of this allowance is used for Regional Public Health Events for which a study leave application is not required. The other 15 days is for external use. The year’s allocation is calculated from the date of commencement onto the programme. Registrars who are less than full-time will be allocated study leave days on a pro-rata basis.
The study leave allowance is £563 per Registrar per year. If you are undertaking a masters course, (or equivalent short-courses) during your first year on the programme, the study leave allowance will be used towards the cost of the masters course. Only external study leave expenses will be deducted from the £563 allowance.
Applying for Study Leave
Time off for study leave should be requested using the online Accent system. You should also include anticipated costs on your application. Study leave applications should be made at least 2 weeks prior to the date the leave is scheduled to take place. Applications made after the deadline may not be authorised.
Study leave applications are not required for the following Regional Public Health Events and related expenses will not be deducted from the study leave allowance;
- Tutorials
- Development School
- Annual Training Conference
- Scientific Conference
If you wish to attend any Locally run courses such as those below, a study leave application is required and attendance will be deducted from your 15 days external allocation but any related expenses will not be deducted from your £563 study leave allowance.
- Short courses run by the Universities (Bristol, Exeter, UWE)
- DFPH Revision Courses
- Interview Skills training and Communication Skills training arranged by the Training Programme
- Other courses ran locally by institutions linked to the training programme ie. UKHSA/OHID
For all external courses and conferences, study leave applications are required. External courses are defined as being courses that are not within region ie. FPH conference. External leave also includes exams and private study. Such events will be deducted from the 15 days external study leave Registrars are entitled to and expenses including course/conference fees, travel, accommodation and subsistence will be deducted from the £563 study leave allowance.
Registrars can access their leave and allowance entitlements and remaining balances when logging into the Accent system. If you experience any difficulties accessing the system please contact the Programme team.
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an email notification once leave is approved.
Claiming Study Leave expenses
If you need to claim study leave expenses this needs to be done using the EASY expenses system. Study leave expenses will only be authorised if an application has been made for the leave beforehand and anticipated costs were inputted. A study leave feedback form must also be submitted before expenses can be claimed. The deadline for submitting expense claims is the 3rd of each month.
Please ensure that each entry on the expenses system is marked clearly as 'Study Leave' to ensure that deductions are made from the study leave allowance if applicable.
If you are planning to attend a course/conference and there is facility for the course provider to invoice the training programme directly for the fee, please provide them with the following information so they can raise an invoice:
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
South West Public Health Training Programme,
Park House, Newbrick Road
Bristol, BS34 8YU
Please contact the Training Programme team should the course provider require a Purchase Order.
- We cannot pay study leave to Registrars whilst they are Out of Programme.
- We cannot reimburse international flights - all international study leave must be discussed with the Programme
- We cannot reimburse exam fees.
- We cannot pay for any claims without proof of payment and and a completed feedback form.
- We can only pay up to £55 per night accommodation (£115 per night in London).
If you are experiencing any difficulties with the expenses system please contact the Programme team.
Study Leave feedback forms
In line with the Study Leave policy, completion and submission of a Study Leave Feedback form is required following attendance of any external study leave you wish to claim expenses for, this is a quality control measure. Feedback forms should be submitted with or before a claim for expenses is received by the programme team. Feedback forms can be emailed electronically to the Programme team.
Failure to submit feedback may result in expenses not being authorised.
Expectations whilst attending the academic course
The priority during the academic year is to gain knowledge for the DFPH exam. However, StRs should remain in contact with their training location whilst attending the academic course and, unless on annual or study leave agreed with their educational supervisor, should attend their training location during the term recesses. Where the StR is attending the academic course will determine whether contact in term time is in person or virtually. Whilst this contact with the training location will not count towards the 48 months required for CCT, it is an expectation of the South West Public Health Training Programme. Maintaining contact will help observe and better understand the theory being taught on the academic course. Attendance at tutorials is encouraged as long as it does not interrupt the academic work.
It is expected that Registrars return to their training location after completion of the taught element of their academic course. However, it is recognised that they will require protected time in order to write up and complete any written assignments and their dissertation in accordance with time requirement stipulated by their relevant academic institution. This ‘protected time’, must be agreed with their educational supervisor.
Annual leave during the academic year must be taken during the term recesses. All leave must be agreed with the educational supervisor.
Applying for Study Leave
Registrars on the South West Public Health Training Programme will need to submit all Study Leave applications to the Training Programme electronically, via the self-service Accent leave manager computer system.
Please note the normal study leave process will need to be followed in obtaining approval from your Educational Supervisor.
All study leave applications need to include the numbers of days to be taken and approximate amount of expenses.
Please ensure that the online study leave application is submitted in advance of your course, training days, exams etc.
Please note that you still need to submit an application form even when you are not intending to claim any expenses. If you are not claiming any study days because the courses are being held on the weekends or because it falls on a non-working day, please mark ‘0’ in the ‘no. of days applied for’ box.
Instructions on how to log on to the system can be obtained by contacting the Programme Team.
Process
Before you submit your application online you will need to obtain approval from your Educational Supervisor. Please note that the Training Programme will conduct randomised checks that approval has been sought.
Then, as part of the online application you will submit the name of your approver along with an assurance that you have obtained the necessary approvals. Please note as Public Health does not have Rota Managers then you are required to put the name of your educational supervisor in both the educational supervisor field and the rota manager field.
Once you have submitted your online application, the Programme team will check that the appropriate leave entitlement is available and where appropriate, provide final approval. Once your application has been processed, the Accent Study Leave system will send you notification of the outcome via email. Please note that an approval email constitutes approval of leave days only. Approval of expenses can only be sought following attendance and proof of associated expenses in the form of receipts. This needs to be sent through to the Public Health Training Manager within 3 months of taking the leave using the EASY expenses system.
Please submit an application for all Study Leave (except for internal study leave as stated in the policy) regardless of whether you are seeking to recover fees and expenses. We still need to check applications from the point of view of time and to maintain accurate records of the total amount of study leave time that you have applied for and taken.
Training Events
|
Regional Public Health Events for which attendance is expected annually |
|||
|
Event |
Commitment |
Study Leave |
Complete a study leave request online |
|
Development School |
1 day |
Yes |
No - Already deducted from 15 days internal allocation |
|
Training Conference |
1 day |
Yes |
No - Already deducted from 15 days internal allocation |
|
Scientific Conference |
1 day |
Yes |
No - Already deducted from 15 days internal allocation |
|
Tutorials |
11 days |
Yes |
No - Already deducted from 15 days internal allocation |
Other courses, conferences and training that may be useful and for which study leave applications are required and time will be deducted from 15 external allocation:
DFPH revision courses
University of Bristol Revision Course
University of Birmingham Revision Course
Conferences
UKHSA Conference
Faculty of Public Health Conference
Other Training
Short Course Programme, The School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol
Health Protection Courses, University of Exeter and the University of the West of England
The Training Programme will also offer ad-hoc training courses, such as communication skills and interview skills training.
Your training location may provide access to courses via your local learning and development department.
Severn PGME and Peninsula PGME offer courses to all Registrars that can be accessed.
e-Learning for Healthcare is another platform which provides information on a whole range of courses you may find interesting.
Study Leave Support
Please contact the Programme team if you have any queries.