Suggestions for use of funding
£12 million of recurrent funding was made available by the Department of Health in 2008 to support the development of SAS grade doctors and dentists working in Trusts in England.
This is separate and in addition to any existing study leave funding and contract implementation funding.
We welcomed the initiative and have been working with deaneries and the Department of Health to suggest improvements in the way the money is allocated and used.
£1.4 million of funding for Scottish SAS doctors (to be made available over 3 years) was awarded by the Scottish Government in March 2012.
Six suggestions for development funding use
- Top-up training to meet requirement for a CESR application or for CPD, CME or revalidation. Employers could also consider weekly sessional commitments to a specific specialist unit where applicable or providing other specialist clinic or theatre placements;
- Secondment opportunities - Time limited post or secondment for a specific training opportunity or requirement;
- Workplace based Assessment - a system should be put in place to monitor and assess experience and skills and to assist in identifying a training element in the work that SAS doctors are doing for those that require this;Introduce a voluntary Record of Independent Assessment similar to the SpR type RITA for those that request it to certify SAS doctors to work autonomously within agreed boundaries for use as part of portfolios. This should be signed at the time of appraisal and a copy should be kept by the deanery;
- Specific clinical management or other educational skills courses or workshops could be provided; where not already funded within study leave budgets;
- A Regional Study Day for SAS doctors;
- Leadership training, master classes, coaching/mentoring and management training were all identified in the SAS survey as popular and necessary courses. Distance learning could also be considered as a practical alternative.
Development funding is additional and must be regarded as entirely separate from existing study leave monies; present and future study leave budgets should not be compromised by this additional funding.
Note: the following should already be funded and should not usually necessitate use of the development funding:
- SAS representation of SAS Doctors at regional and national level for educational planning (eg. MEE);
- Training for processes involved in recertification or revalidation;
- Work needed for movement between service and training posts;
- Support or time for interaction with SAS tutors;
- Opportunities to develop new skills and innovative initiatives;
- Support for Trust-based CPD opportunities aimed at SAS Doctors collectively;
- Backfilling posts when SAS doctors are seconded for training purposes.