SAS grades get job-plan guidance
26 November 2012
The BMA and NHS Employers will this week launch UK-wide job planning guidance for staff, associate specialist and specialty doctors.
Following months of negotiations, a series of recommendations has been agreed by the organisations, and will be published on their websites on November 26.
The final document A UK Guide to Job Planning for Specialty Doctors and Associate Specialists contains contributions from the health departments of each of the four UK nations.
It covers all doctors in the SAS grades, including those in non-standard posts.
BMA staff, associate specialists and specialty doctors committee joint deputy chair Anthea Mowat said it would help ensure a transparent mechanism so that all aspects of job planning were properly considered rather than a timetable simply being produced.
High-quality care
She said: ‘We hope this will ensure that SAS grade staff are able to work in partnership with employers to agree job plans that reflect our role in delivering high-quality care to patients, while also considering opportunities for career progression.’
The guidance clarifies the process of reaching these prospective, professional agreements, which are central to the 2008 SAS contracts.
A job plan should set out the duties, responsibilities, accountability and objectives or outcomes of the doctor, and the support and resources provided by the employer over the year ahead, it advises.
The BMA is highlighting the recommendations to its regional services advisers, and will share the guidance in a mass email and its weekly e-newsletter to members.
A joint video from the SASC and the BMA consultants committee is planned, and there will be a training session on job planning at an SAS conference in February, organised by the BMA.
The guidance will also be highlighted at NHS Employers revalidation events in January.
Ideal content
Job plans should detail:
- Timetables of activities
- Professional activities
- The normal work base
- On-call arrangements
- Arrangements for acting up or down
- SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely) objectives
- Supporting resources
- Additional responsibilities to the wider NHS
- Arrangements for additional professional activities
- Regular private work and fee-paying services
- Special agreements for the interpretation of job plans
- Accountability arrangements
- Agreed flexible working.