What's my role in study leave?

Leave applicant

• Familiarising themselves with the NHS England Study Leave policy and any relevant Trust/Practice policies.
• Submitting leave requests within an appropriate timeframe (6 weeks+) & including estimated expenses that will cover their needs.
• Contacting their local Study Leave Coordinator/NHS England proactively and prospectively if they have any issues doing so, or need anything amending.
• Managing their study leave days & budget appropriately and requesting changes proactively through the appropriate route (as per policy) as necessary.
• Submitting expenses claims with the required evidence and information in line with their employer’s process, and in an appropriate timeframe (within 8 weeks of completing the activity or, exceptionally, within 8 weeks of the leave request being fully approved; whichever is later).

Threshold Approvers - Head of School 

• Assessing the educational and financial suitability of the request for the individual resident doctors/learner, considering the availability of alternative comparable activities, equity of access for other resident doctors/learners, individual progression, stage of training and career aspirations, where an the application expenses are above £1000.
• Doing so within an appropriate timeframe (we would suggest within 7 days of receipt).

International Approver - Associate Postgraduate Dean

• Assessing the educational and financial suitability of any international leave requests for the individual resident doctors/learner, considering the availability of alternative comparable activities, equity of access for other resident doctors/learners, individual progression, stage of training and career aspirations.

Rota Approver 

• Confirming that the applicant can be released from/is not scheduled for the rota on their requested study leave day/s.
• Confirming any cancelled leave requests.
• Doing both within an appropriate timeframe (we would suggest within 7 days of receipt).

Educational Approver - TPD

• Assessing the educational and financial suitability of the request for the individual resident doctors/learner, considering the availability of alternative comparable activities, equity of access for other resident doctors/learners, individual progression, stage of training and career aspirations.
• Doing so within an appropriate timeframe (we would suggest within 7 days of receipt).
• NOTE: Educational Approvers do not receive requests for curriculum required and curricular support activities; these have been preapproved as part of the required training programme. 

Study Leave Coordinators - Trust/Programme Office

• Providing information and guidance at Trust/GP Programme inductions/for new starters regarding local study leave process.
• Providing information and guidance on NHS England policies and systems as well as local processes.
• Processing of expenses (with exception of PH and Academic applicants employed by HEIs).
• Providing information/updates where required to NHS England on rota coordinator changes.
• Act as the first point of contact for resident doctors and learners locally.
• For Primary Care, Study Leave Coordinators (i.e. GP Programme Managers) will also act as approvers at Sequence 40 in East Midlands only.

NHS England

• Policy updates – regular communication with Study Leave Coordinators and Medical Education Managers.
• Provision of study leave funding.
• Provision and maintenance of a study leave recording system.
• Provide information and guidance at School/Programme inductions/for new starters regarding the overall study leave process.
• Support complex/technical queries and provide support/authorisation/ratification for Study Leave Coordinators as appropriate.