Study Leave

Welcome to the study leave guidance page for medical and dental staff, containing information regarding claiming study leave expenses.

 

How to apply for funding

The Medical Education department administers study leave funding for all Junior Doctors (doctors on training programmes and Trust appointed doctors) and Consultants.

For all enquiries please contact [email protected] or call 020 7188 5184 (ext. 85184)

 

Submitting claims consists of 2 steps:

1) Complete online form: https://forms.gle/UTjzV3GWAmsLhHbY6

2) Send the following to [email protected]

  • Your assignment number (found on your payslip)
  • All receipts
  • Proof of attendance

Please note: reimbursement can only be issued retrospectively, once all evidence has been submitted.

Previous forms (scans, electronic forms) are no longer accepted.

Funding entitlements

Doctors in Training

Consultants: £1000 (per financial year)

Trainees: Unlimited (Please see FAQs for exceptions)

All other doctors (including Physicians’ Associates): £850 (pro-rata)

Please note:

  • The Medical Education team does not settle invoices. The applicant settles and we reimburse the money after the course has taken place
  • The department or directorate must note when the period of study leave will be taken, and arrange cover accordingly
  • The central study leave team does not approve the leave element of study leave, this is the responsibility of the departmental rota coordinator.

What can be claimed for

For Doctors in Training courses that are on the HEE mandated/optional list can be claimed for. This includes course fees as well as second class travel (not within Greater London or overseas courses/conferences) and hotel accommodation. Anything not on the list must be approved by both Training Program Director and Head of School, so that they can request an discretionary (formerly known as aspirational) reference code from HEE.

To apply for discretionary codes, please see the guidance here.

 

Subsistence Allowances

Night allowances: first 30 nights Actual receipted cost of bed and breakfast up to a maximum of £55.
Meals allowance Per 24 hour period: £20.00
Night allowances in non-commercial accommodation Per 24 hour period: £25.00
Night allowances: after first 30 nights Maximum amount payable: £35.00
Day meals subsistence allowances

Lunch allowance (more than five hours away from base, including the lunchtime period between 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm) £5.00

Evening meal allowance (more than ten hours away from base and return after 7:00 pm) £15.00

Incidental expenses allowance (this allowance is subject to a tax liability) Per 24 hour period: £4.20
Late night duties allowance (this allowance is subject to a tax liability) Per 24 hour period: £3.25

As per the NHS Employers Handbook: https://www.nhsemployers.org/tchandbook/annex-11-to-15/annex-14-subsistence-allowances

How and when reimbursement is sent

• After the course has occurred and all the relevant information is received

• Reimbursement will be in next month’s payslip.

• For applicants who are not on the GSTT payroll you will be paid by the finance department via BACS transfer. Any queries please email [email protected]

FAQs

Q: Why haven’t I received my reimbursement?
A: Please ensure you completed the online form and supplied us with your assignment number and receipts. We are not able to issue reimbursement prospectively, if you have submitted a claim for a future course, you will need to wait until the course date has passed.

Q: I’m a HEE Trainee, can I apply for ALS funding?
A: ALS is only covered in full if mandatory, otherwise it’s capped at £275pa.

Q: Where can I access mandatory and optional course codes for my training programme?
A: Please visit https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/home?studyleave

Q: My query isn’t covered in the FAQs.
A: Please contact [email protected] or visit the FAQ section on the HEE Study leave page: https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/home?studyleave

Updates

14/10/2019

Dear All,

Following the cessation of accepting hard copy applications there are now online forms available for completion. You can still complete and send photographs/scans of the physical form or you can complete and return the digital form.

With the digital form it doesn’t need to be signed, but the approving Consultant/Clinical Director must send an email confirming they’ve seen the application and approve.

Thank you

Kind regards,

Study Leave Team

27/08/2019

Dear All,

From the 30th September 2019 we will no longer be accepting hard copies of applications/forms/receipts. Instead please scan (or photograph) and send everything either as a jpeg/pdf file to the [email protected] inbox. If receipts/forms are not legible, they will not be accepted.

Any hard copies we receive before the 30th September will be processed as usual.

Thank you

Kind regards,

Study Leave Team

20/08/2019 - For Doctors in Training

Dear all,

In line with new national guidance, there have been some changes to the policy on international study leave events.

From 7th August 2019, trainees will be able to apply for approval to attend one international event during any one programme, which is defined as Foundation, Core or Higher training. For those trainees on run-through programmes there is a limit to one international event every three years.

Applications to consider attendance at international study courses/conferences will only be considered in very exceptional circumstances. Such circumstances include:

  • for the presentation of significant research findings from within an NIHR recognised academic clinical fellowship or clinical lectureship;
  • for the presentation of research undertaken as part of a clinical training programme;
  • where the training course is not available in the UK;
  • where the course or activity is part of the college curriculum or guidelines on required training;
  • where the course is set out as a mandatory requirement of college training to reach the required qualification to practice.

For international study leave requests where the individual will be presenting, such applications should take priority. Trainees should not commit to the costs of international events until approval has been received.

Trainees must apply for international events through established aspirational processes. Any contribution to funding of such leave will need the prior written approval of the HEE local Postgraduate Dean achieved via the aspirational process.

Trainees should expect to make a contribution to the event based on the guidance below. The level of support provided towards international events will be determined based on remaining budgets.

For approved international study leave applications, HEE will consider funding either the full cost of the course/conference fee OR the full cost of economy travel and accommodation. The lower amount of the course or travel (including accommodation) will be paid. The overnight rate should not exceed £150 (or local currency equivalent) per night. HEE do not pay subsistence costs.

Please note that for overnight accommodation for UK-based events where it has been demonstrated that travel on the day is not possible, there is a limit of £120 per night.

All study leave claims should be submitted to trusts within 3 months of the date of the event.

Kind regards,

Study Leave Team

Healthcare Education Team, London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex

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