| Details | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| A training post (or more than one post) divided between doctors. The doctors are employed and paid as individuals. Each must work at least 50% but they can work different percentages of the full time week. The LTFT percentage is equal to training time not the working-time equivalence of full-time, (in some circumstances these may be the same). The working hours may be more, less or equal. | – Gives exposure to out-of-hours and on-call work. – Trainees can split the rota as per their needs. – Flexibility – trainees can choose when to overlap (if working >50%). | – Need to be allocated a slot-share partner who can work the appropriate days of the week. – Needs very good communication between partners to ensure adequate handover of jobs/patients. – May miss activities which occur on the days not worked. |
| Details | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| A full-time contract for a training post shared between two doctors. Each doctor works 50% of the hours, is paid 50% of the salary and has 50% of the training opportunities. | – Gives exposure to out-of-hours and on-call work. – Trainees can split the rota as per their needs. | – Less flexibility than in a slot share arrangement. – Needs very good communication between partners to ensure adequate handover of jobs/patients. – May miss activities which occur on the days not worked. |
| Details | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Where a trainee works a certain percentage of hours within an existing full-time post. The Trust/department has to cover the remaining shifts. Usually the trainee needs to work 70% or more but this method of working may be used for <70% if a slot-share cannot be arranged. | – Gives exposure to out-of-hours and on-call work. – Trainee can usually choose the shifts as per their needs. | – Difficulties with attitudes of colleagues if remaining shifts have to be covered (or if locums cannot be found). |
| Details | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| A trainee may be either an “extra” doctor on the rota working alongside a colleague or an additional post on the rota may be created for them. On-calls and night shifts are not included and need to be arranged by separate negotiation with the Trust. | – Shifts can be arranged to suit the trainee. – Colleagues usually appreciative of extra help. – Majority of work hours are 9-5. | – Can be difficult to arrange out-of-hours banding/salary with the Trust. – Possible reduced exposure to out of hours training experience. – Posts not always educationally approved without out-of-hours experience and need separate assessment of educational value of the post – more paperwork to complete. – Can be difficult to integrate with the department – not “part of the team.” |
Using the RCPCH CCT calculator, multiply your months in placement by your %whole time equivalent e.g. for a trainee working at 60% or 0.6WTE – 12 months x 0.6 = 7.2 months
Restrictions are not applicable to LTFT trainees and locum work. However, if you are working many extra hours, it may be worth discussing this with your TPD. They can help you consider the option of increasing your LTFT % so these extra hours can count towards your training time and speed up progression. All additional work should be declared on the Form R.
For further information, please see the following document on “Guidance for Trainees and Trainers on Undertaking Additional Work Whilst in a Postgraduate Medical Education Training Programme”
Annual leave, bank holidays and study leave is pro-rata for LTFT trainees. To calculate how many days you should have, multiply your %WTE by the number of days a full time trainee would have e.g. for a trainee working 60% or 0.6%WTE 0.6 x 30 = 18 days/year
Depending how many bank holidays fall on working days, trainees may end up being owed lieu days OR paying back days.
LTFT trainees should have an Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP) at points where decisions relating to progression in training are required, and they should be assessed not less than annually. Workplace based assessments are pro rata, and require one multisource feedback (MSF) per training year. Training is competency based. There is therefore the possibility to achieve these more quickly; however, if you are working at 60% training, it is likely you will achieve 60% of the competencies achieved by your full time colleagues in the same frame. If you wish to progress more quickly discuss this early with your TPD to ensure appropriate support and allocations can be made.
Yes. Concessions are available for many of the professional memberships including RCPCH, BMA, GMC, MPS and MDU for those working LTFT.