February 2024

Please see below for our KSS February bulletin.

Highly Important

KSS Foundation School F2 Swaps 2024 now OPEN, please see below for the key dates.

Key Dates:

• 29th January 2024: Whole programme swap registration opens.
• 4th February 2024: Whole programme swap registration closes.
• 7th February 2024: Whole programme and Local Swap application window opens. Whole programme swap – registrant details shared with other applicants via secure data sharing method.
• 6th March 2024: Swap window closes – ALL swap applications (both Local and Whole programme) must be received by 11:59pm on this date.
• 7th March – 28th March 2024: Applications reviewed by KSS Foundation team, Foundation School Director and Deputy Director.
• 28th March 2024: Applicants notified of outcome (please do not chase us prior to this date).
• 28th March 2024: Trusts notified of change.

For more information, including the full process, conditions, 2024 dates, forms and FAQs, please visit our F2 Swaps page.

Please contact england.kssfoundationyear2.se@nhs.net if you have any further questions.

2024 KSS Welcome Event

The 2024 KSS Foundation School Welcome Event (previously known as the Programme Fair) will be held on Friday 15 March 2024 and the event will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams. This event is for all applicants who have been allocated to KSS to begin foundation training in August 2024.  For more information, please visit our Welcome event page.

UKFPO Fellowship August 2024 recruitment

The UKFPO will shortly be recruiting two F1 doctors to serve as UKFPO Fellows for the duration of their F2 year (August 2024 to July 2025). Applications open on Monday 11 March 2024 at 12:00 and close on Monday 18 March 2024 at 09:00. Applications will be capped at 100, meaning that if we receive 100 applications whilst the application window is open, no new applications will be accepted. Applications will be collected via a Microsoft Form. The link will be posted on the UKFPO homepage at 09:00 on Monday 11 March 2024. Further information can be found in the following documents:

• 2024 UKFPO Fellows recruitment process
• 2024 UKFPO Fellows job description
• 2024 UKFPO Fellows FSD & employer proforma

Industrial action and time out of training (TOOT)

The national guidance and FAQs published earlier this year still remains in effect and has not changed. The guidance can be found here.

For the foundation programme, it states:-

All Foundation doctors have a 20-day absence allowance (per year) for sick leave, compassionate leave. This is particularly important in Foundation Year 1 (FY1) as this is a time-based programme, with each FY1 doctor having to complete 12 months training pro rata.

If a Foundation doctor has more time off than this, a review of their performance is triggered, but this does not mean an automatic extension to training.

In the event of doctors in training taking industrial action in 2023, then any time absent from work may be considered to be within the ’20-day allowance’.

If the ’20-day allowance’ is exceeded for any reason (including industrial action), then this should trigger a review of overall performance and achievement of curricular outcomes, but does not mean an automatic extension to training. This review will be carried out by the Foundation School with oversight by the Postgraduate Dean, but, in line with Gold Guide, does not require an Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP).

This should be discussed with the Foundation School Director/Postgraduate Dean before any training is extended.

Reminder

Broadening Your Professional Capabilities

The annual conference for Doctors in Training in Kent, Surrey & Sussex Deanery is taking place on Tuesday 26th March 2024 from 0920 – 1630 at the Amex Stadium, Brighton.

We are very excited to invite you to the conference. The 2024 programme will focus on broadening professional capabilities relevant to all specialties.

The conference is open to all doctors in postgraduate training or fellowships in the Kent Surrey & Sussex Deanery – FY1 to ST7 from all healthcare settings (primary, secondary, community, public health), and KSS funded Fellows.

Sessions include:

• Digital literacy and upskilling
• Managing a Health Service: Leadership for Doctors
• How to approach a coroner
• Clinical Entrepreneurship
• How to involve patients in safety and quality improvement
• Innovative careers in academia and health sciences
• The future of education and training in Kent Surrey & Sussex: a Q&A session with the Dean Prof Jo Szram

The agenda is on the website, and lunch and refreshments are included. There is free parking.

To book your place please see the KSS annual conference for Doctors in Training event on the KSS Deanery website.

Foundation School Representatives

Your Foundation School Representatives are holding a virtual drop-in session on Friday 15th March at 7pm over Microsoft Teams until 8pm. Current Foundation Doctors can join at any time for a few minutes, or for the whole session. This is an opportunity to informally share feedback on your experience of working in KSS, and of the Foundation Programme. We always value your feedback (positive or negative), and to capture any suggestions or questions. Less than full time, full time, and SFPs are welcome. We will also provide a certificate of attendance. Please join with your NHS email, using the link below: 

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NGNiMmIyOTYtYjcxOC00ZDgyLTliYWItNjU0YTYxNThmMmJl%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2237c354b2-85b0-47f5-b222-07b48d774ee3%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2212fdc841-07fc-44f1-9dca-8ae7ae45ed72%22%7d

Important information

Provisionally registered doctors (foundation year one/F1) must not undertake formal locum posts or activities.

Provisionally registered doctors can undertake occasional ad hoc additional/overtime shifts on their current FY1 placement or previous FY1 placements that have formed part of their F1 rotation, where such work is undertaken only within the limits of their current competence and with the support of their educational supervisor. When undertaking such occasional ad hoc additional/overtime work, provisionally registered doctors should be clear with other members of their team about their current experience and level of competence.

SCRIPT – supporting safer prescribing practices

The SCRIPT programme is a collection of innovative eLearning portfolios designed to encourage safe and effective prescribing and medicines management among healthcare professionals.

SCRIPT will enhance your knowledge and confidence in prescribing correctly, improving patient safety, therapeutics and medicines management. You will receive a certificate for each module that you complete, which can be used in your online learning portfolio. SCRIPT is easy to use. You can access the modules at a time which suits you and revisit them even after completion. You can learn more about the SCRIPT eLearning programme and how to sign up by visiting Medicine & Surgery | Safe Prescriber

Study Leave

The KSSFS Admin Team have received a number of queries on how KSS Foundation Doctors can apply for Discretionary Study Leave. For clarity, please see below.

Discretionary Study Leave should be applied for prospectively and not retrospectively.  

1. Foundation Doctor (FD) seeks support from Educational Supervisor and trust (local) Foundation Training Programme Director (FTPD).
2. Local FTPD seeks approval from the area Foundation School Director (FSD)
3. Local FSD replies to trust TPD, including study leave team.
4. Local TPD can then reply to FD with outcome. 
5. If approved, on the guidance from the study leave team FD completes study leave form on the study leave portal. 

We are not able to reply to direct emails about Study Leave, but if you have any questions please do contact the school at: england.kssfoundationenquiries.se@nhs.net.

KSS Contact details have changed

Following the merger of HEE and NHS England, our contact email addresses have changed. Please see new emails below (emails sent previously to former email address will automatically be forwarded on):

For Foundation Year 1 queries please email england.kssfoundationyear1.se@nhs.net

For Foundation Year 2 queries please email england.kssfoundationyear2.se@nhs.net

For any other queries please email england.kssfoundationenquiries.se@nhs.net

Team Assessment of Behaviour (TAB)

The recommended dates for TAB are detailed below but these dates are not mandatory. Additional information on the TAB process can be found on the Horus Website.

PSA Sittings 2023/2024

Reminders and Guidance

Useful Websites and Contacts

• KSS Website (home page) https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/ 
• KSS Foundation webpage https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/

• KSS Bulletin https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/kss-bulletin/
• Careers, Professional Support & Wellbeing Service https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/current-doctors-in-training/careers-and-wellbeing-support/
• Forms, documents and useful links https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/useful-links-and-documents/
• Foundation programme curriculum & foundation programme rough guide https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/curriculum/
• KSS Foundation Team https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/meet-the-team/ 
• KSS Foundation reps https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/current-doctors-in-training/trainee-representatives/

Courses and events

• Applied surgical anatomy of the neck
• Major blood vessels of the head and neck
• Applied surgical anatomy of the face and scalp
• Thyroid, parathyroid and major salivary glands
• TMJ, orbit, mouth, tongue, paranasal air
• Sinuses
• Surface and imaging anatomy of the head and neck
• Neuroanatomy
• Mock Exam (Part A MCQs on H&N anatomy)
• Panel discussion
• Mock exam and answer discussion