March 2026

Please see below for our KSS March bulletin.

Important Updates

Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act becomes law

The Government’s Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act has now been passed by Parliament and become law. The Act brings in new rules which prioritise UK medical graduates for Foundation training and give preference to UK graduates and doctors with significant NHS experience for Specialty training.

The Government has confirmed that these changes will take immediate effect. This includes recruitment to all Foundation and Specialty training programmes commencing from August 2026.

Applicants are encouraged to review the Prioritisation FAQs for the Foundation Programme and to continue checking the UKFPO website for further information. Also see NHS England Frequently Asked Questions for information on the bill and background on its introduction.

2026 Recruitment – Allocation to Foundation Schools

Allocation to Foundation Schools took place on 12th March 2026. Applicants have received a notification email from Oriel (sent to the email address that is registered on their account) with details of their allocation. Applicants can also view their allocation result directly on Oriel by logging in to their account. Further information about allocation is available on the UKFPO website here.

Due to the timing of the introduction and passing of the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act, it was necessary to delay allocation this year from the original planned date of 26th February 2026.

GMC National Training Survey (NTS) open 24 March – 6 May 2026

The 2026 GMC NTS is now open. We  encourage all Foundation Resident Doctors in post on the census date (24 March 2026) to complete the survey. Further information available on the GMC website: GMC National training survey.

KSS Welcome Event 17th March 2026

Thank you to everyone who took part in the KSS 2026 Welcome Event for the new cohort of FY1s starting in August 2026. The presentations were very helpful and the Foundation School and Trust presentation slides/videos are available on the KSS website at 2026 KSS Welcome Event – Working across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

Inter-Foundation School Transfers (IFST)

The IFST application window opened on 16 March 2026 and will close on 7 April 2026 at 12:00 midday BST.

The process has been designed to support transfers in cases where individual circumstances have changed since the point of initial application/allocation to a 2-year foundation programme. Applicants who need to be in a certain part of the UK for their Foundation Programme, due to their current personal circumstances which meet one of the nationally agreed criteria can apply for a transfer to a specific foundation school.

The process allows F1 doctors who are working as part of a two-year programme to apply for a transfer to take effect from the start of their F2 year, and for applicants who are applying to the foundation programme to apply for a transfer to take effect from the start of their F1 year in August. It is recognised that situations will arise outside of the national IFST process and national application window, therefore the opportunity to apply for a transfer due to exceptional circumstances throughout the course of the training programme will continue to be available and will be managed by individual Foundation Schools and Deaneries via the Out of Window IFST process.

For further information and timeline please see the UKFPO website Inter-foundation School Transfer Process – UK Foundation Programme.

Joint South East Study Leave Policies and Approved Lists – Foundation Implementation -1 April 2026

Study leave policies, processes and approved lists are being harmonised across the South East, effective from 1st April 2026 and as such, Foundation Study Leave guidance can now be found at: https://wessex.hee.nhs.uk/south-east-study-leave-foundation-doctors/

For KSS Foundation RDs, there are very limited changes but include an increase in the amount of Taster days allowed during Foundation training, from 5 days to 10 days (from 01 April 2026).

The key changes South East resident doctors (RDs), including Foundation RDs, need to be aware of are:

  1. New South East Study Leave Webpages.  From 1 April 2026, anyone visiting the legacy KSS, TV or Wessex study leave webpages will automatically be redirected to the new SE Study Leave webpage (going live on 1 April 2026).
  2. Harmonised policies and guidance.  Information covering the key aspects and most common queries will be captured on the South East Study Leave A-Z webpage so please refer to this page before submitting any study leave requests.
  3. Approved Lists.  The new South East approved lists, developed by South East TPDs and Heads of School, will be available on the new webpage, along with the definitions for Essential v Supporting v Aspirational activities.
  4. Application process.  Application processes for Foundation RDs are captured on flow diagrams accessible via the webpage.  Please follow these step by step, as they reflect the following whole-South East changes:
  1. Essential and Supporting activities.  For most Foundation RDs, Educational Supervisors and/or FTPD will be able to provide final approval (appropriateness and financial) for activities that are recorded as Essential or Supporting on the relevant Schools Approved Lists, without TPD or Head of School involvement.
  2. Aspirational Activities (including presenting at national and international conferences).  Courses not listed as Essential or Supporting on the approved list still require FTPD and NHSE Foundation School Director (FSD) approval, including all international activities.  KSS FND RDs will complete an Aspirational Activities Application form to capture all requisite information for an approval decision, similar to the Discretionary application form already in use. 
  3. Course codes.  Activities listed on a SE Approved List will usually have a code with an E, S or A prefix to indicate Essential v Supporting v Aspirational requests, which FND RDs are to include in their application, along with the activity title.  Any activities not on the approved list are “Aspirational”.
  4. Aspirational Approval Code.  If approved, NHSE will issue a unique Aspirational Approval Code to the FND RD, which should be quoted when claiming reimbursement.

    If you have any study leave questions, please contact your employer’s Study Leave team in the first instance.

    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

    • New script modules were released on the 1 July 2025 and are available to all foundation doctors (F1 and F2)
    • The SCRIPT Team completed work on a new edition of the Medicine & Surgery portfolio for Foundation Schools. The new edition comes with the following enhancements:
    • Reauthoring of selected modules to maintain alignment with the underlying evidence base.
    • Redesign and splitting of larger modules into more discrete modules to reduce per module running time, whilst expanding on scope, in response to Foundation Doctor feedback.
    • Module interfaces and navigation upgraded to a new design to maintain WCAG AA compliancy for improved accessibility for those with learning difficulties.

    Please find attached further information here to include the new list of modules available.

    It is a local KSS Foundation School recommendation that all F1 and F2 doctors complete 6 script modules per year prior to ARCP.  The topics are not mandated by the foundation school; however, your trust may mandate topics to support learning.

    Study Leave

    The KSSFS Admin Team often receive queries on how KSS Foundation Year 2 Doctors can apply for Discretionary Study Leave. For clarity, please see the process which is shown on the flow chart in the Study Leave pages SE Study Leave .

    NB: Discretionary Study Leave should be applied for prospectively and not retrospectively:

     **Please note that the management of KSS Study Leave changed from 01 April 2025 and KSS Resident Doctors link to the SE Study Leave  team for guidance on travel and accommodation and subsistence**

    2025-26 TAB (Team Assessment of Behaviour) window dates

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

    Placement 3

    Opens: Friday 17 April 2026

    Closes: Monday 18 May 2026

    KSS Contact details:

    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

    PSA sittings 2025-2026

    All sittings are scheduled to commence at 13.00.

    • Thursday 23 April 2026

    enhance Programme

    Hopefully, enhance will have been introduced to you as a Foundation doctor during induction and those wishing to take part will have expressed an interest. However, there is still time to participate, so please contact your local FTPD or PGMDE team if you are interested in taking part and they will be able to help you.

    enhance is available to everyone who works for NHS England and you can find more information on the KSS website.

    e-learning opportunities

    Welcome to your March 2026 update from the Foundation e-learning team.

    The Foundation elearning programme covers key areas in your Foundation curriculum. It has been developed specifically for Foundation doctors by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in partnership with NHS England elearning for healthcare (NHSE elfh) and is approved by the UK Foundation Programme (UKFPO).

    Foundation School Representatives

    Please see details below for KSS Foundation School F1 and F2 Resident Doctor Representatives for 2025-26. Please contact your Reps with any feedback so they can bring it to the FSD. For further information on the Reps roles, please see here.

    NameGradeEmail
    Nicola GallagherF1 (Lead)nicola.gallagher5@nhs.net
    Keshav HarivardhanF1 (Deputy)keshav.harivardhan2@nhs.net
    Dr Heloise MetzgerF2 (Lead)heloise.metzger@nhs.net
    TBAF2 (Deputy)TBA

    Courses, events, surveys and webinars

    National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day (NFDPD) 2026

    Thank you to everyone who supported the NFDPD event on 23 January 2026! We have published photos and the abstract book on the 2026 event highlights webpage.

    We have now processed all feedback from the event, including comments from both foundation doctors and faculty. In the coming weeks, we will also be publishing a dedicated NFDPD statistics webpage, which will showcase data and insights from previous events.

    **Please join the live webinar National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day 2026 – winning presentation and reflections on Tuesday 28 April 2026, 18:00-19:00. For further information and joining details, please see National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day 2026 – winning presentation and reflections – UK Foundation Programme **

    More UKFPO webinars coming soon:

    • ARCP
    • Preparing for F1 – from allocation to day one  

    Please keep an eye on the UKFPO Webinars page for future webinar dates and recordings.

    The Left Field Shift: embracing the unexpected opportunities of rural medicine

    The UKFPO have published three local thrival guides as part of Dr Kaveeta Malhi’s project ‘The Left Field Shift: embracing the unexpected opportunities of rural medicine’, providing location-specific insights based on what current foundation doctor mentors wish they had known before arriving at their hospitals, and they will publish two additional guides in the coming weeks.

    More information, including the submission form and additional resources, is available on the get involved webpage.

    Equipping and Mentoring in Educational Research through Guidance and Experience (EMERGE) programme – The Developing Medical Educators Group (DMEG)

    Are you a foundation doctor with an interest in medical education but have no previous research experience? Would you like structured support to design and conduct your own qualitative medical education research project?

    The Developing Medical Educators Group (DMEG) is launching a year-long research programme for four Foundation Doctors during 2026. The Equipping and Mentoring in Educational Research through Guidance and Experience (EMERGE) programme is specifically designed for doctors who are new to research and would like guided, practical experience in medical education scholarship.

    Participants will complete their own qualitative research project using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. They will be supported through:

    • Live small-group tutorials every 1–2 months
    • Short expert-led sessions from academics and senior clinicians who will lead these tutorials
    • Structured asynchronous lectures aligned to the different stages of the programme.
    • Near-peer support throughout the programme

    If you are interested, please complete the application form here.

    More information can be found from the following website:

    https://medicaleducators.org/Developing-with-DMEG-–-The-EMERGE-programme

    Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Summer School 2026

    A three‑day national programme designed for medical students and resident doctors who are interested in a career in paediatrics. This year’s theme “Pathways in Paediatrics: Small Steps, Big Impact” highlights the breadth of opportunities within paediatric medicine and offers a unique insight into specialist paediatric practice. For programme overview and registration please seeGOSH Summer School 2025: a national conference for aspiring paediatricians. There is also an

    abstract & poster competition: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/4ORRV0/ 

    LTFT Conference 2026 – Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

    Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust are holding the next LTFT Conference on Tuesday 12th May 2026 at the Academic Centre, Maidstone Hospital.

    This conference highlights the importance of Less Than Full Time training, the challenges and the successes. Please see poster here for further information. If you would like to register, please email us on MTW-tr.LTFT@nhs.net. Please do also share this with others who may be interested – this is a free event and everyone is welcome.

    Royal College of Pathologists – Foundation Essay Prize

    The Royal College of Pathologists’ Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize offers foundation doctors the chance to take an in-depth look at a particular aspect of pathology through a written piece. This year’s essay question centres around pathology tests and their impact on patients. The deadline for entries is 23:59 on 11 May. The winner will be awarded £250, will have their essay published on our website and in the College magazine, The Bulletin, and will be presented with a certificate at a Royal College of Pathologists event.

    This competition offers the chance to explore how pathology makes a difference to patients, as well as a unique opportunity to boost your CV ahead of applying for your specialty training.  

    The essay question for this year’s prize is ‘300,000 different pathology tests are performed every working day across the UK. Write about an example from your time as a foundation doctor where one of these pathology tests had a significant impact/outcome for either you or your patient​​​​​.’

    Find out more about how to enter on the RCP website. If you have any questions about the essay competition, please contact publicengagement@rcpath.org

    Reminders and Guidance

    Horus e-portfolio update: Combined CS/ES end of placement report

    This new form went live in October 2025. It includes all the elements of the two separate forms and is the only one that needs to be completed if the CS and ES are the same person.

    The form is available in the ‘Forms (start new)’ section. A blank version is available on the UKFPO Assessments webpage.

    The system will suggest this form to joint CS/ESs and provide guidance on the “Forms (start new)” page.

    The overview will count both CS and ES forms as complete if this one form has been completed. However, the combined form can’t be used to replace the ES end of year report.

    PLEASE NOTE: A satisfactory ES end of year report is still required prior to ARCP.

    TIS Checks

    Please can we use this opportunity to remind Medical Education colleagues in Trusts to work with their Medical Staffing teams to regularly check Foundation Doctors’ posts on TIS, against internal records. Early recognition of any discrepancies can help us all to resolve issues quickly.

    Also, if you have not already informed us of any F1s that have withdrawn from training, please do so, as we aren’t always made aware by resident doctors themselves.

    Foundation Doctors taking Parental Leave

    Foundation Doctors who will be taking a period of Parental Leave are required to complete the following training interruption form: https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/useful-links-and-documents/ and return to england.kssfoundationenquiries.se@nhs.net. This is in addition to informing your employing Trust.

    Less Than Full Time (LTFT) Training

    Please click the link below for guidance regarding Less Than Full Time (LTFT) training:

    Less Than Full Time Training – Working across Kent, Surrey and Sussex

    Foundation doctors in GP and psychiatry placements contributing to acute services     

    Please see below link for guidance regarding Foundation doctors in community placements contributing to acute services: https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/09/KSSFS-Foundation-doctors-in-GP-and-psychiatry-placements-contributing-to-acute-services_2.pdf

    NHS employers’ guidance on induction for international medical graduates

    Please see below link to guidance from NHS employers:

    https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Welcoming-and-Valuing-International-Medical-Graduates-A-guide-to-induction-for-IMGs-WEB.pdf

    Foundation Doctor Role and Responsibilities

    For guidance, please see document “Foundation Doctor Role and Responsibilities within the Local Education Provider and Minimum Requirements for Clinical Supervision of Foundation Doctors” here.

    Useful Websites and Contacts

    UKFPO Bulletin: