HR Connect

The Learning and Education service offers a range of development opportunities for all staff from entry into post and throughout the span of your career. From formal qualifications to learning pathways, we will provide you with practical solutions tailored to your needs. This may be by completing a work based qualification, attending a tutor led session or using online learning resources.  

Our Learning, Education and Training Catalogue outlines information on the wide range of tutor led and online courses that are available. Access to online learning is flexible and resources can be accessed from mobile devices, work or home PCs at any time.

Your learning and development should be discussed and reviewed with your line manager or supervisor throughout the year and at your annual Personal Development Planning and Review conversation. Your agreed learning will then be recorded electronically in your Personal Development Plan.

Support for learning is outlined in the section on our staff NHSGGC Bursary Fund.

In House Training and Meeting Room Facilities

If you are planning an event in NHSGGC you should consider delivering this online using MS Teams. If it is essential to use a physical space for your event and require a room(s), there are two internal contacts that you may find helpful in locating the room that best suits your requirements. Please note that currently all venues are subject to physical distancing guidelines and you should check facilities at time of booking.

Contacts:

• NHSGGC Work Space Manager
• Teaching and Learning Centre, QEUH

Rota Monitoring

NHSGGC is committed to providing New Deal compliant and educationally sound working pattern for all doctors in training. Therefore, a robust monitoring arrangement was put in place to ensure that rotas are compliant, and to highlight issues that may lead to non-compliance. The purpose of monitoring is to ensure that the rota working pattern that has been approved by the department, compliance teams, NHS Education for Scotland and the Scottish Government is fit for purpose; that the rota is suitable for the work you are doing.

Monitoring of a rota will take place every 6 months, over a 2-week period. All training grade staff are expected to record hours of work and rest accurately by completing a set of electronic monitoring forms, and the opening page of the electronic system for monitoring has a validation statement you will electronically sign to this effect. All completed documentation is returned to your Monitoring Officer for analysis in accordance with New Deal and WTR regulations. Once monitoring is complete, you will receive a copy of the results within the time limits laid out

Under no circumstances should staff falsely inflate or decrease the record of hours or rest or be requested to do so. If you are put under any pressure to amend your monitoring information, please contact Medical Staffing.

Working Patterns

Our working patterns must comply with two sets of regulations

1. New Deal for Junior Doctors: is a package of measures designed to improve the conditions under which doctors in training worked. It provides guidance on hours of work, living and working conditions for all doctors in training
2. Working Time Regulations (WTR): is a directive from the Council of Europe enshrined in UK law in 1998, to protect the Health and Safety of workers by setting minimum requirements for working hours, rest periods and leave

NHSGGC are responsible for ensuring that junior medical staff can work in compliance with New Deal and WTR requirements. Non-compliance could result in financial penalty to the NHS board in which you are working, and a possible loss of training posts for that department

There are 3 main types of working pattern:

1. Full Shift Rota (most doctors in training work on this pattern)

• The work that is carried out is intensive and continuous throughout the 24-hour period.
• Shifts do not exceed 14hours.
• At least 8 hours of rest between shifts is required.
• Natural breaks are required (at least 30 minutes of continuous rest after 4 hours of continuous working).

2. On Call Rota

• Work is considered to be low intensity, particularly during OOH.
• Normal working pattern exists Monday-Friday for all trainees on the rota, and then an on-call person takes over to cover the remainder of each 24hour period.
• The frequency of on call cover depends on the number of trainees on the rota.
• Duty periods cannot exceed 32 hours on weekdays, or 56 hours at the weekend.
• At least 12 hours of rest between duty periods is required.
• Doctors are expected to spend half of their on call duty period undisturbed, of which a minimum of 5 hours is continuous rest between 10pm and 8am.

3. Partial Shift & 24hr Partial Shift Rota

• Work is considered to be higher intensity than on call, but less so than shift working.
• Duty periods do not exceed 16hours or 24hours depending.
• Natural breaks are required during normal working hours, and at least ¼ of the out-of-hours duty period should be spent undisturbed.

There are no strict rules about the total hours worked in any week, but average weekly hours must be under 48 over a 26-week reference period (for full time working).

Doctors in training must follow a rota template which has been approved. The rota is agreed, prior to being put in place, by the department in which it will be implemented, the compliance team at the NHS board (for New Deal and WTR) and is reviewed by the Scottish Government. Changes in your working pattern (e.g. swapping a shift) could result in non-compliance (for example, insufficient rest period after a run of nightshifts). Therefore, any changes must be discussed in advance with the rota master to ensure that they will not lead to problems.