Advanced Life Support (ALS) Courses
Wessex Foundation School funds ALS courses at each employing hospital. Foundation doctors in Wessex must access ALS courses via their employer. If you are unable access a course at your hospital, you should speak to your local education team who will assist you. Please do not book an external course.
Taster days
To support career planning, foundation doctors can take up to 5 taster days across F1 and F2 which will be deducted from F2 study leave entitlement. Taster days are expected to be taken at the employing organisation but taster days at other Wessex employers may be considered if the specialty is not represented at the doctor’s own organisation.
F1 Study Leave
As detailed in the Terms and Conditions for NHS Doctors in training paragraph 36, study leave for F1 doctors will take the form of regular scheduled teaching/training sessions at the employing organisation. No other F1 study leave will be granted except for taster days as described above.
F2 Study Leave
F2 study leave will comprise employer based or regional teaching/training sessions, and may also include, with appropriate approval, the activities described below.
F2s can apply for:
- 1 x wider system course AND
- 1 x career development course OR conference OR private study for exam preparation
Examples of wider system courses
- Quality improvement course
- Medical education course
- Leadership and management course
- Psychological first aid course
- Healthcare technology and innovation course
Examples of career development courses or UK conference
- Part 1 membership revision courses
- Basic surgical skills course
- Radiology course
- Advanced paediatric life support course
- Advance trauma life support course
- Attending or presenting at a UK based scientific conference
- Foundation doctors electing not to attend a career development course or conference may take up to two days of leave for private study in preparation for professional exams.
How to apply
Information on the application process and expense claims is here. You must discuss any study leave activities with your educational supervisor before applying. Study leave is only granted to those on track to receive a favourable ARCP outcome. Wessex Professional Development Unit runs a variety of courses and conferences. Funding for equivalent external courses will not be approved except in exceptional circumstances (for example, if a Wessex course is oversubscribed).
Further information
International conferences
Study leave to attend or present at international conferences will only be approved in exceptional circumstances and only with the agreement of educational supervisor and foundation programme director. For further information see the section on international study leave here.
Postgraduate qualifications
Certificated courses of postgraduate study (PG Cert, Dip or Masters) will not be approved as the time commitments involved are not compatible with full engagement in foundation programme training.
Additional study leave in specialised foundation programmes, enhance explore programmes or F2 public health fellowships
Foundation doctors undertaking specialised foundation programmes may be granted up to 2 days study leave of additional study leave to attend a conference where they are presenting work they have done as part of their SFP time.
Foundation doctors appointed to enhance explore programme may be granted additional study leave to attend mandatory education days organised by Wessex Foundation School.
Foundation doctors appointed to F2 public health fellowships may be granted additional study leave to attended planned study days associated with the fellowship.