NEWS: NHS pledges better training flexibility

As reported by NHS Confederation, NHS England is making efforts to improve rota choice and flexibility, aiming to alleviate administrative burdens and support workforce retention

Postgraduate doctors in training move between trusts twice a year and work schedules are often made available at short notice.

As part of the NHS’s Long Term Workforce Plan ambition to support and retain staff, the health service is endeavouring to improve the experience of rotations in postgraduate training.

In a letter from NHS leaders today, the health service announced a review of the minimum legal requirements for statutory and mandatory training, which could see the time burden spent on administrative tasks halved.

New payroll governance will be put in place at each trust by the end of July and for employers with the most errors reported by staff, intensive support will be provided including a review and resign of payroll processes where needed.

Health and social care secretary Victoria Atkins said: “The measures announced today will help improve working lives for thousands of postgraduate doctors, by boosting training choices and giving them flexibility on rotas, and by helping cut down the time spent on admin so they can spend more time focusing on patients.”

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard added: “We have listened to and continue to listen to staff frustrations, so from cutting red tape in training, to improving flexible working options, to sorting out payroll errors, we really hope that these practical actions will help make a tangible difference to their working lives.”