SUPPORT

Here, you'll find information on the Half Day Release (HDR) sessions and guidelines for study leave, including course options and approval processes. This page will help you navigate your educational activities and maximise your learning opportunities throughout your GP training programme.

Educational Activities and Study leave

Our half-day release (HDR) teaching sessions run on Tuesday afternoons and all trainees are expected to attend all sessions unless absolutely not possible due to annual leave etc. A register of attendance is kept to monitor attendance and lateness. Departments are asked to release you for the sessions and if you have problems with this you should let the Programme Directors know. It is part of your professional duty to attend on time with respect to the speakers who have taken the time to prepare and come to teach you.

The afternoon starts with a pre-planned topic. Both Trainers and Hospital Consultants contribute to the pre-planned sessions. We plan to cover the whole curriculum over 3 years.

After a tea break, we have a group discussion in two groups, facilitated by the Programme Directors. This helps you to get to know and support each other, as well as consolidate and share your learning and experience as you develop as GPs. Trainees can bring a discussion topic of their choice, including:

Projects they have been involved in, such as quality improvement and leadership activities.

Difficult cases.

An article, paper, or guideline.

Trying a role play.

Media and news items.

During a GP placement when there is not an HDR session, it is expected the session will be replaced by an agreed educational activity which may include joint surgery or special clinic according to agreed learning needs.
Study leave of 30 days is allowed per year. Attendance at the Half Day Release (HDR) is covered by study leave arrangements and accounts for 15 days of the 30 days available to trainees. Study leave is not an entitlement but an allowance.

Study and course funding should primarily be used for activities that support the curriculum and completion of GP training. You should focus on attending courses on the approved course list (which can change from time to time) available here:

https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/solutions/articles/7000079424-general-practice-course-list

Up to 5 days study leave may be taken for each exam. Private Study should be taken as near to the exam date as possible. Leave for the day of sitting the AKT and SCA components of the MRCGP is normally granted in addition to the study leave entitlement.

For processes and policies please see:

https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/solutions/7000016490

Discretionary Courses

Any course which is not listed on the Approved Courses List is termed a Discretionary Course. Where a trainee wishes to undertake a course that is Discretionary (not included on the Approved Courses List), the trainee should discuss and get approval from their Educational Supervisor to ensure that the course is relevant to their professional development.

The trainee should then pass on the request to their Responsible PD via email and must include the following information:

• Name of course
• Course location
• Course dates
• Course fees
• Travel/accommodation expenses
• Justification for attending the course. Write a short paragraph explaining why you wish to undertake this, and how it relates to your professional development. You will need to clearly explain how it supports your educational needs, including evidence in your PDP, and discussion with your Educational Supervisor.

You can also use the form if you wish.

The Responsible PD will liaise with the GP School to determine whether the request is granted. This needs to be submitted in good time prior to the leave. The expected turnaround for a response is around 2 weeks, so please request this well in advance.

If this is approved, you will be informed by the Responsible PD to go ahead.

Study Leave Application and Expenses Reimbursement

The application for study leave is made locally, i.e. the hospital or GP practice.

During a GP practice post and ITP post, you need to request study leave directly from GP LEO (Royal Free). Trainees need to first discuss the study leave with their GP Trainer. Claims for expenses are applied through the GP LEO (Royal Free) via their expenses platform.

During hospital rotations at Hillingdon Hospital, trainees need to complete the Study Leave Request Form and give it to the administrator at the Education Centre or email it to thh-tr.medicaleducation@nhs.net. Expenses will be processed by GP LEO (Royal Free) and paid through their salary via payroll.

Study Leave-Request Form Download (Hospital posts only)

Study Leave must be approved before attending courses or costs/leave will not be granted. Course costs are paid by the individual doctor and reclaimed after attending the course. Reimbursement claims must be made within 2 months of attendance of the course. Proof of attendance and receipts should accompany any claim form. Exam fees are over and above this allocation. There is a separate process for getting reimbursement of exam fees (TBC at time of writing, September 2026).

The funding code to use on the forms are provided on the Approved Courses list. For Discretionary Courses, the process for obtaining a code is described below:

Once approval has been confirmed, the trainee fills out a short form on the PGMDE support portal with all the details of their course. This form can be accessed using the link below:

https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/tickets/new?form_d33=true

The NHSE Study Leave team assigns a unique discretionary approval code and confirmation of the approved amount of funding towards the claim. The trainee will receive an auto-response from the PGMDE support portal once their approval code has been generated. Please ensure you check your spam/junk mail folders to ensure responses from the PGMDE support portal are not misdirected.
You will have one session of Self-directed learning (SDL) each week in a GP post. You should take the opportunity to do some learning, such as attending a clinic to fill gaps in specific areas which are not covered by your posts.

Further tips on SDL is available in the members area.
Experience in dealing with urgent and unscheduled care can come from duty doctor in hours in GP surgeries, extended access hubs, urgent care centres and traditional out of hours settings. Evidence of capability can be gathered throughout the entire training programme, but most trainees spend more time doing this in ST3. Evidence should come from reflective case logs, WPBA, and UUC/OOH session feedback should be uploaded to your portfolio in the supporting documentation section of a learning log. They expect learning log reflections which show evidence of learning and competence in Urgent and Unscheduled Care (UUC).

The GP School in London has advised that they usually expect a minimum of 40–48 hours worked as an ST3 in an OOH setting (usually at least 4 hours per month whilst in GP placements).

Make sure you log cumulative hours worked and GP trainer writes that you are competent in Urgent and Unscheduled Care in your final ESR before CCT.

Downloadable Resources:

RCGP out-of-hours session feedback form

Urgent and Unscheduled Care – summary of evidence of capability coverage

Urgent and Unscheduled / Out Of Hours Summary Log

Further information on Urgent and Unscheduled Care

Out of Hours sessions are arranged with PracticePlus and they will email you to arrange an induction and login to book sessions at the beginning of a GP rotation. You will need to supply documents (e.g. DBS, GMC) and attend an induction. The email address is: londonrotateam@practiceplusgroup.com

Practices should release you for sessions and should, ordinarily, give you time off in lieu, where indicated, within two weeks of having worked the session in out of hours. Please note that some practices have built this time off into your contracted working hours. The sessions should be spread throughout the placement and you should give enough notice such that the practice is able to plan for this.
GP Registrars are required to undertake BLS training every year. This must include:

•   Adult

•   Child

•   AED training

•   Face-to-face practical training

Please ensure this information is clearly stated on the certificate or confirmation in writing so the panel can clearly see it.

Further tips on BLS training is available in the members area.
GP Registrars require certification of Level 3 child and adult safeguarding training every 3 years. In between this, a knowledge update for both child and adult safeguarding is required every 12 months.

A clinical case review reflection for child and for adult is required in each training year. To make this easier for the panel to see, write safeguarding in the title and link it to the compliance passport.

Further tips on safeguarding training is available in the members area.
You may want to undertake additional training, e.g. for contraception and IUCD training and if so you should discuss this with your Educational Supervisor and Programme Director.
OOP experience is a chance to step off the training ladder and undertake other experience in the NHS. GP trainees may be eligible to undertake negotiated OOP experience whilst retaining a National Training Number (NTN) provided this satisfies the guidance and criteria.

You are advised to think about taking time out of programme well in advance of the intended date and seek the advice of your Educational Supervisor and Training Programme Director.

You will not be able to apply for OOP until you complete your first year of the programme. This is best taken between the end of the ST2 year and the beginning of the ST3 year. You must give at least 6 months’ notice in advance of the proposed OOP start date. Subject to the formal agreement of the GP School.

Application Forms are available on the PGDME portal.

Online form