We are trying to improve the way we support Doctors and Dentists in Training (DDiT) in the workplace and minimise disruption to service provision. Please read the following Guidance in conjunction with the Management Referral information and Process for Referring Managers document.
Providing us with more information about the trainee and their current rota/role allows our team to better advise on adjustments which may be needed and understand the demands of their rota (current or pending).
Please refer the trainee as early as possible. This can allow support to be put in place and hopefully prevent longer periods out of training. Frequent absence, often staying late after shifts, not taking breaks or issues with completing exams/portfolio requirements may be a sign of an individual struggling with their health and wellbeing.
1.0 What information we need
- Firstly, please ensure all the basic contact details on the referral form are completed including a phone number for the trainee. If essential information is missing, we will have to ask for another referral to be sent causing delays in their review.
- Reason for referral – What difficulties, if any, are the trainee having in their current role? What is the impact on the service? Are you seeking advice if any adjustments should be considered by the service?
- Are they progressing as expected for their stage of training? This includes keeping up to date with portfolio requirements/exams or competency sign offs.
- Please send a copy of their rota with the referral – this allows us to better anticipate what reasonable adjustments may be recommended. In exceptional circumstances this can be provided by the Doctors and Dentist in Training Team (DDiTMT) gram.doctorsintraining@nhs.scot
Additional useful information
- Summary of absences in past 12 months
- Are there any other relevant constraints within the department with regards to junior doctor rota?
2.0 Who should receive our report?
The following parties will receive the report once this has been discussed with the trainee:
- gram.ohsreports@nhs.scot – NHS Grampian Human Resources
- NHS Grampian Occupation Health Service for their records and future reference.
- nes.foundationnorth@nhs.scot – NHS Education for Scotland Foundation Trainees to ensure that any recommendations that may affect training and education are highlighted.
- gptraining.hr@nes.scot.nhs.uk – GP Specialty Training (GPST) North to ensure that any recommendations that may affect training and education are highlighted.
- Speciality Registrars (STR’s) – Any other training programme e.g. Higher training DDiT’s will require to go to the individual training management team, the NHS Grampian Medical Education team gram.medicaleducationteam@nhs.scot who will be able to advise.
- nss.occupationalhealth@nhs.scot – National Services Scotland to hold as a central depository.
Please ensure the email address of the Clinical Supervisor and Unit Operational Manager are included in the referral.
3.0 What’s next?
Once the trainee has been assessed we will send back a management referral report (with consent from the trainee).
This will often have recommendations of adjustments we feel may be necessary or beneficial for the trainee to support them in the workplace. Sometimes the trainee may actually be unfit/unable to do part of their role as a result of their health. In other cases the adjustments may be to support them to remain in work and improve their overall wellbeing.
Ultimately it is at the discretion of manager to decide if it is possible to accommodate the adjustments recommended. If you feel that it would not be possible to accommodate the adjustments or would like clarification on the advice given please send an update with any further relevant information to this for example if it is felt this would not allow them to meet requirements of training or the rota cannot accommodate the changes.
Based on OHS guidance managers should set, and follow-up on review periods to determine if any restrictions / adaptations can be removed to enable the trainee to return to full work duties.
Trainees who have had occupational health input or adjustments in place should have this information shared in preparation for their next rotation to allow support for them to be established and time for the rota to be adapted accordingly. Guidance relating this can be found under – Standard Operating Procedure for Trainee Transfer of Information (TOI).
For further Management Referral information on the Occupational Health Service page please click on the following link:
https://nhsgintranet.grampian.scot.nhs.uk/depts/Occupational%20Health%20Service/Pages/ManagementReferral.aspx (NHS Grampian Intranet only)
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