Fellowship in General Practice

The scheme:

• Aims to encourage clinicians to take up substantive posts in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough practices and assists with their transition from training to fully embedded clinical roles.
• Supports practices in recruiting and meeting the learning needs of their newly qualified clinicians.
• Includes a financial contribution to practices to allow newly qualified GPs and Nurses to engage with education, mentoring and peer networking.

Key Elements:

1. A structured and supported local induction programme
2. Protected weekly learning time
3. Access to the regional education programme in protected learning time, (monthly for GPs – see GP Fellowship Education Programme, as required for nurses)
4. A named in-house mentor with protected mentoring time (TH will provide mentorship training for staff who are not already coaches, mentors or educators)

The Fellowship in General Practice is open to any Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Practice employing newly qualified GPs or Nurses.

We are delighted that NHS-E and HEE have confirmed increased funding for the current Fellowship in General Practice scheme, and funding for entry onto the scheme until 2023.

GPs:

We are now able to offer more places on the 2-year programme for GPs who qualified in the last 12 months who have a substantive post (salaried, partnership or fixed term contract for a minimum term of 2 years), with funding to practices who are supporting them.

We’re also now able to extend the programme to GPs who qualified between April and September 2019 who still wish to join the fellowship programme in its first year. (Please note we have a limited number of these places.)

The new NHS contract committed to a universal two year offering for all new GPs and nurses of a supported start to their clinical careers, with time for learning and peer education and support programmes. The Fellowship is the first step towards this and provides a structured induction, support and educational programme for up to 24 months from starting, to help you attract and retain GPs and Nurses.

Key Benefits to Practice – GPs:

• A Salaried GP/Partner rather than a locum
• Financial grant for backfill to support time to learn and in-practice mentor support for each new to practice professional – now increased to £7,200 per fellow per year
• Access to mentor development programme (TH will provide mentorship training for staff who are not already coaches, mentors or educators)
• Support with recruitment
• Improved retention in first 2 years of work
• Grow your own future GPs – in house professional development to meet your organisation’s needs

Key Benefits to Practice – GPNs:

• New Nurses in Primary Care
• Financial grant to support time to learn
• Mentoring for new to practice nurses
• Funded Fundamentals training in year 1
• Funded specialist training module in year 2
• Support with recruitment
• Improved retention in first 2 years of work
• Grow your own future nursing team

If you are a GP practice within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and you are interested in signing up:

• A salaried GP who qualified in the last 12 months (employed in a substantive post)
• A GP who qualified between April and September 2019 (employed in a substantive post) – limited places available
• A practice nurse who completed their training within the last 12 months

Please click here to complete an online application

If you don’t yet have an eligible clinician but would like to apply for the scheme in principle, you should complete an application form (leaving out the Fellows details), so that we can add you to our list of participating practices and pass your details to prospective Fellows who contact us.

(Please note if we are oversubscribed we reserve the right to allocate on the greatest workforce need.)

On receipt, we will verify the application and notify you of the outcome. If successful, you will be sent a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which must be signed and returned to the Training Hub via email to candptraininghub@nhs.net

If you are a prospective GP Fellow or General Practice Nurse Fellow then please ask your practice to consider signing you up for the Fellowship scheme.

You may wish to send them the link to this General Practice Fellowship Information for Practices or suggest that they contact the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Training Hub.

You can also contact the Training Hub with any questions and to register your interest in the Fellowship

Maternity Leave during Fellowship

The fellowship will be “paused” for the duration of maternity leave, and recommenced on return to work. Access to educational programme offerings may change depending on the current programme available at the time. Backfill funding will be reserved for the GP fellow for maximum of 2 years (at the rate in effect on date of joining the Fellowship Scheme), paid in 8 quarterly payments, with adjustments made on pausing the scheme.

GP Fellows remain welcome to attend any of the F5 training/peer group learning through the duration of their maternity leave, as part of Keep in Touch days, or in their own time.

Long-term Sick Leave during Fellowship

For any GP who is on medium to long term sick leave (4 weeks or longer), we will offer a discretionary pause in their fellowship. Please discuss your needs with the GP Lead.

If you have any queries about Fellowships in General Practice, please contact Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Training Hub

Office Telephone: 01733 666670
Email: candptraininghub@nhs.net