General Practice SPIN &
WHAT IS IT?
- 1 or 2-year programme of support for newly qualified GPs
- Aimed at improving recruitment into substantive posts within General Practice, and enriching the availability of skills and portfolio working within PCNs
- You take up a substantive contract, and you select an area of interest/development for you to pursue over 2 years: the Fellowship
- You are released for 1 or 2 paid session per week to enable you to pursue your Fellowship interests.
- You also gets other benefits, such as funded mentorship, a CPD grant and peer support sessions.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS?
- The scheme is open to ALL GPs who qualified within the last 12 months, or will be due to qualify soon in anticipation of taking a substantive post in a practice, a PCN, cluster of PCNs or another body
- There is scope to extend the post-qualifying period to 18 months in the instances of maternity/adoption/parental leave, long-term sickness or other caring responsibilities. Please check with your Training Hub lead.
- For the PG-Cert Option, GP applicants should be within the first five years of achieving their CCT, hold a license to practise and have undertaken sufficient clinical work and NHS appraisals to maintain their registration on the National Performer List within the two years prior to application for the scheme.
- You must hold a substantive, permanent contract (salaried/ partnership). (You can apply even whilst trainee, but funds will be released once your employment starts.)
- You ideally need to work at least 4 sessions per week in your Practice.
WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?
Option 1:
The first option you have is the SPIN model. The preferred model is that you work 1-7 clinical sessions as a GP, and an additional 2 sessions in your chosen Fellowship interest using one of the available models: E.g. teaching medical students, attending a speciality outpatients, PCN work, etc.
Your local Training Hub will also be able to advise you on any local options.
There is no funding direct to fellows. Your practice will receive two sessions per week reimbursement so you can participate in Fellowship activities. In addition, your practice will receive 30% on-cost for tax, NI and pension.
- If you are doing 9 clinical sessions in total, your practice will be able to use the reimbursement to release you from the practice.
- If you are working less than full time and doing your fellowship sessions in addition to your clinical sessions, your practice will transfer the reimbursement to you.
Option 2:
The PG Cert HealthCare Practice offer. HEE are offering a limited number of places on a Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Practice, to GP fellows as part of our London SPIN-New to Practice Scheme. The PG Cert comprises three 20 credit modules, with sessions delivered on the same day each week over 12 months during the Academic Year 2022-23. Any face-to-face teaching sessions and additional Masterclass sessions will be delivered in a London venue. Places are funded by HEE and include a bursary of £18,964 per GP fellow, which will be accessible through your local Training Hub.
Click HERE for more information
The PG Cert offer need one day protected time every week for the course and up to half day per week (in addition) to aid with the change management work you undertake.
Only for this option, payment is made to your local Training Hub who then distribute (in full so no employment deductions) to the fellow. HEE funds the cost of the course and this is paid directly to Canterbury Christ Church University.
Contact your Local Training Hub Lead who are collating Expressions of interest in preparation for the next Academic Year 2023-24, by end July 2023.
Option 3:
If none of the offers in Option 1 or 2 appeal to you, then you can make your own arrangements to pursue your area of interest during your 1 session per week entitlement. Your Practice, Training Hub and Fellowship PD would need to approve your plan.
You are released from Practice for 1 session per week during which time you attend to your own fellowship commitments. E.g. attend rheumatology outpatients clinics.
There is no funding direct to fellows. Your practice will receive one session per week reimbursement so you can participate in Fellowship activities. In addition, your practice will receive 30% on-cost for tax, NI and pension.
- If you are doing 9 clinical sessions in total, your practice will be able to use the reimbursement to release you from the practice.
- If you are working less than full time and doing your fellowship sessions in addition to your clinical sessions, your practice will transfer the reimbursement to you.
WHAT IS THE OFFER?
- You can get one or two sessions per week for Fellowship activities. It is a structured and supported programme.
- In addition, you receive a CPD grant.
- You receive induction and appropriate supervision and support in your Practice.
- You receive free access to a trained mentor with whom you meet monthly for external and independent support.
- You participate in monthly peer support sessions (2hrs). The Practice gives you paid time off to attend these.
- The Training Hub will support you throughout your journey, from choosing your project to final evaluation. HEE/NHSEI will be evaluating the scheme, and you might want to evaluate your particular Fellowship as well.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME?
- You need to find a Practice in NEL to work. We will share vacancy data with you, which will help you.
- You negotiate T&Cs, pay, hours of work, etc. as you normally would. You sign an employment contract (or partnership deed).
- You look at the options available and liaise with your employer/PCN/Training Hub about your interests – your fellowship plan. They may be able to guide you in terms of how valuable or useful it is likely to be, for example.
- You and your Practice will sign and commit to an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding).
- You take part in the core activities (practice induction, peer support and mentorship sessions, evaluation). This will normally be from the protected time that you receive.
OK, I’M IN, WHAT DO I DO?
- Complete the brief online form to formally notify the central NEL team. It’s brief, but important: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NELFELLOWSHIP
- Let your local training hub clinical lead know if you’re looking for a job. We keep a list of vacancies.
- You can directly look for vacancies through word of mouth or other means. If you find a job in that way, you are still eligible to take part, provided you meet the criteria.
A TESTIMONIAL FROM A FELLOW IN NEL – My NELFT Fellowship Experience
My name is Lakshmi Namasivayam, following completion of my CCT in General Practice I was fortunate to complete two Fellowship years with NELFT. I opted for part time work as a mum of two which gave me a perfect work-life balance I was looking for.
I had the flexibility of choosing my own practice within NELFT who kindly agreed to be a host employer.
This meant that the practice benefitted from having a regular Salary GP in my case for 4 sessions per week with monthly CPD time.
I was funded my extra two sessions in a sub-speciality of my choice.
1st Fellowship: Education Fellowship with QMUL run by Dr Jenny Blythe, the Academic Lead for the Fellowship schemes across North East London.
Due to the pandemic there was a temporary re-design of clinical placements. I had two groups of year 3 students allocated with me for 4-5 consecutive weekly teaching days. This would be a mix of Face to Face and virtual teachings. A twice weekly commitment for 6 months.
There was plenty of support for GP Tutors:-
-WhatsApp groups with other GP Tutors
-REST (remote engagement with students and tutors every 2 weeks)
-Tutor Guides: a google site navigation
If you are looking to obtain qualifications in teaching whilst on the VTS scheme: the GREAT Programme was a fantastic 6 week structured course.
2nd Fellowship: Sexual Health Fellowship, I worked at Barking Hospital for two clinical sessions a week, initially supervised and eventually I was independently conducting a clinic in coils and implant insertion and removals respectively.
Personal reflections: A wonderful opportunity to have support post CCT in General Practice, a chance to develop a special interest and gain a post graduate qualification which makes you feel skilled, more confident and a valued asset to any future primary care practice.