Document type: / HR / Workforce Development
What does this policy replace? / Replaces all previous Study Leave Policies
Staff group to whom it applies: / All staff within the Trust except medical staff and directors
Distribution: / The whole of the Trust
How to access: / Intranet
Issue date: / February 2016
Document version: / Version 1
Next review: / February 2018
Approved by: / Executive Management Team
Developed by: / Head of Learning and Development
Director leads: / Director of Human Resources and Workforce Development
Contact for advice: / Head of Learning and Development
CONTENTS
2. / Purpose and Scope / 5
3. / Terminology / 7
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8 / Continuing Professional Development (SSPRD)
High Impact Training
Medium Impact Training
Low Impact Training
Mandatory Training
Core Additional Training
Internal Training
External Training / 7
7
7
7
8
8
8
8
4. / Duties / 9
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9 / Executive Management Team
Directors
Deputy Directors
Director of Human Resources and Workforce Development
Director HR and Workforce Development via the Learning and Development department
Senior Managers
Managers
Employees
Union Learner Representatives / 9
9
9
9
9
10
10
12
13
5. / Principles / 13
6. / Financial Support / 17
6.1
6.2 / Sources of Financial Support
Determining Levels of Financial Support / 17
19
7. / Summary of Study Leave Authorisation Levels and Responsibilities / 22
8. / Expenses / 22
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6 / Travel and Subsistence
Other Expenses
Withdrawal of Support
Authorised Deductions from Payroll
Re-claiming Expenses from the Individual
Rates Payable and Conditions / 23
24
23
23
23
24
9. / Failure to Complete a Programme / 25
10. / Evaluation of Learning & Development – Assessing Return on Investment / 26
11. / Time Off / Time Owing for Training and Development / 26
12. / Development Process / 28
13. / Dissemination and Implementation Arrangements / 28
14. / Process for Monitoring Compliance and Effectiveness / 29
15. / Review and Revision Arrangements / 29
16. / Associated Documents and References / 29
17. / Appendices / 30
1. SWYPFT Study Leave Form
2. Study Leave Procedure
3. Guidance on the Study Leave Application Procedure Internal and External
4. Training
a. Statutory Procedure for Requesting Time Off for Training Guidance
b. Statutory Procedure for Requesting Time Off for Training
5. Template for Summarising Study Leave Conditions
6. Template for Explaining Reasons for Refusing a Study Leave Request
7. Equality Impact Assessment
8. Checklist for the Review and Approval of Procedural Document
9. Version Control Sheet
STUDY LEAVE POLICY AND PROCEDURE
1.1 / South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) is committed to maintaining its positive reputation as a learning organisation and to the continuing development of the skills and knowledge of staff at every level.
1.2 / This policy forms part of the Trust’s commitment to promoting a culture of continuous learning, recognising that people have individual learning needs that enable personal effectiveness and growth. It also recognises that it is essential to make sure that limited resources are used to maximum effect in the support of learning and development activity. Key principles of the policy therefore, are to ensure that all study leave requests are considered in a fair and transparent way and that as far as possible, learning and development activity supports the achievement of Trust and service objectives and needs and reinforces our vision and values.
1.3 / In recognition that maintaining a culture of lifelong learning relies on both the organisation and its employees, the policy requires individuals to accept responsibility for their own learning and development and for evaluating, applying and sharing their learning with others in the workplace afterwards.
1.4 / Guidance on procedure for making a study leave application is given in appendix 3. In addition, employees with 26 weeks continuous service have the right to request unpaidtime off from work to undertake study or training that will improve their effectiveness or the performance of the organisation. The statutory procedure for staff wishing to exercise this right is given in appendix 4b.
1.5 / This policy and procedure should be read in conjunction with all of the Trust’s related employment policies (see section 16). For staff attached to/managed by the Trust in Integrated Service Teams, the policy and procedure should also be read in conjunction with the relevant Service Integration Framework/Protocol. At all stages, the Trust’s Learning and Development department will be available to provide guidance on implementation.
1.6 / This policy is new to the Trust and replaces all Study Leave Policies previously in operation within NHS Barnsley, Care Services Direct and for staff TUPE’d into the Trust.
1.7 / This policy has been written in accordance with the Trust’s Policy for the development, approval and dissemination of policy and procedural documents (Policy on Policies).
2. / PURPOSE AND SCOPE
2.1 / It is the policy of the Trust to provide equitable access for all employees to formal and informal learning events subject to available resources and management controls. This includes consideration of time away from the workplace and any contribution towards costs of the learning activity.
2.2 / The policy sets out the principles and criteria which will be used to evaluate study leave applications from individuals regardless of role or area of work. The expected outcomes of the policy are:
· Robust, equitable, transparent and consistent decision making in relation to approval of study leave requests and supporting funding.
· Clarity regarding levels of funding potentially available to individuals to support their development and conditions applying to any funding allocations.
· Clarity regarding expenses and time owing which undertaking a learning and development event may attract.
· Clear alignment between individual study leave applications and organisational/business need.
· Clarity of responsibilities throughout the study leave application process.
2.3 / The policy will apply to all staff with the exception of medical staff who have their own arrangements and Directors for whom special provision is often required.
2.4 / Provision is made for Bank staff and staff employed on fixed term contracts. This is discussed in further detail in paragraphs 5.14 – 5.16.
2.5 / The policy covers all learning and development activities for which the employee is seeking support in terms of financial resources and/or time away from work. This could range from an event lasting less than half a day, to a course lasting several months which leads to an accredited qualification. This policy therefore applies to the following areas of activity, each of which generally (subject to 2.6 & 2.7) requires the submission of a study leave form to request supporting funds and/or time away from the workplace to attend:
· Internal and external formal training courses.
· Vocational training.
· Specialist Skills and Post Registration Development funded by Health
Education Yorkshire and Humber delivered through Higher
Education Institutes.
· Individual study days, conferences and workshops.
2.6 / Special considerations may apply to certain learning and development activities and in such cases a study leave form may not be required. These include:
· Mandatory training.
· E-Learning.
· Work shadowing.
· Being mentored or coached.
· Completion of competency based workbooks.
These are discussed in further detail in paragraph 5.5
2.7 / Some staff may be expected to attend meetings or other similar internal or external events as a requirement of their post or other obligation and where learning may take place. Such events however, shall be considered as duty rather than study leave and are not therefore subject to this policy or eligible for funding from the learning & development budget. Examples include:
· Non-optional attendance at internal or external events required to provide essential updates in relation to the attendee’s sphere of work. This includes the use of specific clinical equipment such as syringe drivers or diagnostic equipment used locally within clinical teams.
· Attendance at internal or external meetings, forums and other bodies in relation to the attendee’s sphere of work.
· Staff representatives attending union events. See also partnership agreement.
2.8 / Failure to implement or comply with this policy and associated procedures may result in the following risks:
· Misuse of resources through supporting low priority learning and development activity at the expense of activity more likely to make a difference to supporting Trust business.
· Failure to support learning and development activity which supports the achievement of organisational objectives or meets organisational needs, in line with our mission and values.
· Inconsistent decision making in relation to study leave requests and financial support resulting in wasted resources and/or inequitable treatment of staff.
· Risk of employment tribunals if managers do not follow statutory requirements for considering requests for time away from the workplace to attend training.
3. / TERMINOLOGY
3.1 / Specialist Skills and Post Registration Development (SSPRD) Programmes
Specific modules, courses or other programmes of learning provided by universities, where places are pre-funded via Health Education England (HEE) on the Trust’s behalf. Each university maintains a portfolio of programmes funded via the SSPRD process which are available on-line and updated throughout the year. Availability for funded courses can be found using the online course finder – http://www.yhcoursefinder.co.uk/.
3.2 / High Impact Training
Training required to address or mitigate significant organisational risk including:
· Training required preventing a breach in Health & Safety or other statutory or compliance requirements.
· Training where non-attendance may lead to financial penalties for the Trust or unavoidable outlay greater than the cost of the training itself.
· Training which results in a qualification essential for filling, replacing or maintaining business critical/difficult to recruit to post(s).
· Training which has been discussed and agreed between service directors and the Director of HR and Workforce Development as a critical pre-requisite for delivering agreed BDU or Service plans.
· Training required complying with the Trust’s Mandatory Training Policy.
· Training which is required to meet essential local (e.g. CQUIN) or National (e.g. CQC) improvement plans.
· Training required to address supportive action plans as a result of a disciplinary procedure or capability process (see Appraisal Policy).
3.3 / Medium Impact Training
Training not essential for addressing organisational risks but where the individual or manager is able to demonstrate / provide evidence that attending training will either:
· Support the achievement of published BDU or Service Plans.
· Address a known performance issue or business problem.
· Achieve demonstrable improvements in service efficiency or quality.
3.4 / Low Impact Training
Training which has little or no obvious link to the individual’s current role, service objectives or performance issues although may potentially be of benefit to these in the future.
3.5 / Mandatory Training (see Mandatory Training Policy)
· Minimum training critical to mitigating key organisation-wide risks as identified by the Trust’s Mandatory Training Review Group based on interpretation of legislation, directives or other significant requirements.
· Where training attendance is non-optional for all relevant post holders.
· Where specific training requirements of all Trust posts are centrally identified and maintained using the Electronic Staff Record (ESR).
· Training which consistently applies to relevant posts in all parts of the Trust.
· Where attendance rates based on staff required to attend are monitored centrally and reported to the Board on a monthly basis as a key performance indicator.
· Training which requires a minimum uptake of 80% of staff eligible to undertake that subject to be achieved in all parts of the Trust at any one time.
3.6 / Core - Additional Training (see Mandatory Training Policy)
· Training recognised by the Trust as important for helping to ensure service user/public/staff safety, safe levels of service, minimum levels of service quality or minimum levels of service efficiency.
· Individual training requirements are determined by service or line managers at local level based on guidance provided in the mandatory training policy and/or though individual specific Health and Safety, Clinical or Employment policies prepared by relevant Trust specialist advisors.
3.7 / Internal Training
Training commissioned and/or provided in-house either by the Learning and Development department or by specialist Trust teams or staff employed to provide training on specific, specialist subjects e.g. Trust mandatory training providers. Internal training does not normally attract additional costs (e.g. programme fees) to individuals applying for places although travel is payable via service budgets (see 8.1) for attendance at internal high or medium impact training (see 6.2 & 8.1.2).
3.8 / External Training
Training provided outside of the organisation by third-party organisations or individuals including SSPRD. External training normally attracts additional costs e.g. through course/programme fees and/or through supporting travel, accommodation or other expenses associated with commuting to the venue. Such expenses can often exceed course fees but are only payable via service budgets (see 8.1) for high/medium impact training (see 6.2 & 8.1.2).
4. / DUTIES
4.1 / Executive Management Team (EMT)
· Approving this policy and ensuring it has been developed in accordance with the Trusts ’s Policy for the development, approval and dissemination of Policy and Procedural Documents.
4.2
4.3 / Directors
· Implementing this policy within their BDU or Quality Academy Directorate, ensuring that managers are aware of their responsibilities in relation to supporting / declining / authorising study leave requests from staff.
· Bringing to the attention / confirming with the Director of HR and Workforce Development any business critical training required as a pre-requisite for delivering agreed BDU or Service plans, with a significant risk of those plans failing unless the training is supported.
Deputy Directors
· Authorising all study leave requests requiring £2,000 or more from the corporate Learning & Development budget
4.4 / Director of Human Resources and Workforce Development