1. Timing

We advertise as part of the National GP Recruitment process. Information relating to recruitment and vacancies is available from the National Recruitment website.

Our 3 year training programme usually starts the first day of August each year.

Programme vacancies will be advertised as part of national recruitment: in the preceding January or February. The National Recruitment website has a calendar showing advertisement dates and the closing dates for applications. The East Cumbria GP Training Programme is part of the Northern Deanery. Application packs can be downloaded from the National Recruitment website.

2. Recruitment

Following application, recruitment is then managed centrally in the Northern Deanery. After appointment, we meet with each of the successful candidates individually to help them define their learning needs, then allocate each GP registrar training practice, integrated training posts (ITPs) and hospital attachments; we aim to ensure that these rotations reflect the individual's educational needs.

Each successful applicant will be invited to visit the programme in Carlisle (probably in June) to discuss their individual learning needs, and hence the most beneficial rotation. The date for success applicants for 2013 is now set for the 5th June 2013.

Unfortunately, travel and subsistence cannot be reimbursed for this visit.

3. Rotations

A typical 3 year rotation for the programme would be:

• 6 months General practice (commencing August)
• 6 months Hospital post or integrated training post (commencing February)
• 6 month Hospital post (commencing August)
• 6 month Hospital post (commencing February)
• 6 month Hospital post or integrated training post (commencing August)
• 6 month General practice (commencing February)

Rotations are constructed for individual GP Registrars according to their educational needs.

All GPRs on the Programme have the opportunity of 18 months in general practice. All rotations are individually constructed with the GPR before the start of their training, to maximise the training experience.

4. Contract of employment

Whilst in Practice GP registrars are employed by the GP Trainers to whom they are attached. During the hospital posts the GP registrars are responsible to North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust or Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust for psychiatry posts, who are their employers. Contracts run for the duration of each individual attachment rather than for the duration of the whole Programme.

5. Salary

The salary will be based on the Trainee Practitioner scale with variations for those GP registrars entering the Programme with additional relevant experience. Details of the current scale can be obtained from the Programme Administrator, the Trainers, or the hospital Human Resources Department.

6. Accommodation

Most GP registrars opt to purchase houses in the area. It is recommended that these houses be close to the Practice to which the GP registrars are attached. Not only is this financially more worthwhile, but separation from the area of the Practice may make satisfactory on-call work difficult. Accommodation may be available with hospital posts.

7. Claiming expenses

Reimbursement for a number of expenses may be claimed from the Primary Care Trust (in England) or their Scottish equivalent. These include up to 100% of removal expenses and legal expenses incurred in house sale and purchase. There are further miscellaneous items, which may be claimed and further details may be obtained through the GP trainer or the Finance Department of the Primary Care Trust.

8. Driving Licence, Car and Telephone

On starting their first appointment to General Practice, all GP registrars must have a full current driving licence. In the unfortunate situation where a GP registrar does NOT possess a full driving licence when in a General Practice post, he/she will be expected to provide equivalent transport for themselves - e.g. a chauffeured service while 'on call'. Please note that any car allowances are taxable and you should, therefore, keep records of your mileage and note your expenses in writing. It is also obvious that a GP registrar must be obtainable quickly at all times when ''on call'. Thus a telephone at the GP registrar's residence while 'on call' is required. The cost of installation and rental (though not of calls) is reimbursable.

Updated by NH on 09/01/13