Terms and Conditions

      Related Policy, Process and Terms and Conditions

      • Agenda for Change Staff
      • Checking Professional Registration
      • Facilities Time Arrangements
      • Medical and Dental Staff
      • NHS 24 Adoption and Fostering Leave Policy
      • Senior Manager and Executive Level Staff
      • Working Time Directive
    • How do I progress. Submission for Incremental Progression.NHS Education for Scotland

       

      When you are appointed on the GP/ GDP Educators scale you will usually be appointed at the bottom of the scale (GP00) and after your first year you will automatically move to GP01.

      Thereafter there is an agreed process for incremental progression - agreed process for incremental progression(Dental). You are required to submit to the HR.Support@nes.scot.nhs.uk mailbox a proforma, agreed with and signed off by your manager, to a panel for consideration for incremental progression. The proforma should be completed with reference to the agreed criteria for medical or dental (additional guidance for dental employees) employees.

      Contribution is substantive and will take place over full years and not months. Following initial appointment to the grade posts will normally be reviewed for incremental progression every 3 years, or in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Director of Postgraduate General Practice/ General Dental Practice Education and with the approval of the Director of Medicine/Postgraduate Dean.

    • I have read paperwork and have a query. Who should I speak to?NHS Education for Scotland

      Further queries

      If you have any remaining queries, please discuss these with your line manager in the first instance or email HR.Support@nes.scot.nhs.uk.

    • What is consultant contract?NHS Education for Scotland

      The consultant contract terms and conditions were implemented in Scotland in 2004. The full terms and conditions and current salary scale can be accessed here.

      The consultant contract applies to medical and dental consultants.

      In NES, typically consultant employees are those who have worked as a consultant in hospital and are employed by NES in one of the following types of roles:

      Associate Postgraduate Dean, Associate Postgraduate Dental Dean, Postgraduate Dean. Postgraduate Dental Dean, Hospital Dental Service Tutor, Training Programme Director, Foundation Programme Director.

      Consultants are contracted for Programmed Activities (PAs) up to a maximum of 10PAs, 1PA equates to 4 hours. A PA is calculated as one tenth of basic salary plus any discretionary points, up to a maximum of 8.

      Consultants can also receive a maximum of 2 Extra Programmed Activities (EPA). An EPA equates to 4 hours. EPAs are contracted for separately and are reviewed by NES annually. An EPA is calculated as basic salary plus up to 8 discretionary points. If the consultant is a Distinction Award holder, the 8 discretionary points are used instead for an EPA calculation.

    • What are the pay elements of the consultant contract?NHS Education for Scotland

      Salary is based on seniority, as described in section 5 of the terms and conditions. Seniority determines the point on the consultants’ scale and subsequent progression intervals. The seniority level may need to be confirmed with the previous employer. In addition to basic salary, consultants may also receive discretionary points or distinction awards. These are described below.

    • How do I receive salary increments/pay progressions?NHS Education for Scotland

      Pay progression is on the 1st April for those who were consultants prior to 1st April 2003. For those appointed to the consultant grade thereafter, progression through seniority points, where agreed, will be on the anniversary of appointment.

      Pay progression links into the job planning process. Job planning is undertaken by the line manager and is signed off by both parties. It is a plan of the PAs and EPAs available and links into NES corporate objectives. This is also fed into the appraisal process.

      Where consultant staff have not delivered their agreed job plan NES may withhold pay progression. The NES Remuneration Committee is informed of any cases where pay progression should be withheld.

    • What are discretionary points?NHS Education for Scotland

      Discretionary points can be awarded to consultants on point 5 and above of the consultant scale. There is a maximum of 8 discretionary points. The monetary value of each discretionary point is detailed in the annual pay circularThey are not seniority payments or automatic annual increments. Discretionary points are awarded by Health Boards to recognize an above average contribution in respect of service to patients, teaching, research and the management and development of the service.

      Often consultants employed by NES are already in receipt of discretionary awards when they commence their employment with NES and NES recognizes these as per circular PCS (DD) 1995/6 (section 16: Consultants will retain payment of Discretionary Points granted by one NHS employer on appointment to another NHS employer).

      Where NES is the lead employer (i.e. employs the consultant for most of the consultant’s working week), it can allocate discretionary points in line with PCS 1995 (DD) 06. If you would like to discuss a review of your discretionary points, please email HR.Support@nes.scot.nhs.uk for further advice. Any review of discretionary points will require submission of evidence in the form of an up to date CV and completion of a Consultants Discretionary Points proforma.

    • How do distinction awards operate?NHS Education for Scotland

      Distinction awards recognise and reward NHS consultants who perform ‘over and above’ the standard expected of their role. Awards are given for quality and excellence, acknowledging exceptional personal contributions over a range of domains. There are currently three levels of distinction award (from lowest to highest): B, A, and A+. The current value of each award is A+ - £75,889 ; A - £55,924; B - £3,1959.

      Awards are paid with salaries (pro rata), are pensionable and subsume the value of any discretionary points or lower level distinction award previously held.

      The distinction awards process in Scotland has been frozen since 2010.  This freeze was initially imposed as an interim measure pending the publication of the DDRB report into award schemes.  There has been no increase in the value of awards, no new awards and no progression through the award scheme since this time. 

      The Scottish AdvisoryComitee on Distinction Awards (SACDA) oversee distinction awards and continue to undertake five- yearly reviews of awards. If you require employer support as part of the 5-year review process, please contact HR.Support@nes.scot.nhs.uk

    • What is a PA/EPA ?NHS Education for Scotland

      A PA is a programmed activity. The consultants’ working week is made of up 10 PAS, with each PA equating to 4 hours. Job planning activity reviews activities undertaken across the PAs.

      An EPA is an extra programmed activity. EPAs are those in excess of 10 per week for full-time consultants, and in excess of the number of programmed activities in the main contract agreed for part-time consultants. The pay rate used to calculate extra programmed activities will be basic pay plus any discretionary points held by the consultant up to a maximum of 8 discretionary points.     For a consultant holding a distinction award, the pay rate used will be basic pay plus the maximum of 8 discretionary points.  Any payments for EPAs in excess of the full-time working week (i.e. 10 programmed activities) are non superannuable. EPAs are contracted for separately and reviewed annually in NES through the job planning process.

      An agreement to undertake EPAs that would require a consultant to work more than 48 hours per week is subject to the consultant having signed a waiver opting-out of the requirements of the Working Time Regulations regarding the maximum working week of 48 hours. Please contact HR.Support@nes.scot.nhs.uk to discuss if this applies to you.

    • What is job planning?NHS Education for Scotland

      Job planning is a contractual requirement for all consultants. A job plan review is completed annually in NES by the consultant and line manager using the Job Plan Review proforma. NES is audited on this and requires the job plan review to be returned to HR. Job plan review is combined with a meeting to set objectives for the upcoming financial year. The Review and Objective setting meeting should take place April – June. Consultants capture their agreed objectives on the Domino System.  

    • Does Agenda for Change apply to all employees of NES?NHS Education for Scotland

      A4C applies in full to all staff except professional medical and dental staff and  senior managers, and its application is mandatory.   

    • Where do I find Agenda for Change pay scales?NHS Education for Scotland

      Please find the latest Agenda for Change pay scales

    • Where can I find details on Agenda for Change (AFC)?NHS Education for Scotland

      Use the website links below to access up to date and comprehensive information on the following headings relating to agenda for change and KSF.

      AFC in summary

      Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF)

      AFC Pay Rates

      Terms & Conditions

      Job Evaluation

      Current Workstreams

    • Where can I find a list of all Scottish Terms and Conditions circulars and guidance? TSHThe State Hospital

      A chronological list of guidance issued as a result of discussion at STAC (Scottish Terms and Conditions) can be found on the STAC Website

    • I wish to hand in my resignation from The State Hospital. How much notice do I need to give?The State Hospital

      As per your Agenda for Change contract, a minimum notice period is required before terminating your employment with The State Hospital.  The amount of notice to be given will vary dependant on your banding (as stated below), with notification to be given to your Line Manager (in writing).

      Bands 1 – 5                 4 weeks notice

      Bands 6 – 7                 8 weeks notice

      Bands 8A – 9              12 weeks