Medical Foundation
All applicants who have been nominated by their UK medical school are required to apply to the UK Foundation training Programme (FP). International applicants must first apply to the UKFPO for eligibility. Please see the guidance on the UKFPO website for more information on the eligibility process.
Registered applicants will then have the option to apply for Foundation Priority Programmes (FPP) and up to two Specialised Units of Application (SUoA) for Specialised Foundation Programmes (SFP). Applicants are eligible for a maximum of five applications in total (not inclusive of applications to stand-alone recruitment). Current UK trainees are not eligible to apply in national recruitment to stand-alone foundation training programmes.
Psychiatry Fellowship Programme – Details on how to apply will be available shortly from the Royal College of Psychiatrists website
Please refer to the national UKFPO published guidance on the UKFPO website for more detailed information.
www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk
The recruitment process to foundation programmes across the four nations is co-ordinated centrally by the UKFPO with some devolved responsibility. Further information can be found on the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) website.
Oriel is the national online application system used to manage recruitment to training programmes. Oriel can be accessed at https://new.oriel.nhs.uk/Web.
For technical support please contact the helpdesk via support@hicom.co.uk. Unfortunately, the London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex recruitment team cannot advise you on any technical issues except a locked oriel account.
The London Foundation School website contains detailed information about local programmes, policies, and processes. You may access the website at the following address; London Medical Training
For more information you may contact the recruitment team via the applicant support portal
Doctors wishing to apply to train in London will be able to preference programmes under the following Groups:
- South London East
- South London West
- North Central London
- North West London
- North East London
If you have any queries about the recruitment process, please visit the frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on the Applicant Support Portal. Alternatively you may submit a query form
Foundation Programme (FP)
All applicants must apply for the two-year Foundation programme through the national FP vacancy on Oriel during the national application window.
1. Timeline
The application timeline and key dates for UKFP 2024 entry have been published and can be viewed on the UKFPO Website and can be viewed UKFP 2024 Application Timeline
2. Applicant Guide to Allocation - Preference Information Allocation and Further Guidance for the 2024 Application process.
The UKFP 2024 Applicant Guide to Allocation - Preference Informed Allocation and further guidance for the 2024 application process can be accessed via the UKFPO website via the link UKFPO Website
3. London Foundation School Programme Information
Indicative list of programmes can be accessed and downloaded by selecting the following Indicative Programmes. Programme details can also be viewed on Oriel.
It is important to note that the NHS is constantly changing and, even after being matched to an individual programme, there may be situations when placements within that programme may change because of service redesign, working time directive regulations or national directives (UK-wide). For this reason, all allocations are provisional and subject to change until confirmed by employing organisations.
4. Selecting Programme Preferences Information & Matching Process
If you are allocated to London foundation schools, you will be invited to preference groups and programmes within the school you have been allocated to.
Two Stage Preferencing Process
London Foundation School has a larger number of programmes clustered into groups. The purpose of the groups is to make it easier to rank programmes, so applicants only have to rank 5 groups, then the programmes in the group to which they are allocated, rather than > 1000 programmes. Applicants will be matched to programmes in two stages:
Stage 1: Matched to a group
Applicants are required to rank the London foundation school's groups in order of preference between Dates TBC.
Groups within London Foundation School:
|
Group Name |
Group Description |
|
North Central London |
Provides 2 years in trusts in North London to the Central London of the patch |
|
North West London |
Provides 2 years in trusts in North London to the North West of the patch |
|
North East London |
Provides 2 years in trusts in North London to the North East of the patch |
|
South London East |
Provides 2 years in trusts in South London to the East of the patch |
|
South London West |
Provides 2 years in trusts in South London to the West of the patch |
Note:
Some trusts will overlap in the groups. For example, programmes with a year in a teaching hospital are popular and so these have been divided between the groups rather than clustered in one or two groups geographically. This means that the geographical distribution of trusts within each group are variable with considerable overlap.
Stage 2: Matched to a programme
Once matched to groups, applicants will be invited to rank the programmes within that group in order of preference between date TBC (12:00 midday BST). Applicants will be notified via Oriel of their match to individual programmes on date TBC.
IMPORTANT: Applicants are advised to save preference choices regularly on the Oriel system. Failure to save group / programme preferences by the deadline will result in a random allocation to a group / programme with the most vacancies. Late preferences cannot be submitted under any circumstances.
Please note that amending preferences will force links between applications to be broken, even if the final order of preferences is the same. Applicants must choose whether they want to change their preferences or maintain their link to the applicant they are initially linked with.
Newly appointed F1 doctors are required to attend a period of pre-employment shadowing of the F1 doctor you will be taking over from before the start of the programme. Employers will provide details of local arrangements.
You will be required to undertake a mandatory induction and shadowing period for a minimum of 4 days at the Trust before TBC (Please be aware that some Trusts organise longer periods of shadowing and you are advised to be available from TBC.
5. Linked Applications
If you have linked your application on the Oriel system and wish to retain this link at the group allocation stage for London Foundation School (LFS) (depending on your preference), both applicants will need to rank the five groups LFS in the same order of preference, or the link will be broken
WARNING: The score of the lower scoring applicant will be used to allocate both linked applicants to a group. It is only possible to break the link at this stage by both applicants ranking groups in a different order.
Linked applications are not taken into account at the programme allocation stage and your individual scores are used to allocate you to a programme.
If you both wish to be allocated to the same Trust, ranking programmes in your group in exactly the same order may increase the chances of this. However, we cannot guarantee that you will be allocated to the same Trust or programme as the applicant you are linked with, particularly if there is a significant difference in your scores.
Please note that amending preferences will force links between applications to be broken, even if the final order of preferences is the same. Applicants must choose whether they want to change their preferences or maintain their link to the applicant they are initially linked with.
6. Pre-Allocation (Previously known as Special Circumstances)
A small number of F1 doctors have special circumstances approval from their graduating medical school in order to ensure allocation to a foundation school in an appropriate geographical location.
Applicants applying for the pre-allocation are advised to refer to the UKFP 2024 Applicant Guide to the Pre-Allocation process
7. Supporting Trainees Entering Practice (STEP)
Full information on this process is available via UKFP 2024 Applicant Guide to Allocation and can be accessed via the UKFPO website.
The UK Foundation Programme UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) have published guidance which can be accessed via their website to access, select Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) For key dates, refer to the UKFP 2024 Application Timeline
Applications to Specialist Foundation Programme (SFP) and Foundation Programme (FP) 2024 will need to be submitted during the same application window. Applications for SFP will be made as part of the main Standard Foundation application through Oriel to a maximum of two Specialised Units of Application (SUoAs), and will comprise the standard application form, plus part 2 of the application form to be completed with information required by SUoAs.
1. London Specialised Unit of Application (SUoA) Local SFP Recruitment Timeline
| Activity | Dates |
|---|---|
| National Application Window Opens |
20 September 2023 (9:00 am BST) |
| National Application Window Closes |
04 October 2023 (12:00 pm BST) |
| Shortlisting Process |
05 to 27 October 2023 |
| Shortlisting Appeals Window Opens |
30 October 2023 |
| Shortlisting Appeals Window Closes |
01 November 2023 |
| Invite to Interview |
07 November 2023 |
| Interview Episode 1 |
15 November 2023 |
| Interview Episode 2 |
22 November 2023 |
| Interview Episode 3 |
29 November 2023 |
| Interview Episode 4 |
06 December 2023 |
2. London SFP SUoA Programme Information
The London foundation SFP SUoA is affiliated to 5 medical school/universities which together offer a total of 106 specialised foundation programmes.
|
Medical School/University |
Region |
No. of |
|---|---|---|
|
Imperial College London (IMP) |
North London |
30 |
|
King’s College London (KCL) – Kings College Hospital & Guy’s and St Thomas’ |
South London |
19 |
|
Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) |
North London |
24 |
|
St George’s University of London (SGUL) |
South London |
12 |
|
University College London (UCL) |
North London |
21 |
|
Total |
106 |
|
It is important to note that the NHS is constantly changing and, even after being matched to an individual programme, there may be situations when placements within that programme may change because of service redesign, working time directive regulations or national directives (UK-wide). For this reason, all allocations are provisional and subject to change until confirmed by employing organisations.
3. London SFP SUoA Applicant Guidance
The London SFP Applicant Guide select 2024 Specialised Foundation Programme - Applicant Guide V5
4. Disability Confident Employer Scheme: Please complete your adjustment requests on part 2 of the application form. Any requests after the close of the application period will not be accepted. Evidence for Guaranteed Interview Scheme will be requested after the application window closes, and Reasonable Adjustment evidence will be requested if invited to interview.
London Specialised Unit of Application is expected to guarantee to interview any applicant with a disability who asks to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, and whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post. By ‘minimum criteria’ we mean that you must provide evidence in your SFP application which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required. (Refer to: UKFPO guidance)
Progress to interview will be based on your shortlist ranking and the agreed interview capacity. However, regardless of the interview capacity, you will not be able to progress to stage 2 of shortlisting unless you score at least two points on stage 1, and to the interview stage unless you have scored at least seven points after both stages, based on the shortlisting criteria.
5. UKFPO SFP Appeals Process
Applicants can appeal against the outcome of the application process only on the following grounds:
i. that the SUoA application scoring/interview processes were not applied with appropriate diligence or due care;
ii. that there is evidence of prejudice, bias or conflict of interest in the handling of your application.
Applicants cannot make an appeal simply because they disagree with the principles of the SUoA recruitment process or the judgements or outcomes that have been made by the application scorers/interview panels. Applicants may request a review by the SUoA where processes or procedures have not been followed, or there is evidence of unfairness in how the process has been implemented, and the objectivity of decisions is called into question.
Please note that UKFPO SFP appeals process is separate to the London SUoA shortlist score appeal process. The UKFPO SFP appeals process guidance document may be downloaded from the bottom of this page and can be accessed via the UKFPO website.
Timeline TBC
The recorded version of of How to Apply to the London Specialised Foundation Programme SFP - Webinar which took place on 11th September 2023 can be accessed by selecting 2024 London SFP Webinar
This webinar is for the application to SFP 2024 London programmes and not any other Foundation School. For other unit of application, please refer to the relevant Foundation School website.
This webinar is not part of the UKFPO training. All queries with regards to this webinar should be referred to London Foundation School.
Foundation Priority Programmes (FPP) have been developed to support specific areas of the UK that have historically found it difficult to attract and retain trainees through the foundation and specialty recruitment processes. The main aim is to maximise the opportunity for applicants who wish to be located in less popular areas and therefore improve supply for specialty training and beyond.
During 2019/20 and 2020/21, priority programmes, specifically designed to attract and retain trainees in remote, rural, and coastal geographies, under-doctored geographies, and shortage specialties, with psychiatry as an initial priority, will be introduced and evaluated. These programmes also often a range of incentives.
As part of this process, applicants will have the opportunity to rank individual priority programmes that have been determined by a specific location as part of the application form and prior to national allocation to FP. Successful applicants will be offered specific programmes prior to national allocation to foundation schools.
Foundation Priority Programmes Recruitment Timeline Please refer to the UKFPO website
London Foundation School does not have any 2024 priority programmes.
The Psychiatry Foundation Fellowship is changing from 2023. We anticipate that application to the PFF scheme will take place after allocation to Foundation Programmes and the application process will be separate from the UKFPO application process.
Details on how to apply will be available shortly from the Royal College of Psychiatrists website
National recruitment to stand-alone foundation Foundation Year 2 training programmes across the four nations is managed centrally by the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO). Detailed information about how to apply is available via the UKFPO website.
Please note that current trainees are not eligible to apply for stand-alone foundation programmes.
If you have any queries regarding the stand-alone recruitment process, please contact the UKFPO directly via helpdesk@foundationprogramme.nhs.uk.
