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.

For 2022 Recruitment there are 2 foundation schools within the London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex (LaKSS) region;

North London Foundation School (NLFS)

South Thames Foundation School (STFS)

The London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex Foundation Schools website contains detailed information about local programmes, policies and processes for the 2 schools.You may access the website at the following address; https://london.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training/foundation.

Please note that the information on the website refers to the previous two separate schools of North Central and East London Foundation School and North West London Foundation School, as the changes detailed below will not come into effect until August 2022 & August 2023. 

For more infomation you may contact the recruitment team via the applicant support portal: https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/home. 

London & KSS Foundation Schools Reconfiguration

Important changes are being made to how the foundation schools for London and KSS are structured. There will also be significant expansion of foundation posts from 2023 to meet the training needs for the graduates from the increased medical school places in both London and KSS.

London will be moving to a Pan London Foundation School to be in place for August 2023. As the first step the current two schools of North Central and East London and North West London are being merged for the August 2022 intake. This will not affect trainees already in programme but will allow greater flexibility and help with expansion planning.

The South Thames Foundation School (STFS) will be uncoupling. The KSS Foundation School will be managed by a new team within the South East region. This will allow medical graduates from the Kent & Medway Medical School,  those from Brighton & Sussex Medical School, and other trainees who choose to train in KSS to remain within KSS for the duration of their foundation training.

The current South Thames programmes are being reconfigured to ensure that F1 trainees starting in either KSS or South London in August 2022 can apply to two-year programmes in either location when choosing their preferred rotations, rather than programmes composed of a year in each area.

Doctors wishing to apply to train in South London will be able to preference programmes:

• South London West
• South London East

Doctors wishing to apply to train in KSS will be able to preference programmes:

• KSS West
• KSS Central
• KSS East

Trainees recruited to STFS-managed foundation programmes commencing in August 2021, and who would be entering FY2 training in August 2022, will continue to complete their allocated foundation training programme within STFS.

There may be a small number of trainees in cross-border programmes beyond 2023, where there have been changes to an individual’s training programme due to unforeseen circumstance, such as OOP, Outcome 3, Statutory leave or working less than full time. These trainees will be managed on an individual basis.

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 to the London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex recruitment team via the support portal.

The UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) has published guidance for applicants to the 2022 Specialist Foundation Programme (SFP) containing comprehensive details on this year’s application process plus a timeline showing key dates. 

 Applications to Specialist Foundation Programme (SFP) and Foundation Programme (FP) 2022 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 Specialis 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. 

KEY CHANGES 

• Specialised Founation Pogramme (SFP) previously known as Acadmic Foundation Programme (AFP)

• One all-encompassing Standard Foundation Programme application form:  Applicants will complete and submit one main application form for all of the foundation recruitment streams. Using progressive disclosure applicants will have the option to apply for Specialised Foundation Programmes. Using this one application form, applicants may select to apply to up to two Specialised Foundation Units of Applications (SUoA).  Please ensure that you read the relevant sectons of the LaKSS SFP SUoA applicant guide very carefully. 

• White Space Questions: White Space Questions will appear automatically when applicants select the option to apply for SFP on their application form. LaKSS SFP SUoA do not use whitespace questions as part of the local recruitment process. If you are just applying to LaKSS SUoA, applicants are advised to enter ‘n/a’ in these fields.  However, if you are applying to multiple SUoAs, it is advisable to check the local guidance for all SUoA you are applying to. Please ensure that you read the relavent information detailed in the LaKSS SFP SUoA applicant guide very carefully. 

• Application Eligibility Shortlisting:  LaKSS SFP SUoA will not longlist applications using EPM Scores.  Instead, applications will be assessed via a two phased shortlisting processes. Please refer to the infomation deatiled on the shortlisting process in the LaKSS SFP SUoA applicant guide. 

• Educational Achievements:  The local SUoA scoring criteria may differ from the UKFPO Foundation Programme scoring criteria.  Different scoring criteria are applied between the different SUoAs.  Please read the guidance carefully, as evidence once submitted cannot be amended, and retrospective submission of evidence will not be acceptable.  There have been significant changes to LaKSS London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex (LaKSS) SUoA application shortlisting criteria since the last recruitment cycle.  Please ensure you read the relevant sections of thi LaKSS SFP SUoA applicant guide carefully. 

• Specialised Foundation Programme Preferncing: Programmes may now be preferenced until 6th January 2022. This means applicants can amend their preference options up through this date.  

• Disability Confident Employer Scheme (Guaranteed Interview Scheme) and Reasonable Adjustments:  Applicants will need to register their request for a Rreasonable Adjustment and/or Disability Confident Scheme (Guaranteed Interview Scheme) by the close of the application period, 22nd September 2021.  For full details refer to the LaKSS SFP applicant guide.  However, if you are also applying for another SUoA, please also refer to their website for their guidance. 

1. London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex (LaKSS) Specialised Unit of Application (SUoA) Local SFP Recruitment Timeline

2. LaKSS SFP SUoA Programme Infomation 

The London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex (LaKSS) foundation schools have joined together to form the LaKSS Specialised Unit of Application (SUoA) for the purpose of recruiting applicants to specialised foundation programmes commencing in August 2022. 

The LaKSS SFP SUoA is affiliated to seven medical school/universities which together offer a total of 127 specialised foundation programmes.  

A  list of programmes will be available for applicants to view on Oriel from 01 September 2022. The programme information will also be available to download from this page as an Excel spreadsheet. 

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. LaKSS SFP SUoA Applicant Guidance

The LaKSS SFP Applicant Guide will be availible to download from Oriel and this webpage from 01 September 2021. Please ensure that you read through the guidae carefully ahead of complting your applciation to LaKSS SUoA. 

Applicant Guidance Updates - 08/09/2021

Please note that in the previous version of the 2022 SFP SUoA Applicant Guide there was an error in the shortlist scoring criteria, specifically the Publications & Presentations domain. Please note this has now been corrected.  Please ensure that you use 2022 LaKSS SUoA SFP Applicant Guide v3

4. UKFPO SFP Appeals Process

Applicants may only appeal if they can demonstrate that the published processes or procedures pertaining to the recruitment episode have not been followed correctly or the objectivity of decision making is called into question, which has a significant adverse effect on the applicant’s application. There is an opportunity to do this at the conclusion of the process, after applicants are matched to programmes.  Please note that applicants cannot may not appeal against their interview score, and the decisions made about their score by the application scorers/interview panels are final. 

The date of the appeal window is currently TBC. Further information on the UKFPO SFP Appeal process will be available on the LaKSS website in due course. 

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

London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex Foundation Priority Programme Information

Programme data will be available for applicants to view on Oriel from 01 September 2021. A spreadsheet summarising all the available programmes is also available to download from the bottom of this page. 

National recruitment to stand-alone foundation (F1 & F2) 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.