Please note the application form and evaluation form are currently being updated, and will be available shortly.
How are SAS funds allocated?
NHSE Thames Valley ensures equality of resource allocation and access to professional skills training. Each trust is allocated a sum of money for an SAS Clinical Tutor for one session per week.
There is a central budget to support regional training days and some expenses for local training days. As SAS development has changed with significantly reduced funding from NHSE, the scope of training activity has widened to include translational clinical topics delivered around Thames Valley as regional “Up Date” days.
Under the new Speciality Doctor contract, SAS doctors are encouraged to take up leadership and management roles to progress through seniority payment thresholds. There is some evidence of increased involvement, but many SAS struggle to find new opportunities. Whether it is resistance on the part of SAS doctors to see a need to develop leadership or management skills, or an organisation under pressure that it struggles to think of ways to creatively and effectively use SAS Doctors, NHSE Thames Valle has a role to guide and to promote.
At NHSE Thames Valley we have set expectation that trusts have a responsibility to ensure that the SAS doctors really are getting involved in training. It is our belief that there is much untapped potential amongst SAS doctors though there is no simple prescription.
NHSE Thames Valley is committed to long-term collaboration with SAS doctors and trusts at this time of great change within the NHS and medical roles in particular.