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Further Applicant Information

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This information is applicable to new applicants only. Policies that apply for current foundation doctors can be found under policies and procedures.

Pre-allocation process

Applicants can apply for approval to be pre-allocated to a foundation school due to special circumstances, through a formal UKFPO process.

Applicants that are pre-allocated to the Wales Foundation School will also be pre-allocated to a group and programme as per the Wales Pre-Allocation Policy.

Should an applicant’s circumstances change after the closing date, they may be considered under the Wales Reallocation Policy.

Linked applications

When both linked applicants have been allocated to the Wales Foundation School, this will continue to be honoured at group level.

Transfers outside of Wales or within Wales

Generally, applicants are not able to change their Foundation School, region or programme allocation.

If an applicant's personal circumstances have changed since submitting their initial application, they may apply for an Inter-Foundation School Transfer (IFST) or a Programme Reallocation. Further information on this can be found under the Foundation policies and procedures page.

Deferrals

A 12-month deferral will be considered for statutory reasons (i.e. due to health or parental leave). Please inform the Foundation School as soon as possible to request a deferral and to provide relevant evidence.

Induction and shadowing period

All incoming F1s must attend a mandatory 4 day Induction & Shadowing period before commencing their Foundation Programme in Wales. This generally takes place on the Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday prior to the official start date of Foundation (which is the first Wednesday in August). Some hospitals may also request that some shadowing or training is undertaken during the Saturday or Sunday during this period. The specific dates for each academic year can be found on the Programmes page.

Single lead employer

All Junior Doctors in Wales are employed by a Single Lead Employer – the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP).

NWSSP coordinates all employment matters, including pre-employment checks, Certificates of Sponsorship (COS) for visas, employment contracts and banding confirmation, occupational health reviews, expense claims, payroll and benefit reporting, and other HR services. Please contact the NWSSP Foundation mailbox in the first instance with any queries on this topics.

Onsite hospital accommodation

In Wales, Health Boards have agreed to provide onsite hospital accommodation for the first 12 months of each F1s training. This is provided free of charge, however this is considered a taxable benefit.

Please note that generally only single person accommodation is available, however some hospitals have very limited couple or family accommodation available for an additional charge. 

Relocation and excess travel policy

Information on claiming eligible relocation or excess travel expenses can be found on the All Wales Relocation website. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the Junior Doctors Expenses Team.