Salary and Leave Details
The Foundation Therapist’s salary will be managed by the SLE process, including tax, national insurance, payslips and pension.
Annual Leave
All Foundation Therapists are entitled to 27 days annual leave (10 days pro-rata).
Annual leave requests must be submitted with reasonable notice and agreed by the ES. In addition, they are entitled to take the usual 8 public holidays in Wales or the pro-rata equivalent, if they work part-time. The annual leave year is 1st April – 31st March. Annual leave should be approved by the ES and then recorded on ESR by the Foundation Therapist.
Sickness
The Foundation Therapist must notify their ES on the first day of their absence when they require time off from their placement due to sickness. They are expected to include the nature of the illness.
The Foundation Therapist is also required to inform NWSSP (their employer) of any sickness: NWSSPSLE.Absence@wales.nhs.uk. For any period of sickness absence between one and seven calendar days, the Foundation Therapist must complete a self-certification form, unless already certified by a fit note or hospital certificate. This should be completed on return to work.
If the period of absence continues beyond seven calendar days, the Foundation Therapist must produce a fit note (medical certificate) for every day of absence thereafter. A fit note should normally be received by the ES no more than three calendar days after it becomes due.
Sickness absence not covered by a self-certificate or a fit note will be treated as unauthorised absence, for which no payment will be made.
After any period of sickness absence, the Foundation Therapist will be asked to attend a return-to-work interview with their ES to discuss their absence and any specific needs or concerns they may have.
For any periods of absence, other than annual leave, that exceeds 14 days in any year, a review will take place to determine whether the programme completion date needs to be extended. Any change to the programme end date will be confirmed by HEIW.
Sustainable Healthcare in Wales
In April 2019, the Wales Government declared a climate emergency in Wales, and two years later published its plan for a “net-zero” NHS by 2030. In response to this pledge, the NHS Wales Decarbonisation Strategic Delivery Plan was released.
NHS Wales Decarbonisation Strategic Delivery Plan (gov.wales) Health Education Improvement Wales (HEIW) have a role to support the implementation of this plan, but we can all play a part.
The Lancet describes climate change as “the greatest global health threat facing the world in the 21st century”.
Thinking about climate change can be frightening (this is a normal response to devastating news, and we call this eco-distress). Recognising the way that we feel, and acting, can help us to feel more positive. Some small actions that you could take include:
- Joining your local Green Group (there’s one in every Health Board) • Looking at the resources available on Green Health Wales website
- Exploring active travel options to commute to work or car sharing for study days.
- Bring a reusable mug/water bottle to all study days/ sessions.
- Reduce the use of paper, as all educational content, timetables and agendas will be available in digital or electronic format.
Dentistry is facing many challenges to help tackle the problem, particularly around decontamination, waste disposal and the use of single-use plastics. NHS dental services emissions make up 3% of the overall carbon footprint of the NHS.
If you are interested in learning more about Sustainability in Dentistry, the link below will direct you to an excellent resource on the website of the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare.
Sustainable Dentistry: How-to Guide for Dental Practices | Centre for Sustainable
Sustainable Healthcare provides hope for a healthier future and a healthier planet. This is why the Lancet also describes climate change as “the greatest opportunity to redefine the social and environmental determinants of health”.