SuppoRTT
Useful Information and Policy
Useful contacts
Breast Feeding
It's up to mothers to decide how long they want to breastfeed. Returning to work doesn't have to mean that a mother must stop. Before returning to work, you should give your employer written notification that you are breastfeeding.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that it's good practice for employers to provide a private, healthy, and safe environment for breastfeeding mothers to express and store milk. The toilets are not a suitable place to express breast milk.
With this in mind, the RUH SuppoRTT team has worked hard to secure Health Education England funding to allow the improvement of lactation facilities at the RUH.
We will endeavour to update this section when details have been finalised and timelines are known.
Please read the Advice on Breastfeeding Legal Rights – Factsheet
In July 2024 the BMA released guidance for doctors who are pregnant of breastfeeding. Please follow the link for up to date guidelines on risk assessment, reasonable adjustments and breastfeeding. If you have any questions after reading this guidance please get in touch with your supervisor or the SuppoRTT Team.
Risk assessments: Guidance for doctors on pregnancy and breastfeeding – BMA
Adoption, Maternity, Paternity, Parental and Shared Parental Leave Policy
Parental Leave
Please read this document which outlines the up to date RUH policy on parental leave. If you have any questions or need clarifications, please contact your educational supervisor or SuppoRTT champion who may be able to advise you further. HR may also be able to help you by providing a copy of your contract.
Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Parental and Shared parental Leave Policy
See the Severn website for more information and links to helpful resources:
Parental and adoption leave – Severn Deanery
Sickness leave
Remember you are not only entitled but also encouraged to use the SuppoRTT programme after a sickness period of over 3 months.
Sickness Leave – Severn Deanery
Compassionate leave / bereavement leave
Compassionate leave / bereavement leave – Severn Deanery
OOPE / OOPR
OOPE / OOPR – Severn Deanery
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I am eligible for SuppoRTT?
Access to SuppoRTT in the Southwest is available to all trainees in the region who are planning to take, or are already on, an approved period out of training for one or more of the following reasons:
- Parental leave exceeding 3 months
- OOPC / OOPE / OOPR / OOPT
- GMC suspension
- Sick leave or carer's leave of 3 months or more
- Doctors who have been out of training for more than 3 months and have accepted a Severn or Peninsula training post
If you are still unsure please contact your SuppoRTT Champion or Educational Supervisor.
I am returning to a non-training post (LEDs, Trust grade doctors and clinical fellows), am I eligible to access SuppoRTT?
Locally employed doctors (LEDs) can access the SuppoRTT programme in the South West if they have had a break from clinical practice for 3 months or more. They should complete the online forms associated with the SuppoRTT process if they are intending to access the programme in any capacity. The meetings and completion of associated online forms should take place with an educational supervisor, or the local SuppoRTT Champion if they do not have an ES and their employer is unable to find one for them. We recommend that they undertake a period of enhanced supervision, with assistance from their clinical supervisor, line manager or SuppoRTT Champion. These doctors are not eligible for HEE funding for RTTA days, but their employers may choose to provide a study budget to allow for this. LEDs are welcome to access the free SuppoRTT courses, but only if there are places available after trainees with numbers have been offered places.
Who should I contact?
Every trainee should be assigned an educational supervisor who should be your first point of contact. However if this information is not available to you, you can email the
RUH Bath Specialty tutors from your department or contact the support champion.
What SuppoRTT funding may be available to me?
Alongside the period of enhanced supervision and in-house clinical KiT/SPLiT days, attending local courses is the preferred method for re-developing competence and confidence. For those attending courses on KiT/SPLiT days, it should be possible to claim study leave funding from your employing Trust, via the usual method. Salary equivalent funding is not currently available to trainees who are returning from leave other than parental leave and decide to undertake KiT-equivalent RTTA days. However, there is funding available to cover for the expenses associated with attending RTTAs.
What if I need more or less than the standard ten working days of enhanced supervision?
In cases where there is any deviation from the recommended 10 working days of enhanced supervision, this must be variation reported through the SuppoRTT Champion. An email should be sent from the ES to the SuppoRTT Champion outlining why a reduced or extended period is required, and approval granted by the SuppoRTT Champion before it can proceed. An online form that can be used for this purpose. Once approved, trainees not requiring enhanced supervision can immediately return to all usual clinical duties, including out-of-hours commitments, upon their return to work.
Can I work out-of-hours or on-call during the period of enhanced supervision?
Trainees can volunteer to work out of hours/on-call during the enhanced supervision period, providing a peer or consultant colleague is identified to offer direct supervision, and that they are working in a supernumerary capacity. It is not appropriate to undertake locum or other on-call shifts during this period.
What if I'm asked to work without adequate supervision during this period?
Any trainee who encounters difficulties surrounding their rota/clinical commitments during their period of enhanced supervision should contact the SuppoRTT Champion who has the authority to enforce the recommendations.
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