Appendix 1: Peninsula Foundation School - Criteria for special circumstances applied to swaps requests
To be considered for prioritisation in the Peninsula Foundation School swaps process on the grounds of special circumstances, you must meet one of the criteria 1 -4 below.
The following (in isolation) DO NOT constitute grounds for making a Special Circumstances application:
Wishing to stay in the same Trust/wishing to move to a different Trust
Living/owning property in a specific location
A spouse’s/partner’s geographical location
Career aspirations (i.e., your allocated programme does not contain the specialty you want)
As with all swaps applications the ability to accommodate a swap of your F2 programme depends on there being a suitable vacancy available.
2.1 Criterion 1: You are a parent or legal guardian of a child or children under the age of 18, who reside primarily with you or for whom you have significant caring responsibilities
2.1.1 If your sole criterion is that you (or your partner) are currently pregnant, you will not be regarded as eligible for special circumstances under this criterion.
2.1.2 It is expected that you and your child(ren) in this category will remain at your current address and application for a swap will be remain at the hospital trust local to that address.
2.1.3 If you and the child(ren) do not normally reside together, this should be referred to on the application form, and information supplied as to why the caring responsibilities remain equally significant.
2.1.4 You will be required to supply the following supporting evidence: -
- Copy of birth certificate(s) of the child(ren)
- for legal guardians, a copy of the legal document that confirms your status for the child named in the birth certificate.
- statement confirming that you have significant caring responsibilities for the child(ren) from an appropriate professional who you have known for at least six months, except for in a minority of cases.
- proof of current address, e.g. driving licence, utility bill dated within the last three months or council tax bill dated within the last twelve months.
2.2 Criterion 2: You are the primary carer for someone who is disabled (as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
Definition of 'disability' under the Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. For the purposes of the Act: -
- substantial means more than minor or trivial
- long-term means that the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for at least 12 months.
- normal day-to-day activities include things like eating, washing, walking, and going shopping.
Some conditions, such as addictions to non-prescribed substances, are specifically excluded.
People who have had a disability in the past that meet this definition are also covered by the scope of the Act.
There are additional provisions relating to people with progressive conditions. People with HIV, cancer and multiple sclerosis are protected by the Act from the point of diagnosis. People with visual impairments are automatically deemed to be disabled.
2.2.1 For you to meet this criterion, you must be the primary carer for this person, who would normally be your partner, sibling, or parent.
2.2.2 If the person you are caring for is not your partner, sibling or parent, you will have to explain clearly and present a strong case as to why and how you have the role of primary carer for this person.
2.2.3 If you provide care for a person as part of a group of carers, e.g. a family, you are not eligible to apply under this criterion.
2.2.4 It is expected that you and the person who you care for in this category will remain at your current address(es), and the application for a swap will be to the hospital trust local to that address. If this is not the case, relevant evidence must be supplied as to why follow up arrangements could not continue as present.
You will be required to supply the following supporting evidence: -
- statement from GP/Social Services professional that you have known at least six months, confirming your role as primary carer for this person.
- proof of current address, e.g. driving licence, utility bill dated within the last three months or council tax bill dated within the last twelve months.
2.3 Criterion 3: The applicant has a medical condition or disability for which ongoing follow up for the condition in the specified location is an absolute requirement
2.3.1 As you already have this medical condition, it is expected that you will remain at your current address, and application for a swap will be to the hospital trust local to that address.
2.3.2 If the request for a swap is not for the hospital trust local to your current address, relevant evidence must be supplied as to why follow up arrangements could not continue as present.
2.3.3 You will be required to supply the following supporting evidence (the supporting evidence needs to be clear and explicit, and it must state why you need to be at a particular hospital trust)
- A report, by the current medical specialist treating your condition or Occupational Health physician, in which they will be required to: -
- Describe the current medical condition or disability
- Describe the nature of the ongoing treatment and frequency
- Explain why the follow up must be delivered in a specific location rather than by other treatment centres in the Peninsula.
- proof of current address, e.g. driving licence, utility bill dated within the last three months or council tax bill dated within the last twelve months.
2.4 Criterion 4: Educational support
2.4.1 If you consider there are unique circumstances that require you to be in a particular hospital trust due to educational reasons.
2.4.2 Relevant reasons include where it is recommended that a trainee experiencing difficulties remains in the same trust to benefit from the continued support of the local education team.
2.4.3 Educational reason DO NOT include a request to transfer based on wanting to complete a particular specialty offered by a particular trust.
- You will be required to supply the following supporting evidence:
- Statement from current Foundation Programme Director setting out the reasons for remaining in the current trust.