1.    How long do I have to respond to an offer?

This year the UK health departments, Royal Colleges and deaneries have worked together to coordinate all job offers in Round One so that applicants can accept, reject or hold an offer until after all first offers have been issued.

All first offers in Round One will be issued by 9 March 2012. Candidates receiving an offer will have 48 hours (including weekends and bank holidays) to decide whether to accept it, reject it or hold. You can hold an offer until 19 March 2012, but you can only hold one offer at a time.  When holding an offer you are holding the exact offer you were made – this means if you were offered a post in a specific sector then you are holding the offer of a post in that sector. You will not be losing the sector because you have decided to hold the offer.  Please note that this would not apply for specialties using the UK Offers system where candidates opt to hold  their offer with upgrades. Where candidates opt to hold with upgrades, the offer they are holding can be upgraded at any time an offer the candidate has ranked higher than the offer held becomes available. In Round 1 of 2012 recruitment, specialties using the UK Offers system are as follow: Anaesthesia CT1, ACCS Anaesthesia CT1, Public Health ST1 and Neurosurgery ST1.

For Round Two recruitment, offers will be made as soon as possible after interviews are complete, with all first offers made no later than 23 May 2012. Applicants will be able to hold offers for CT2 and ST3 specialties in Round 2 until 31 May 2012. The Timetable for 2012 on the London Deanery website will be updated regularly so candidates can track the progress of specialty offers. Once a range of specialty offers is complete it will be listed as ‘Complete' on the timetable.

During Round Two (anytime after March 2012) candidates will be given 48 hours (excluding weekends and bank holidays) to accept or reject an offer.

Please note offers will be made via candidates' online recruitment accounts, with emails sent to candidates' registered email addresses to highlight the offer made. We have found that some ‘hotmail’ and ‘rediffmail.com’ spam/junkmail filters may intercept emails, so we strongly advise against using these accounts. Candidates will need to respond to offers via their online accounts.

2.    If I accept, how long will it be before I receive my allocation?

We will always try to allocate as quickly as possible.  Unfortunately it is not possible to give an exact timescale due to the differences between the many specialties and posts on offer.

Allocation to posts will be done on the basis of your interview ranking, preferences (where appropriate), educational and service requirements. You will be matched to an individual trust post as soon as possible.  Please note that for larger specialties this may be 8-12 weeks prior to taking up your post. We understand that applicants will be advised of their allocation by email. We encourage you to check the email address you included in your application for information from the London Deanery.

Please note that candidates will be informed of the allocation details once we have a confirmed list of accepted offers and allocations have been completed by the Specialty Training Programme Directors.

3.    Can I withdraw once I have my allocation?

If you wish to withdraw from a post following receipt of allocation you must resign giving sufficient notice. You will not be reallocated.

4.    Has my specialty made offers yet?

All Round One offers will be made from February 2012 and details will be posted on our 2012 Specialty Recruitment Timetable.

If you have attended an interview but the offer is not listed as ‘Complete’ on the 2012 Specialty Recruitment Timetable the process for your specialty has not been completed.  If you are successful you will be contacted by email in the near future.

We are unable to answer personal requests regarding offers. Once offers are complete successful candidates will receive an email informing them of the offer.

Please review the 2012 Specialty Recruitment Timetable  regularly as this page will be updated as offers processes are completed.

5.    Will my offer include details of where I will be based?

We will endeavour to give you as much information as possible in your offer email.  As a principle, offers will be made at the smallest geographical level possible; this is unlikely to be at Trust level but for some specialties may be sector/programme.  Once an offer is accepted, you will then be allocated to a Trust and both you and the Trust will be informed of the allocation as quickly as possible.

6.    How soon after interviews will offers be made?

We aim to make the first iteration of offers between 1 – 6 weeks after interviews. Allocation to posts will be done on the basis of interview ranking, preferences (where appropriate), educational and service requirements. Applicants will be matched to an individual trust post as soon as possible once offers have been made.

7.    How long will my contract be for? / What will my salary be?

As the Deanery is not the employer, the contract is with the Hospital Trust. Therefore the contract will usually be for the duration that a trainee spends at the employing trust.

For trainees who are completing posts in a hospital setting, this must be discussed with Medical HR in the Trust, and for those in a GP setting with HR at the PCT.

8.    How does the ‘Process for Offers’ work?

There are a number of stages in the offer and allocations process. Successful candidates are offered a post and if this is declined the post is ‘recycled’ and offered to the next highest-ranked candidate.  Once an offer is accepted the candidate is allocated to a trust. Candidates wishing to withdraw from their post following receipt of their allocation will not be reallocated; they must resign giving sufficient notice. Please see the definitions below:

Level of Offers – as a principle, offers will be made at the smallest geographical level possible; this is unlikely to be at Trust level, and for some specialties may be at sector/programme level.

Recycling – posts that are declined or not accepted within the defined timeframe will be ‘recycled’; which means they will be offered to the next highest-ranked candidate, who has not already had an offer.

Allocation – once an offer is accepted, the candidate will then be allocated to a Trust and both candidate and Trust will be informed of the allocation.

Withdrawing following allocation – allocation is confirmation of Trust location following offer acceptance and is not a new offer to accept or decline.

9:    Can I defer my offer at the start of a specialty training programme?

Yes. Candidates may apply for specialty training in 2012 and defer their start date only on statutory grounds (e.g. maternity leave, ill health).

10.    I have been offered a place in a Masters degree course and plan to take this up before doing my post-foundation training. Can I defer my offer?

No. Not for study purposes. See Gold Guide Page 36 section 6.20
Trainees wishing to defer must write to the appropriate Head of School (via the Medical Workforce Officer/Manager) with details of their request and an approximate date of return to the programme