Dear Doctor,

The Strategic Review of Medical Training and Career Structure (MacCraith) Interim Report recommended that “more flexible and differentiated approaches and options during training that take account of family, research or other constraints should be explored”.

National Doctors Training and Planning are committed to the continued support for initiatives that facilitate flexible training and less than fulltime working (LTFT) for trainees.

To date 439 trainees have availed of the HSE National Flexible Training Scheme, the scheme can accommodate up to 32 participants at any one time however places are limited and participants cannot work more 50% WTE. Further information on this scheme is available here

For the 2021/22 training year a new job sharing arrangement, in addition to the National Flexible Training Scheme was piloted with some of the post-graduate training bodies to facilitate some trainees interested in LTFT working. In these arrangements the training body works with trainees to design bespoke LTFT arrangements whereby two trainees share one full-time post.

For the 2022/23 training year this pilot will be extended to include all post-graduate training bodies, if you are interested in LTFT working then please register your interest by contacting

Ms Orla Mockler – Specialty Emergency Medicine – omockler@rcsi.com

Ms Niamh Carroll – Specialty Training (ST3 –ST8) – niamhcarroll@rcsi.com

Ms Jane Cunningham – Core Surgical Training (ST2) –  coreST@rcsi.com