Programmed Activities. 5.1. Under the new system of mandatory job planning, each consultant will agree a job plan with their employer covering job content, duties and responsibilities and appropriate, identified and agreed objectives (as set out in the parallel paper on job planning). Time and service commitments will reflect the activities comprising the working week and employers will schedule programmed activities after discussion with the consultant.
5.2. This section sets out the framework within which time and service commitments will be agreed and timetabled.
5.3. Consultants will be expected to spend the majority of their time engaged in direct clinical care, that is: • Emergency duties (including emergency work carried out during or arising from on-call) • Operating sessions, including pre and post operative care • Xxxx rounds • Outpatient clinics • Clinical diagnostic work • Other patient treatment • Public health duties • Multi-disciplinary meetings about direct patient care • Administration directly related to patient care (e.g. referrals, notes)
5.4. Typically, direct clinical care will be expected to account for a minimum of eight programmed activities within the working week for full time consultants in the first phase of their career (the first 7 years after appointment) and seven programmed activities for other full time consultants.
5.5. The proportion of time spent on direct clinical care might, however, be lower for consultants in the third phase of their career. There will also be scope for local variation to take account of individual circumstances and service needs, for example to recognise the diverse responsibilities of clinical and medical directors, or to recognise teaching or research duties.
5.6. There are a number of activities which underpin direct clinical care and consultants will be expected to fulfil agreed commitments in respect of these activities, including as appropriate: • Training • Continuing professional development • Formal teaching • Audit • Job planning • Appraisal • Research • Clinical management • Local clinical governance activities.
5.7. Typically supporting professional activities will be expected to account for a minimum of two programmed activities within the working week for full time consultants in the first phase of their career and a minimum of three programmed activities for other full time consultants.
Programmed Activities
