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Guidance for UK supervising consultants

Guidelines for UK supervising consultants recruiting for the clinical radiology and clinical oncology MTI scheme.
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It is important to note that the scheme is not a means to seek permanent employment in the UK. The MTI makes use of spare training capacity within the NHS. The RCR is facilitating your employment of the applicant. Your responsibilities as an employer are the same as for any other employee. Any changes to the agreed post must be taken up with the RCR before they are implemented. A failure to do that may compromise our sponsorship and consequently the applicant's immigration status.

The post

An overseas doctor must be offered a suitable job in order to start the process. Both the post and the applicant must meet the MTI’s eligibility criteria. The post must be a clinical training post at specialty registrar grade, and encompass a period of higher specialty training (ST5/6/7) as set out in the current RCR specialty training curriculum. 

It cannot be core radiology/core oncology training and we do not offer sponsorship for research posts, LAS posts, specialty doctor posts, or locum consultant posts.

The MTI is designed to allow the doctor to take up a temporary training post to benefit their practice when they return to their home country, not for the purpose of settling in the UK, and the scheme should not be used to address workforce issues at a service level.

Job descriptions and timetables

Job descriptions for the MTI doctor must reflect that the role is a training post.  What we look for in approving the job is a clear weekly timetable which includes:

  • Clinical radiology - a balance of imaging reporting and procedural work, MDT attendance, administration and SPA time, and no inclusion in the out of hours on-call rota until the MTI doctor has been in post and assessed by the clinical supervisor as competent to be included.
  • Clinical oncology - radiotherapy planning, outpatient clinics, MDTs, administration, and at least 1 SPA, limited time in the acute oncology service and wards.  

There should be no expected inclusion in the out-of-hours on-call rota until the MTI doctor has been in post and assessed by the clinical supervisor as competent to be included. As with Specialty training programmes nationally we also expect MTI doctors to rotate through tumour sites.

Training Programme Director/Head of School post confirmation

As part of the application process, the relevant Training Programme Director/Head of School must co-sign the UK supervising consultant form confirming that the post is appropriate and contains sufficient education and training to benefit the applicant.  By co-signing the application form, the TPD/HoS also confirms that the applicant’s appointment does not adversely affect the training of UK/EEA doctors or existing trainees. The UK supervising consultant/UK employer must submit the application form along with the job description, timetable and applicant's CV in order for the complete application to be considered for initial approval by the Medical Director of Education and Training (MDET).

Your complete MTI application should therefore include:

  • UK supervising consultant form co-signed by the TPD/HoS

  • Applicant's CV

  • Job description

  • Timetable

Educational Supervisor/the UK Employer

This Clinical Oncology training post is expected to have the usual educational supervision procedures in place (e.g. clinical and educational supervisor) for the MTI applicant.   As with any employee new to practice in the NHS, it is also expected that the UK employer will arrange an induction and orientation period.

The ongoing role of the RCR

As part of the role of the RCR as sponsors of the MTI initiative, both the UK employer and MTI trainee will be contacted quarterly throughout the placement to confirm that all is progressing as expected.

Our Medical Training Initiative scheme

Discover our Medical Training Initiative (MTI) scheme, which is designed to allow a limited number of overseas doctors to enter the UK for a maximum of two years, to benefit from training and development in the NHS. 

Medical Training Initiative (MTI)