NHS Grampian psychology trainees left with bills for overnight stays in Edinburgh
Psychology trainees are not being given enough cash to pay for required overnight stays in Edinburgh, according to health board documents.
A report, presented at an NHS Grampian board meeting last week, raised “negative feedback” from trainees who “often” have to attend training in the capital.
While psychology students do receive expenses, the meeting heard, some have to stump up for accomodation because of the “expensiveness of Edinburgh”.
In other health boards, the Area Clinical Forum (ACF) report said, trainees receive extra funds to ensure they do not have to pay.
However, this is not the case with NHS Grampian trainees.
The report also raised concerns that “this may have a negative impact on recruitment and retention to the region in the long term.”
Board member Albert Donald said he was “surprised” to learn that the costs were not fully covered for students.
He also raised concerns that that NHS Grampian “seems to be at odds with other boards and that there's not a national policy on this”.
Dr Robert Lockhart, vice-chair of the ACF and GP partner at the Maryhill Group Practice, said his committee had a “collective feeling that this is an unsatisfactory situation”.
“It is obviously very important that we support our trainees,” he added.
“The time that they have during their training can reflect on how they view NHS Grampian and the retention of them staying.”
Professor June Brown, executive nurse director and interim deputy chief executive, confirmed that students did “struggle to find accomodation” covered by the available expenses.
However, Dr Brown confirmed that funding levels are set by NHS Education Scotland (NES), which also provides the cash.
However, she added, the NHS Grampian board “does have responsibility”.
“This is a long standing issue,” Dr Brown said.
“Psychology students do get expenses.
“However, due to the expensiveness of Edinburgh, they struggle to find accommodation from the money that they have.
“It's not that they don't get paid - they do - but it's quite difficult to get accommodation within that price bracket in Edinburgh.
“There have been numerous opportunities, and things been looked at, to see how we can work around that and how we can support them in a different way.
“And that work continues to go on.”
