Resources and Courses for Supervisors

Supported Return to Training (or SuppoRTT for short) is a centrally funded NHS England programme which aims to support all postgraduate doctors and dentists in training (including Public Health registrars) to safely and confidently return to training after a sustained period of absence.

Pages in this section:

An Introduction to SuppoRTT

A Supported Return to Training e-learning module on e-LfH has been developed specifically for supervisors and educators.

Content includes:

Introduction to SuppoRTT
Trainee Concerns
SuppoRTT Process for Supervisors
Resources including KIT/SPLIT, Mentoring and Courses

Building a more SuppoRTTive culture

The 'Building a more SuppoRTTive culture' e-learning module is available on the Learning Hub for all NHS staff, whether clinical or non-clinical, because every individual within the healthcare system has a role to play in building a positive, supportive culture, both for returning trainees and the wider NHS.

The course explores the significance of organisational culture in shaping the experience of trainees returning to work, and in creating an NHS that is safe for the patients it serves, and in which its staff can thrive.

We hope that all colleagues across the Yorkshire and Humber Region will join us in building a more SuppoRTTive culture for our postgraduate doctors and dentists in training.

NHSE YH SuppoRTT Courses for Supervisors

Our Development Courses for Educators and Supervisors includes a range of courses that will provide you with the skills and tools to successfully support your Trainee's return to training.

Guidance on the SuppoRTT Process

There are three meetings that should take place as part of the SuppoRTT process: an absence planning meeting, an initial return meeting and a review meeting. Forms should be completed at each of these meetings to document the discussions had and confirm the support/training needs of the trainee. A full overview of the process can be found on the guidance and meetings & forms pages.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has created a list of questions that can be used to help frame the conversations that should take place at each of the three meetings, which you may find to be a useful reference in shaping conversations with your Trainee. These questions can be found in the appendices of the SuppoRTT Guidance.

The below video links provide a personal account of some of the issues and concerns raised during Supported Return to Training and provide an example for how each SuppoRTT meeting can take place.

Pre Absence / Absence Planning Meeting

Initial Return to Training Meeting

Return Review Meeting

Back in Orbit

The School of Ophthalmology recognises the specific challenges faced by Trainees when returning to work after time out (e.g., parental leave, sick leave, career break, or OOP). Guided by the findings of a regional survey in 2020 of current and former trainees who have experience of this, they have developed a toolkit of resources for educational supervisors, college tutors and returning doctors to aid re-integration into training following time away.