Employment

Contract of Employment

The FT/Educational Supervisor contract is an important document that must be signed as soon as possible after you have qualified. It is a nationally agreed contract and is therefore the same for every FD in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It must not be altered or adapted in any way without the express permission of the Dental Postgraduate Dean. Have a good look through it and the accompanying guidance notes before you sign it to familiarise yourself with its contents.
It is important to point out that the contract is an agreement between three parties, your practice, your Educational Supervisor and yourself. All three parties are bound by the obligations it contains which are designed to help all parties have a good FT year. It is a contract of employment which gives you, the FD, the legal rights of an employee.

Below is a summary of the main obligations of all parties under the contract, but it is important to read the contract and guidance notes through which are contained in appendices of this handbook.
You will also have attached to your Contract two Appendices which cover the Practice's Grievance Policies and the Practice's Disciplinary Rules.

It is also worth noting that in addition to the contract you and your ES will also have to sign Educational Agreements which place obligations upon you and your ES to the benefit of you and your learning and experience during the year.

Responsibilities of the Practice

to provide a surgery which is fully equipped with the equipment, instruments and materials needed to treat a full range of NHS patients
to provide an experienced dental nurse to work with the FD
to provide full administrative back up including separate reception staff so the FD nurse is not having to perform reception duties
to provide internet access at all times for the FD
to release the FD for 30 days a year to attend the study day programme
to provide a surgery for the FD when the study day programme is not running
to ensure the FD works 35 hours a week (including study days). Working hours must be set between 8.00am and 8.00 pm from Monday to Saturday and the FD must not work more than 8 hours in any one day

Responsibilities of the Educational Supervisor

to fulfil the responsibilities contained in the contract and in the educational agreement
to maintain the E-Portfolio and carry out the necessary assessments in a timely fashion
to work clinically in the same premises as the FD for not less than three days a week, not including the programmed study day
to engage in 14 sessions of FT related postgraduate activity during the year
to provide a weekly tutorial during normal working hours

Responsibilities of the Foundation Dentist

to maintain the E-Portfolio, keeping it up to date as the year progresses
to cooperate fully with the practice team, working with consideration for others and with appropriate professionalism
to take heed of the guidance of the ES and the practice
to familiarise themselves with practice protocols and procedures
to keep good and contemporaneous clinical records
to attend the day release course. The only reason for missing a study day will be illness or close family bereavement
to take holiday only when the day release course is not running