Acting up as a consultant: Eligibility and how to apply

What this article is about
This article explains acting up as a consultant, who may be eligible, and how the approval process works.

Who this is for
Doctors and dentists in training who are considering an acting up opportunity.

What you need to know

• Acting up provides experience of working at consultant level while remaining in training.
• It is normally available only to trainees within one year of their anticipated CCT or completion date.
• The opportunity must be relevant to the trainee’s specialty and curriculum.
• Acting up normally lasts up to three months, or pro rata for LTFT trainees.
• A named supervisor must be in place, including for any on-call work.
• Trainees with unmet objectives, outstanding capabilities or developmental ARCP outcomes are not normally eligible.
• Acting up is not the same as working as a locum consultant.
• If you have already completed training, you are not normally eligible to act up and may need to consider locum consultant arrangements instead.
• The period may count towards training only where allowed by the curriculum, College or Faculty requirements and any required approvals.

What to do

1. Discuss the acting up opportunity with your Training Programme Director.
2. Check that you are within one year of your anticipated CCT or completion date.
3. Confirm the proposed post, dates, supervisor and training relevance.
4. Check whether the specialty curriculum allows acting up to count towards training.
5. Check whether College, Faculty or GMC approval is needed.
6. Submit the acting up request through the correct route before the placement starts.
7. Wait for written approval before starting the acting up arrangement.

If this does not work
If the post does not meet acting up criteria, or if the curriculum does not allow it to count towards training, you may need to consider whether a separate OOP process applies. Acting up opportunities are not guaranteed and there is not normally an appeal route if no suitable opportunity is available.

Who to contact
Use the PGMDE Support Portal for acting up queries. Contact your Training Programme Director for curriculum and suitability discussions.

What HET can and cannot help with
HET can help with

• Confirming the acting up application process.
• Checking administrative requirements.
• Recording approved acting up arrangements.
• Directing queries to the correct programme, College, Faculty or GMC route.

HET cannot help with

• Creating an acting up opportunity where none exists.
• Guaranteeing approval.
• Treating acting up as a locum consultant appointment.
• Providing employment, immigration or legal advice.

Related articles

• Out of Programme (OOP): overview of types and key rules
• Who approves OOP and Acting Up requests and typical timelines
• How Out of Programme affects your training time and CCT date

Last reviewed
 Last reviewed: 19 June 2026