What is Out of Programme Pause and how does it differ from other forms of out of training?

Trainees told Health Education England (HEE) that existing out of programme mechanisms (out of programme experience [OOPE], out of programme research [OOPR], out of programme career break [OOPC] and out of programme training [OOPT]) provided a degree of flexibility, however none of these mechanisms recognised that trainees sometimes wish to “pause” their training to undertake an NHS non-training post, gain further experience, take stock of their training, work in another related specialty, etc.

Equally, trainees told HEE that they felt frustrated about the inability to count competencies or time in non-training posts, when they had left and at a later stage returned to training. Out of programme pause (OOPP) differs from out of programme for experience (OOPE) because in OOPE, none of the experiences or competencies/capabilities gained.  With OOPP experience and competencies gained outside of training may then be considered on the trainee’s return to their training programme.  

Out of programme pause therefore allows trainees to step out of formal for a period of time – currently up to one year - and have any competencies gained whilst out of training assessed upon their return. This may allow trainees to minimise the impact on the time out of programme has on their CCT date.

Time out of programme (OOP) will not normally be agreed until you have been in a training programme for at least one year of training (unless at the time of appointment, deferral of the start of the programme has been agreed for leave on statutory grounds) and you are progressing at a rate not requiring alteration of your CCT date.

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