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This is your monthly round-up of important news and updates from the team at Lead Employer.
In this week's edition you can find:
- Annual Lead Employer conference
- Pulse survey reflections
- National Education and Training Survey (NETS)
- Festive period pay dates confirmed
- Upcoming knowledge sessions
- Home Electronics Scheme registration
- Use of online forms for leave requests
- Wagestream rebrand
- 2025 Total Reward Statements (TRS) available to view in ESR
- Freedom to Speak Up Month
- Black History Month - educational webinars
 Annual Lead Employer conference
Shaping the support we provide during your training journey
Last week our team came together for an internal conference, bringing colleagues from across the organisation to share experiences, identify what’s working well and explore how best to support you during your training.
Although the event was just for our internal staff, feedback and collaboration are already helping us to identify good practice that we can build on. We remain committed to strengthening the support you receive as you progress through your placements.
We’ll be taking forward these discussions and insights to enhance the support you receive from us over the coming months.
Pulse survey reflections
Thank you to everyone who shared your feedback
A big thank you to all who took the time to complete our recent pulse survey. Your insights are invaluable and help us to shape the services and support we provide. We really appreciate your continued engagement and openness in sharing both what’s working well and where there are challenges.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be continuing to review the feedback in detail and draw out key reflections.
We plan to share these findings with you as soon as possible. Our aim is to ensure that your feedback leads to meaningful changes and that you can see the impact of your contributions.
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National Education and Training Survey (NETS)
Opens Tuesday 7th October - closes Tuesday 2nd December
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Since 2019, NETS is the only national survey open to all healthcare trainees, allowing you to provide essential feedback on induction, clinical supervision, facilities, learning opportunities and teamwork you experience. It also includes questions on health and wellbeing, equality, diversity and inclusion. |
Festive period pay dates confirmed
December 2025 and January 2026 pay dates moved forward
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The pay dates for December 2025 and January 2026 have been moved forward to the following dates:
- December 2025: Friday 20th December
- January 2026: Friday 24th January
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Please note: Outside of December and January, you will be paid on the 28th of each month. Where this falls over the weekend or a bank holiday, payment will be made on the working day immediately prior to this.
 Upcoming knowledge sessions
Three live sessions happening throughout October
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Would you benefit from hearing directly from our team on important areas relating to your employment? We're running three virtual sessions during October.
Check out our knowledge sessions page for a full list of upcoming sessions including dates, times and booking details.
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Home Electronics Scheme registration
Important update
We’ve been informed of a recent update to the Home Electronics scheme, which may affect how you register for an account.
New users can only register using a work email address with a recognised domain such as nhs.net, nhs.uk, or gov.uk. Personal email addresses (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail) will no longer be accepted during registration.
This change has been introduced by the scheme provider to help verify the legitimacy of applications and provide additional reassurance to employers.
This update only affects new registrations, but if you have any questions about the scheme or how to register, please contact the scheme provider directly via their website or Customer Service Team.
Use of online forms for leave requests
No paper forms - please use online submission
To help us process your special leave, maternity, paternity, or shared parental leave requests efficiently, please ensure that all applications are submitted using the online forms accessible via our website.
We have recently seen an increase in paper forms being submitted, which unfortunately cannot be processed by our teams. Any paper forms received will be returned with instructions to complete the application online.
Using the online forms helps us to:
- Speed up the processing of your requests
- Reduce errors and delays
- Ensure accurate record-keeping
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us improve the service for everyone.
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Wagestream rebrand
The financial wellbeing app is now known as Stream
Wagestream has rebranded to Stream. Stream is a financial wellbeing app created in partnership with charities, designed specifically for frontline workers and built around your pay. It offers a range of simple and secure financial tools to help you manage your money more effectively every day
Please be aware that you must be signed up to the NHS Collaborative Bank - MWL to use Stream.
2025 refreshed TRS available to view
Total Reward Statements (TRS) can be viewed via Employee Self-Service (ESR)
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) has completed the mid-year update of the TRS - your personalised summary of the full value of your NHS employment package.
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Why this matters to you:
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The TRS shows not just your salary, but also your pension benefits, leave entitlement and other valuable perks available to you as a colleague-in-training.
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It helps you start planning for your financial future by providing clear pension information.
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Understanding your TRS empowers you to make the most of your NHS career and the benefits that come with it.
How to access your statement:
 Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) Month
Your Voice Matters – speak up with confidence
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As a colleague-in-training, you play a vital role in making the NHS safer and stronger.
This October, during Freedom to Speak Up Month, we want to remind you that your concerns and insights are important, and you have the right and support to raise them without fear.
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We're proud to promote an open, supportive culture where all should feel safe to speak up.
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If you’re working in a Trust with local Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) arrangements, please use those first.
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If local arrangements aren’t available, follow the MWL FTSU process.
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Not sure who your local FTSU Guardian is? Find them here.
Black History Month
October 2025
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Black History Month is a time to reflect, learn and advocate. It encourages meaningful conversations about history, culture and the vital importance of diversity and inclusion in our communities and workplaces. |
Upcoming webinars
*All webinars below take place from 12pm-1pm on the specified dates.
Webinar 1
14th October 2025 | Faith Folorunsho, Charge Nurse
Theme: Standing Firm in Power and Pride
Faith’s webinar will explore this year’s Black History Month theme through history, culture and lived experience in the NHS.
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Power: Reflections on landmark moments and insights from her leadership as a Charge Nurse; the role of advocacy in patient care and tackling health inequalities to ensure equity.
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Pride: Exploring identity, heritage, Nigerian roots, family values and how everyday culture - food, music, traditions - enriches the NHS and strengthens teamwork.
Webinar 2
22nd October 2025 | Onome Oyedokun, Charge Nurse
Theme: Building Cultural Understanding for Respectful Workplaces
Onome will discuss the importance of basic knowledge of African culture to foster respectful, courteous working relationships. For example, how cultural differences around eye contact can affect perceptions of respect and confidence. Understanding these differences helps build mutual respect across diverse teams.
Webinar 3
30th October 2025 | Cornelius Tama, Resource Team Lead
Theme: Standing at the Crossroads – A Black Man’s Journey to Empowerment and Belonging
Cornelius will share personal reflections on the people who shaped his life, key moments that molded his identity and his experiences raising a black child in the UK.
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