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This is your monthly round-up of important news and updates from the team at Lead Employer.
In this month's edition you can find:
- Happy New Year!
- Annual survey has now closed
- New knowledge sessions for 2026
- Early January pay date
- Mileage reimbursement rates
- NHS Collaborative Bank update
- Sickness absence reporting guidance
- Raising concerns form - now available
- Important 2026 training
 Happy New Year!
A warm welcome to 2026
We hope the festive period treated you as well as possible, and thank you for your continued commitment during what is often a demanding time. As we steam ahead into the New Year, we are excited to continue working collaboratively with you as you progress through your training placements across the UK.
We are currently analysing the results of our annual survey, which captures your experiences while on placement. These insights will play a key role in shaping our development objectives for the year ahead. We will be sharing key reflections over the coming months and, as always, welcome your feedback at any time.
Following the increased winter pressures and periods of industrial action towards the end of 2025, we know that 2026 must remain firmly focused on our main goal: improving the working lives of our colleagues-in-training. Without you, those successes wouldn't be possible and we want to thank you once again for your continued contributions to patient care and our service.
Here’s to a fantastic year ahead!
Lead Employer Senior Leadership Team
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Annual survey has now closed
Thank you for all your valuable feedback
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Thank you to everyone that took the time to complete our 2025 Lead Employer annual survey. Your feedback helps us shape service improvements and ensure your voice is heard when bettering our processes and collaboration with you. We are now analysing the results and will share findings in the coming months. |
New knowledge sessions for 2026
Gain insight from our specialist teams
We’ve reviewed the most popular and valuable knowledge sessions from 2025 and created a new calendar for the year ahead.
This year, we’re offering more of the sessions you told us you need to support with throughout your training, and we would love to hear your suggestions for any additional topics you’d like us to include in the second half of the year.
Find all knowledge sessions up until summer 2026 below:
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 Early January pay date
Monday 26th January
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This month's pay date is Monday 26th January. Please note that from February onwards, pay day will return to the 28th of each month. Should the 28th fall on a weekend, you will be paid on the last Friday before the 28th.
For a full list of pay dates and expenses deadlines until March 2026, please click here.
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Mileage reimbursement rates
Changes now effective
The mileage reimbursement rates for resident doctors, dentists (excluding foundation dentists) and public health registrars under the Lead Employer contract are in line with the rates outlined in the NHS TCS Handbook - new rates will apply to any claims with an end-date on or after 1st January 2026. There are no changes to mileage reimbursement rates for foundation dentists which differ to what is outlined in the below.
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NHS Collaborative Bank
Pay dates and approving pre-employment
The NHS Collaborative Bank payroll close dates are the same as Lead Employer (LE) payroll deadlines, so please ensure all required information is submitted by the LE close date to avoid any delays to your pay.
Approving pre-employment checks for Trust Banks
We cannot confirm pre-employment checks as any Bank work will be a separate work contract to what you hold with Lead Employer under your training programme. This activity is not part of the NHSE training programme and therefore not covered by the LE model. As a result, hosts employing individuals on their own Trust's Bank must carry out their own pre-employment checks to ensure compliance.
Reminder: NHSCB & Agency usage during Industrial Action
As a reminder, following the high court ruling restricting how agency staff can be used to cover workforce gaps in August 2023, agency staff can no longer fill in for strikes.
We have also taken legal advice from our lawyers (Hill Dickinson LLP) to understand how the ruling impacts upon shifts booked via the NHS Collaborative Bank (NHSCB). Hill Dickinson LLP have confirmed that use of the NHSCB to cover strike action is not allowed.
Strikes and industrial action: High Court quashes regulations which allow striking staff to be replaced by agency workers from 10 August 2023 | Hill Dickinson
You may of course continue to use the NHSCB to cover other gaps in your workforce, for example in relation to gaps in rotas, sickness, maternity...
We will continue to update you on this.
Sickness absence reporting guidance
What you need to know
The sickness absence reporting guidance provides a clear, step-by-step framework on how to report sickness, return to work and access support. We encourage all to familiarise yourself with the guidance, understand responsibilities and make use of the support available.
 Raising concerns form - now available
As your employer, your safety, wellbeing and working environment are important to us throughout your training.
If you experience a concern at work – whether minor or more serious – there is a confidential raising concerns form you can use to let us know. Concerns might relate to patient or personal safety, workplace behaviour, discrimination, unsafe practices or professional or ethical issues.
We encourage concerns to be raised in a timely manner so they can be reviewed and addressed appropriately by our team. Using the form is optional, If you would rather talk to us directly in the first instance, you can also contact the team at lead.employer@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk or 0151 478 7777.
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Important 2026 training
Free training sessions
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As part of our membership to the NHS Sexual Safety Charter, we're committed to ensuring all staff understand what constitutes sexual misconduct in the workplace and know how to respond appropriately. We strongly encourage all colleagues-in-training to complete the following sexual safety training: |
Sexual Harassment & Sexual Safety Webinar (1 hour)
Neurodiversity in the Workplace (1 hour 30 mins)
We also offer Neurodiversity in the Workplace training, designed to support understanding and inclusion:
We encourage you to sign up and take part in these sessions to help create a safe, inclusive and supportive training environment.
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