LOCALLY EMPLOYED DOCTORS & INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL GRADUATES HANDBOOK
LED FACULTY
MAY 2025
East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust
Locally Employed Doctors (LED) and International Medical Graduates (IMG) Information
Welcome to East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust as a Locally Employed Doctor (LED) where you are a vital part of a dedicated healthcare team committed to delivering high-quality patient care. As an LED, you'll have the opportunity to work across various specialties, gaining diverse clinical experience while contributing to the wellbeing of our community. We will also offer plenty of training and learning opportunities for you so that you can develop your clinical knowledge and skills whilst working with us, in a flexible and supportive environment.
Whether you're looking to build your experience, explore different areas of medicine, or contribute to the NHS's vital work, being an LED provides a dynamic and fulfilling career path. You'll work alongside experienced consultants and other allied healthcare professionals, benefit from ongoing educational opportunities, and play a key role in the daily operations of our hospital.
At our NHS Trust, we value the contributions of our locally employed doctors, recognizing their essential role in providing compassionate and effective care to patients.
For our International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who are joining us, this booklet will help provide some essential information that you may find useful – such as the UK relocation guidance and other helpful pointers regarding acclimating to a new work environment.
Meet the LED Faculty!
We have a diverse team on the LED Faculty who are based at both hospitals at ESNEFT (Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals):
Dr Jonathan Campbell (LED Tutors Lead)
Dr Zeenat Banu (LED Tutor)
Dr Tania Mohamed (LED rep in Colchester)
Dr Esam Amer (LED Tutor)
Dr Nabarun Das (LED tutor in Ipswich)
Dr Githmi Gunasekera (LED rep in Ipswich)
Dr Samuel Mills (LED rep in Ipswich)
Training Opportunities
Departmental Teaching:
Routine departmental teaching sessions are integral to the training of LED doctors. These include a variety of learning formats such as:
Simulation Teaching:
Grand Rounds: Regular sessions where complex cases are discussed and analysed.
Departmental-based Simulation:
Continued use of simulation techniques to reinforce practical skills used in specific department.
Tutorials: Focused educational sessions on specific topics or skills.
Practical Skills Days: Dedicated days for honing essential clinical and procedural skills-Including Procedural skills day, Trauma Team Essential Course (TTEC), Ultrasound training course ,etc.
A quick word from Dr Githmi and Dr Tania – Sim Fellows:
LED doctors have access to cutting-edge simulation-based learning at both sites. The Sim Suite in Ipswich and ICENI Centre in Colchester, provides access to Virtual reality learning, Surgical skills training and low/high fidelity sim training. These sessions provide a hands-on, immersive experience that helps enhance clinical skills and decision-making in a controlled environment.
Some of the Simulation courses that you may be interested in include:
- FY Simulation Teaching (mandatory for all FYs)
- COMETs (mandatory for IMT trainees)
- Skills and Drills (Colchester based simulation course for FY level doctors)
The role of Simulation Fellow in Medical Education has been an enriching journey, offering opportunities to support training for both undergraduate and postgraduate training. Working with high- and low-fidelity simulators and VR tools, I’ve been able to contribute to building essential clinical, practical skills and nontechnical skills .This role helps sharpen leadership, project management, and teaching skills and Fine-tune debriefing techniques helping to foster critical reflection among participants. A key responsibility is identifying gaps in postgraduate education and designing innovative projects that incorporate simulation to address these training needs effectively where I especially enjoy crafting innovative scenarios for postgraduate training and designing engaging simulations which allowed me to explore creativity in education. The opportunity to pursue a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Medical Education alongside this fellowship has deepened my understanding of educational practices, further enhancing my ability to mentor and inspire learners.This fellowship has been a perfect blend of professional growth, creativity, and meaningful contribution to medical education, shaping the future of healthcare training.
Training Opportunities
Emergency Ultrasound Training Courses at ESNEFT
Transforming Emergency Care Through Ultrasound Training
Who Should Attend?
This course is ideal for:
•Emergency physicians
•Acute medical physicians
•Trainee doctors in emergency medicine or acute specialities
•Advanced clinical practitioners and allied healthcare professionals involved in acute and emergency care Course Structure
Each training session includes:
•A short, focused lecture to provide essential background knowledge
•Intensive, hands-on scanning practice with guidance from our expert instructors
•Real-time feedback and the opportunity to ask questions
At ESNEFT, we proudly offer regular emergency ultrasound training courses designed specifically for emergency and acute care physicians. Held at both Colchester and Ipswich Hospital sites, these courses have quickly become popular among healthcare professionals who want to expand their diagnostic capabilities and provide faster, more accurate patient care in high-pressure environments.
Why Choose Our Courses?
Our training is tailored to meet the needs of busy clinicians working in emergency and acute settings. Whether you're new to ultrasound or seeking to enhance your skills, we provide a dynamic, hands-on learning experience emphasising practical knowledge and real-world application.
Relocation Guidance
Income Tax
Income tax is a tax you pay in the UK on your earnings/income. Most people in the UK get a personal allowance of tax-free income. This is the amount of income you can earn before you pay tax, and determines what tax code is generated for you. This tax code is then used to inform your employer how much income tax they should be taking from your pay.
Your tax code will normally start with a number and end with a letter. You can check your tax code by looking on your payslip or by visiting Check your Income Tax for the current year - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). You will see your income tax contribution (as well as your NI contribution) on your payslip under ‘PAYE’.
Upon starting work in the UK, you may be emergency taxed and given an emergency tax code accordingly. These tax codes are temporary and should be updated as soon as possible. So that the correct tax code can be generated, we will require you to complete a ‘Starter Checklist’. This form is used to gather the necessary information required to generate the appropriate tax code for you.
Pension
The NHS Pension scheme is one of the most comprehensive and generous schemes within the UK. If you are aged between 16 and 75, and are working in the NHS, you are eligible for an NHS pension.
You will automatically become a member of the 2015 NHS Pension scheme when you start work, however you can opt out by completing an SD502 form. This form, as well as more information on leaving the pension scheme can be found at Leaving or taking a break from the scheme | NHSBSA.
Pension contributions will be deducted monthly (before tax) from your income and will appear on your payslip as ‘Pension contribution x%’. The percentage that you will contribute to the scheme will be dependent on your annual income
Relocation Guidance
Relocation Guidance
Accommodation
At ESNEFT, we liaise with Swan Housing (Colchester) and Ocasa Homes (Ipswich) who manage a limited amount of accommodation for our staff. More information can be found as follows –Keyworker Sanctuary (Colchester) - Colchester Hospital Accomodation Ocasa Homes (Ipswich) - Flats for Rent in Ipswich, Suffolk | Ocasa (ocasahomes.co.uk)
Alternatively, you can rent through the private sector through estate agents or private landlords. Popular websites used by estate agents include Rightmove and Zoopla or you can go through estate agents directly.
Your initial costs to rent will be include a security deposit, advance rent and possibly an agent’s fee. Council tax and utility bills are not normally included in your monthly rent and will need to be arranged with your local council and chosen utility provider.
The UK Government provide an overview of your rights and responsibilities as a tenant in the UK. This can be found via Private renting: Your rights and responsibilities - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
10 % Discount -Travel via train mail us at businesstravel@greateranglia.co.uk or call 03456007245 (option 6)
Relocation Guidance
FAQS
1. Does HR/Medical Recruitment assist with visa acquisition?
Yes, only for Locally Employed Doctors (LED) the Medical Workforce Team issues Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) that international doctors use to apply for a visa to work in the UK. For Doctors in training, the HEE issues the COS.
2. Is there any financial support for initial expenses when a new doctor arrives? For LEDs the Trust will reimburse visa fees for yourself, one month's rent and transport from the airport to your accommodation.
3. Are there any sessions to help newcomers adapt to life in the UK?
Yes, the GMC and Health Education England (HEE) run workshops around Induction for International Graduates. Medical Workforce provides details about these resources to doctors during onboarding and induction.
4. Who should I contact if I encounter issues related to visa sponsorship, financial support, or induction resources?
Medical Workforce is your first point of contact for any issues or questions related to the above topics.
5. Are religious celebration events like Eid and Diwali granted as time off for medical doctors?
Please refer to Trust for more information regarding the above.
6. What is the minimum shadowing period for new doctors joining the Trust? A minimum of two weeks of shadowing is recommended for new foundation doctors, though the exact duration for other LED posts maybe determined by the individual department.
7. Has the Trust supported any successful Portfolio Pathway (formally known as CESR) candidates?
Yes, the Trust has successfully supported several Portfolio Pathway candidates, particularly in the Radiology department, where several Locums have transitioned to permanent posts after completing Portfolio Pathway .The Portfolio Pathway is a means by which doctors who have not completed an approved deanery training programme can be entered on the Specialist Register.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Trust Website
https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/
Health Education England https://www.hee.nhs.uk/
ICENI centre
https://icenicentre.org/
Library services
https://esneft.libguides.com/homepage
Ipswich https://allaboutipswich.com/#/ Colchester
https://www.visitcolchester.com/
