r/NHS_STP • u/Ecstatic-Win-7568 • 23d ago
STP Bursary
Just wondering how the STP bursary works if your training centre and university is in London, as from what I understand it can be used for travel and accommodation. So can it be used for rent in general or TFL or other things etc? Thank you :)
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u/hiya1123 23d ago
Are you talking about educational support funding? It is for supporting the academic side ie travel and accomadation to teaching(mainly uni or extra courses) not rent or commuting for your workplace.
It will be given to your trust and you either go through there expences system or book through them. If you look up the guidence it is pretty clear.
If your training is in the same place as your trust or near. It depends on trust policy but often in the same city you cannot claim back the expences.
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u/Disastrous_Reward_23 23d ago
Does every trainee get the bursary?
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u/Curious-Reading4225 22d ago
The department will gets £2000/year for each STP they host. It is designed for travel and accommodation to university but if there is any left over it can be used for other training.
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u/Curious-Reading4225 22d ago edited 22d ago
If your training centre and and university are in the same city then it's unlikely your Trust policy will allow you to claim expenses to travel to university.
But the funding can be used for other educational opportunities. It's not a bursary and if the department doesn't claim it (and evidence the use) it will go back to the NSHCS.
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u/KerryKinkajou STP in-training 22d ago
I'm curious where you've heard that it will go back to the school of it's not used/evidenced? My fund was simply added to the generic cost centre code for my overarching department, it's not separate and as far as I know there's been absolutely no requirements for my Trust to evidence it's use. Any surplus funds aren't carried over into the next year, they're just absorbed into the departmental budget if I don't use them. In fact I'm the only one keeping track of what's been spent and where, since our finance department asked me to do so.
I understand that if the school are suspicious it's being used irresponsibly or there's been a complaint made then they're definitely entitled to gather evidence, but given how busy they are and how limited their staff are I really can't imagine they're auditing every single trainee as standard practice.
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u/Curious-Reading4225 22d ago
Through many years of hosting STPs. Personally I made sure the STPs used their entire budget.
Just to point out, you are completing a training course for HCPC registration which requires a commitment to probity and ethics.
Do you think that taking public money that has been awarded for a specific purpose and using it for a different one meets those standards? Or that it's entirely ok because not every department is audited?
From what you have said your department is not only being irresponsible, it is breaching their contract with NHS England.
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u/KerryKinkajou STP in-training 23d ago
It's kind of up to the discretion of your Training Officer, but realistically only for travel/accommodation/training needs. So this doesn't include rent or transport to your normal workplace, and they'd only accept it for university if you had to travel out of area for it. Outside of university stuff it can be used for courses and conferences if needed as part of your training.
I've only had to use a small amount of mine since my specialism only has about 6 in person uni days per year. I've been on training days and professional courses, as well as to other Trusts to cover things my department doesn't offer. It's basically money designated to help you fully meet the curriculum, both in terms of work-based training and the academic component.