Comparison between SAS EPF and the residents' deal for LEDs
Resident doctors' deal for LEDs 2026
The deal states that locally employed doctors and dentists covered by this deal are those who are paid on a pay-point equivalent to 2016 or 2002 contracts.
Actions for trusts:
- From August 2026 offer such LEDs on fixed term contracts a permanent contract.
- By September 2026 offer those LEDs a repurposed 2016 doctors and dentists in training contract.
We are working with the British Medical Association (BMA) to develop guidance on these changes and we expect to publish these shortly.
SAS eligibility and permanency framework
This guidance applies to LEDs who have been employed for 24 months or more in the same trust and are carrying out the roles, duties and responsibilities comparable of a SAS doctor.
The SAS EPF guidance was developed and agreed as part of the specialty and specialist (SAS) pay deal 2024, and has been designed to support a more consistent and fairer approach for LED to SAS transition.
Trusts will need to inform relevant LEDs that the window of application will commence in September, and then the doctor will consider if they wish to apply for the framework.
A comparison will need to be made by assessing the doctors actual duties, scope of practice and level of clinical responsibility against the relevant SAS job description and person specification and local clinical governance arrangements.
To apply for a permanent SAS contract, individuals will need to use;
- The competency evaluation form (all SAS applicants) - in Annex 1 of the SAS EPF guidance.
- The generic capabilities framework opens a PDF - only applicable to those applying for a specialist post.
Please note there may be some LEDs who apply and do not meet the requirements. For this reason, the choice window will start in September 2026 to allow employers time to prepare.
After the choice window closes, the standard process will apply to LEDs who reach 24 months in a comparable local role after March 2027. Applications can then be considered as eligible doctors come forward. Employers should make sure LEDs are aware of the framework on a regular basis.
For further information, please see our SAS eligibility and permanency framework guidance and FAQs.
Interaction between the two policies
It may be that employers offer permanent and repurposed 2016 contracts to locally employed doctors in August as part of the residents deal, because they are being paid on 2002 or 2016 pay points.
Some of those LEDs may then go on to submit an application to the SAS EPF because they believe that the role they are undertaking is equivalent to a SAS role. We expect this number to be relatively small, as it is less probable that a doctor being paid on resident equivalent pay points is undertaking the role, duties and responsibilities of a SAS doctor, though not impossible. In these instances, their EPF applications should be considered in the normal way.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
