Updated terms and conditions for consultants published
Future LCEA award rounds form part of the consultant offer being put to vote by trade unions in an effort to resolve the current industrial action dispute. If members vote in favor of the offer, the contractual entitlement to new LCEAs will cease from 1 April 2024. The 2023/24 award round should continue to progress as agreed and planned locally to ensure that the required minimum investment funds are spent on eligible consultants. Employers may decide to pause development work on 2024/25 award round designs whilst the vote takes place. We expect the outcome of the vote to be announced by the 5 April 2024.
Consultants contract version 13
Version 13 of the terms and conditions of service (TCS) for consultants (England) 2003 has been updated following changes made to Schedule 30 that details the clinical excellence award provisions. Our record of amendments documentation has also been updated to highlight the changes that have been made to the TCS.
Access the TCS and record of amendments.
Schedule 30 has now been amended to remove redundant terms following the end of negotiations on successor scheme arrangements without agreement. The schedule has been updated in partnership with the British Medical Association (BMA) and the HCSA and sets out the contractual responsibilities for local clinical excellence awards (LCEAs) from 1 April 2022.
New guidance and resources for LCEAs
After 1 April 2022 and future award rounds
We have published a new web page to help employers navigate award rounds from 1 April 2022. On this web page there is also a suite of new guidance and resources to help employers implement the arrangements for the 2022/23 award round.
The resources include:
- a financial monitoring tool and user guide to help employers ensure the minimum level of funds for LCEA investment in 2022/23
- flowcharts that demonstrate the interactions between LCEA and National Clinical Impact Awards (NCIA)
- a guide setting out the eligibility criteria for LCEAs under the new arrangement.
Before 1 April 2022 award rounds
We have published a new web page with guidance and resources for employers for award rounds before the 1 April 2022 .
Information for pre-2018 LCEAs and the four years covered by the interim arrangements from 2018/19-2021/22 can be found in previous versions of the terms and conditions.
