Scottish Foundation School

Foundation - Inter-Regional Transfer (IRT)

The window for requesting Foundation Inter-Regional Transfers in Scotland due to an unforeseen significant change in personal circumstances opens on 10 April 2025 and closes on 30 April 2025.

Once allocated to an individual group and programme there is NO other system of changing your region.

If you need to transfer to England, Wales or Northern Ireland please use the Inter-Foundation School Transfer process (IFST).

What is a Foundation Inter-Regional Transfer (IRT)?

The Foundation Inter-Regional Transfer (IRT) process has been developed to support applicants and current Foundation doctors where individual circumstances have changed since the point of initial application/ allocation to a 2-year foundation programme. IRTs outside these times will be considered in exceptional circumstances.

An application for an Inter-Region Transfer (IRT) is based on the premise that the applicant is no longer able to manage their training and their health or caring responsibilities in their allocated or current region.

Please note an IRT:

Is not an entitlement.
Is dependent on fulfilling the requirements of the published eligibility criteria and supplying supporting evidence.
Is dependent on a suitable vacancy in the region where the Foundation doctor is applying.
If approved, does not guarantee a specific programme.
Is not a swaps process if you are unhappy with your allocation via the national PIA process.

Who is Eligible (incoming F1)

The Scottish Foundation School will only consider an IRT application if an incoming applicant:

Has been allocated to a Foundation training programme in Scotland.
Has had a significant change in personal circumstances since the close of the applicant window and being allocated to Scotland.

Who is Eligible (current F1/ F2)

Current Foundation doctors can apply if their personal circumstances have significantly changed since they commenced their post.

Foundation doctors must be progressing satisfactorily in their training at the time of their application and have no unresolved ‘cause for concern’ at time of application. Any unresolved concern may result in an application not being eligible.
No IRT applications will be accepted from Foundation doctors who have 4 months or less of Foundation training in F1 or F2 to complete.
An IRT usually takes place between F1 and F2

Who is NOT Eligible

Foundation doctors appointed to a F2 Standalone post.
Incoming Foundation doctors who previously applied for the UKFPO pre-allocation to Scotland within the same recruitment/ allocation period and their application was declined.

If the circumstance is different and therefore changed since the original application was declined, an application may be considered.

Incoming Foundation doctors who applied for an Inter-Foundation School Transfer (IFST) and their application was declined.

Points to note before applying for an IRT:

Read the information on these pages carefully and consider all alternatives before applying.
Current Foundation doctors/ incoming F1s must be able to demonstrate that a significant change to their personal circumstances has occurred that could not have been foreseen at the time they commenced F1/ applied.
Current Foundation doctors must discuss alternative support arrangements with their Foundation Programme Director (FPD) before applying for an IRT and this must be referenced in their application.
- If alternatives have been explored and the Foundation doctor still needs to apply for an IRT they must then discuss this with their regional Associate Postgraduate Dean (APGD) for Foundation.
Current Foundation doctors may request a transfer to a region but cannot specify a particular programme or rotation they wish to be placed in at the IRT application stage.
At no time during the application process, nor the allocation and offer stage, should the Foundation doctor/ applicant contact any member of administrative or clinical staff for the region into which they have applied to transfer. This is counterproductive and can lead to misinformation.
Anyone found to have contacted their requested region may have their IRT application withdrawn.

What is not included in the criterion for an Inter-Regional Transfer (IRT).

Relationships

Long-term relationships
Marriage
Civil partnerships
Common-law partnerships
Family members

Housing

Home/property ownership
Wishing to live with a partner, family member or friend (including for financial reasons)
Existing or future accommodation/ housing arrangements

Other

Financial hardship
Pursuits and hobbies
Other work/ voluntary roles

Criteria for an Inter-Regional Transfer (IRT)

Foundation doctors/ applicants may apply for an IRT under one of the following criteria and the significant change in personal circumstances should fall under one of the following:

Parent or legal guardian
Primary carer
Health condition or disability

Where an individual meets more than one criterion, the onus is on the Foundation doctor/ applicant to decide which one they apply under, as this chosen criterion will be the one that the application is reviewed under, by the panel.

All applications must include supporting evidence specific to the criterion the applicant is applying under (see below).

Criterion 1 - Parent or Legal Guardian

The applicant is a parent or legal guardian of a child or children under the age of 18 at the start of the training year who reside(s) primarily with them and for whom they have significant caring responsibilities, and their circumstances have significantly changed since submitting their original application or commencing their foundation training.

Applicants must describe how their circumstances have changed and why they need to move to meet the caring responsibilities.
If the sole criterion is that the applicant (or their partner) has become pregnant since submitting their Foundation Programme application or since commencing their foundation training, this will not be regarded as a reason for an IRT.
If you and the child(ren) do not normally reside together, this should be referred to on the application form, and information supplied as to why the caring responsibilities remain equally significant.
It is expected that the region requested for the IRT will be the region that you and your child(ren) live local to. Your proof of address must be for a home that falls within the boundaries of the requested region.

The applicant is required to supply the following mandatory supporting evidence for Criterion 1 - Parent or Legal Guardian

Completed IRT application form for Criterion 1 – Parental or legal guardian
Copy of birth certificate(s) of the child(ren).
A birth certificate must be provided for each child listed on the IRT application form.
For legal guardians, a copy of the legal document that confirms your status for the child(ren) named in the birth certificate(s).
Supporting statement from a professional who can confirm that they know you and have a professional working relationship with both the child(ren) and yourself and can confirm that you have a significant caring responsibility for a child or children under 18.
Proof of address must be provided which is in your name, and this must be for a home that falls within the boundaries of the requested region.
The signatory must:
be over the age of 18
have a relevant professional working relationship with the applicant and their child(ren) e.g. Midwife, GP/Doctor, Headteacher, Social Worker, nursery or preschool manager/ team leader.
not be related to the applicant by birth or marriage.
not be in a personal relationship with the applicant.
not live at the same address as the applicant.

Criterion 2 - Primary Carer

The applicant is the primary carer for someone who is disabled (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) and their circumstances have changed since submitting their original Foundation Programme application or commencing their foundation training.

An applicant is eligible for this criterion if they are the primary carer for somebody. This person would normally be a partner, sibling, or parent.
You must describe how your circumstances have changed and why you need to move to a different region. You must present clear arguments as to why current caring arrangements cannot continue as they presently do.
If the person you are caring for is not your partner, sibling or parent, you will have to explain clearly and present a strong case as to why you have the role of primary carer. You must explain why alternative carers cannot be arranged.
If you provide care for a person as part of a group of carers, e.g. a family, you are not eligible to apply under this criterion because you are not the ‘primary’ carer.
You must provide care over the course of a typical week and not just at weekends (that is, your caring responsibilities require you to be in the requested region on a constant basis.
It is expected that you and the person who you care for in this category will remain at your current address(es), and the application for IRT will be to the region local to that address. If this is not the case, relevant evidence must be supplied as to why caring arrangements could not continue as present.

Definition of 'disability' under the Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment, and that the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

For the purposes of the Act:

substantial means more than minor or trivial.
long-term means that the effect of the impairment has lasted / is likely to last for at least 12 months.
normal day-to-day activities include everyday things like eating, washing, walking, and shopping.

People who have had a disability in the past that meets this definition are also covered by the scope of the Act. There are additional provisions relating to people with progressive conditions. People with HIV, cancer and multiple sclerosis are protected by the Act from the point of diagnosis. People with visual impairments are automatically deemed to be disabled. Some conditions, such as a tendency to set fires or addictions to non-prescribed substances, are specifically excluded.

You are required to supply the following mandatory supporting evidence for Criterion 2 – Primary Carer:

Completed IRT application form for Criterion 2 – Primary Carer
A care plan which details the care arrangements and explains how the responsibility of working as a Foundation doctor and as the primary carer will be combined and managed.
Supporting statement from the general practitioner or social worker of the person being cared for, which confirms your role as primary carer and explains the level of care you currently provide.
Proof of address must be provided which is in your name, and this must be for a home that falls within the boundaries of the region.

The signatory must:

be over 18
not be a doctor in training of any grade (up to ST8)
not be related to the applicant by birth or marriage
not be in a personal relationship with the applicant
not live at the same address as the applicant.
have known the applicant for 1 month or more. In circumstances where this is not the case, the applicant must provide an explanation as to why their supporting signatory has not known them longer, and why an alternative signatory could not be used to support the application

Criterion 3 – Health Condition or Disability

The applicant has a medical condition (physical or mental health) or disability for which ongoing follow up for the condition in the specified location is an absolute requirement.

You must describe how your circumstances have changed since submitting your original application or commencing your foundation training. You must describe why you need to move to a different region. You must present clear arguments as to why follow up arrangements and treatment cannot continue as it presently does.

As you already have this medical condition or disability, it is expected that you will remain at your current address and your IRT application will be to the region local to that address.
If the request for an IRT is not for the region local to your current address, relevant evidence must be supplied as to why follow up arrangements could not continue as present. The requirement is to provide information as to where your treatment needs to take place. The supporting evidence needs to be clear and explicit.
Please note that attending outpatient appointments infrequently e.g., every 3 or 6 months can be accommodated within Foundation training and may not require an IRT.

You are required to supply the following mandatory supporting evidence for Criterion 3 – Health Condition or Disability:

Completed IRT application form for Criterion 3 –Health Condition or disability.
A supporting statement by the current medical specialist treating/ managing the condition in which they are required to:
- Describe the current medical condition (physical or mental health) or disability.
- Describe the nature of the on-going treatment.
- Confirm the frequency of the on-going treatment.
- Explain why the follow up treatment must be delivered in a specific location rather than by other treatment centres in the UK and why this is an absolute requirement
Proof of address must be provided which is in your name, and this must be for a home that falls within the boundaries in the requested region.

The signatory must:

be over 18
not be a doctor in training of any grade (up to ST8)
not be related to the applicant by birth or marriage
not be in a personal relationship with the applicant
not live at the same address as the applicant.
have known the applicant for 1 month or more. In circumstances where this is not the case, the applicant must provide an explanation as to why their supporting signatory has not known them longer, and why an alternative signatory could not be used to support the application.

How to Apply

If after reading all the information provided you consider that you meet one of the criteria and want to proceed with your application.

Application Forms

Criterion 1 Parent or Legal Guardian Incoming F1 - Application Form

Criterion 1 Parent or Legal Guardian Current F1/F2 - Application Form

Criterion 2 Primary Carer Incoming F1 - Application Form

Criterion 2 Primary Carer Current F1/F2 - Application Form

Criterion 3 Health Condition or Disability Incoming F1 - Application Form

Criterion 3 Health Condition or Disability - Current F1/F2 - Application Form

No applications will be accepted between 11 May and 31 July 2025 (inclusive). This is to allow ARCPs to be completed for the current training year.
IRT applications outside these times will be considered only in exceptional circumstances.
If an incomplete application is submitted, the date the Scottish Foundation School receives the outstanding evidence will be counted as the date of submission not the original date of application submitted.
Completed applications and evidence should be sent to sfas@nes.scot.nhs.uk by the published deadline, late applications will not be considered.

Administration of the IRT process

The IRT application process is administered by the Scottish Foundation School Team not the Regional Teams/ NHS Scotland Board HR Teams.

Foundation doctors should not contact (including email) any clinical/ administration staff in the region they wish/ have applied to transfer to.
Any Foundation doctor found to have contacted their requested region risks having their application withdrawn.
Foundation doctors will be informed of outcomes as per the published timeline (link to timeline) and are advised not to contact the Scottish Foundation School prior to this.
Foundation doctors should not progress any plans for relocation until they have received the outcome of their application and confirmation of a post/ rotation.

Panel Review and Outcome

The Scottish Foundation School Team will acknowledge receipt of your IRT request.
Please ensure that you include ALL the required evidence.
All applications and supporting evidence will be reviewed by a panel week commencing 5 May 2025
You will be informed by email of your application outcome week commencing 17 May 2025
The panel outcome decision is final and there is no process to appeal this decision.

If your application is approved and a suitable vacancy is available within your desired region:

You will be offered the vacancy by email, and you will be required to confirm acceptance.
You will have 48 hours to accept or decline.
Failure to respond will be noted as declined.
If you decline the post, your IRT will not progress, and you will remain on your original allocated training programme. 
If you accept an offer of a transfer your details will be forwarded onto your new region.

If your application is approved, but a suitable vacancy is not available within your desired region:

You will be placed on a waiting list until the end of your first block and your application will be reviewed.
You will only be transferred if/ when a suitable vacancy becomes available in the receiving region.
You will commence (incoming F1 doctors) in your original allocated training programme/ continue (current Foundation doctors) in your current allocated placements.

If your application is not approved:

Incoming F1

You will commence in your allocated programme

Existing F1/ F2

You will continue in your current programme

If you have any further queries regarding Foundation IRTs in Scotland please contact sfas@nes.scot.nhs.uk

This page was last updated on: 14.04.2025 at 08.34