Form Application form and guidance to apply for nursing top-up degree or Masters level study leave funding Funding is provided from the Sheffield Hospitals Charity bursary award for nursing top-up degrees from the J Sinclair White fund. Sheffield Hospitals Charity (Registered Charity No. 1059043) is the working name for Sheffield Hosptials Charitable Trust and related charities. Sheffield Health and Social Care Charity (Registered Charity No. 1059043-3) and the J Sinclair White fund are two of the related charities of Sheffield Charitable Trust. This application form is for all nursing staff employed by an NHS organisation in Sheffield to apply for funding to undertake a top-up or Masters level nursing degree course. If you are a member of nursing staff wanting to apply for study leave funding to undertake a degree course or attend one-off training courses or seminars, please use our other application form Form SHC Ref. 1: Application form and guidance to apply for nursing study leave funding - that is available on our website or by contacting the Charity. Please ensure you read the following principles of funding carefully as they give further guidance on eligibility, what you can expect in terms of funding and completing the application. If you have any queries about the application or problems completing it, please contact the Charity s finance team on: Tel: 0114 271 1351 Email: charity@shct.nhs.uk Web: sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk Explain you are completing an application form for nursing staff study leave funding and a member of our team with be able to assist you. Once you ve completed your application you need to send it for approval. All applications should be sent to: Helen Hanrahan Education Commissioning Manager Education and Development Department Rivermead Training Centre Northern General Hospital Herries Road Sheffield S5 7AU Completed applications should not be returned to the Charity. Once your application has been approved you will need to complete a claim form for your expenses and return it to Sheffield Hospitals Charity for reimbursement. This claim form - called Form a: Nursing top-up degree study leave funding claim form is available on our website or by calling our finance team, details above. 1
Principles governing the funding of top-up degree study leave for nursing staff 2012 Revision Introduction The Trustees have agreed that the following principles will be adopted in determining the financial contribution towards the costs of the Top-up degrees for Nursing Staff. Top-up Degree Top-up degree applies to registered nurses who have completed the Advanced Diploma in Nursing Studies (ADNS). The ADNS provides 60 CATS points at degree level and the Top-up degree provides an opportunity to build on these points to acquire a named degree as follows: BA (Hons) Professional Practice at Sheffield Hallam University: This is designed to be started in the first year of qualifying and completed in a year from commencement. BA (Hons) Health & Social Care Practice at Sheffield Hallam University: This is to be commenced and completed within 5 years of achieving the ADNS. MSc in Advanced Professional Development: This can be accessed by those who hold a Post Graduate Nursing Diploma from Sheffield Hallam University. Eligibility All nursing staff working in, or contracted to, hospitals or NHS Trusts in Sheffield shall be eligible for consideration. Applications using the attached form should relate to assistance with personally incurred costs of undertaking a Top-up degree. Only one application per accounting period will be considered by the Trustees for any one individual. This requirement may be waived where a course is cancelled or an application has been withdrawn, when a further application will be considered subject to a deduction for any expenditure incurred by The J. Sinclair White fund on the original application. The accounting period currently runs from 1 April to 31 March. Application Protocol All applications for assistance shall be on the currently approved form, (copy attached), duly signed by the applicant and approved by the Ward Manager / Matron. Applications not fully authorised or submitted on any other form will be returned. Completed forms should be forwarded to Helen Hanrahan, Education Commissioning Manager, (address details on front page) who will verify the application and forward to the charity for processing. 2
Approval shall be in the form of an email from Sheffield Hospitals Charity to the email address entered on the application form. The Trustees shall not accept responsibility for any financial commitment made in anticipation of an approval that is not granted. Telephone messages should not be acted upon until confirmed in writing. Level of Contribution The Trustees shall assess the merits of each application based on the information provided. A copy of the offer letter from the university for the Top-up degree course place should be attached to aid the decision making process. If this is not attached, the form will be returned. The level of contribution shall be 50% of the Fee for the Top Up degree. Approval and Payment of Contribution In all cases, the appropriate level of contribution will be notified to the applicant as soon as practicable following approval. Agreed sums shall be paid upon submission of the Sheffield Hospitals Charity Form a: Nursing top-up degree study leave funding claim form and should be submitted within three months of the date of payment. Claims submitted later than this date or on any other expenses form will not be processed unless prior agreement has been received from the Head of Finance of Sheffield Hospitals Charity. Proof of payment should be submitted with the form in all cases. Documentary proof of attendance on the course should also be submitted where possible. 3
Form Application for financial assistance towards nursing top-up or Masters degree study leave Once completed, this application should be sent, with a copy of your offer letter from the university, to: Helen Hanrahan, Education Commissioning Manager, Education and Development Department, Rivermead Training Centre, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield S5 7AU. Personal details Title Mr Mrs Miss Ms Other... First name... Surname.... Job title.. Hospital. Ward or Dept. Home address (for correspondence)......... Postcode...... Tel...... Mobile..... Email...... Please note: this email address will be used to notify you of the decision on your application. By providing your email address, you consent to receiving email communications, including fundraising messages, from us unless you have indicated otherwise by ticking the box overleaf. Degree course details Full title of degree course........... Name of University / College / Provider of degree course..... Date(s) of degree course (please give exact dates)... Cost of degree course (please state fees for one year only). Are you receiving any financial assistance towards your course from elsewhere? Yes No (please tick one box, as appropriate) If Yes, please give details..... 4
Expected benefits of the course In no more than 250 words, describe the expected benefits of the degree course to your personal and/or professional development and the wider benefits to your patients, or the service you provide. Continue onto a separate sheet if more space is required. Personal declaration I certify that I have checked the information contained in this application and that it is accurate. The course I am undertaking is primarily for my own personal and/or professional development. I also understand that if my application is successful the busary awarded to me is a one-off payment. If I pay in instalments I understand that I will need to claim 50% of each instalment back from Sheffield Hospitals Charity as each instalment is paid. The total amount payable will be the same. Signature... Date.. Manager s approval Signature... Print name Designation. Date.. Sheffield Hospitals Charity is the working name for Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust and related charities. Registered Charity No. 1059043. We will respect your privacy and never sell your details to any third party. We would like to add you to our list of supporters so we can send you information (including by email) about our work and our quarterly newsletter. You can unsubscribe easily at any time by emailing charity@shct.nhs.uk or calling 0114 271 1351. If you DO NOT want to receive this information by post please tick here If you DO NOT want to receive this information by email please tick here Verified by (to be signed by Education Commissioning Manager): Signature. 5 Date