Projects to support team excellence will need to:

• Be open to all members of staff working in the relevant teams.
• Be part of organised department programmes endorsed by the relevant clinical board.
• Show why there is a need for venues or equipment that cannot be provided within the trust.
• Team building events can take many different formats – proposals will be considered individually. Costs must be no more than £15 per head unless discussed and agreed in advance. 
• Any events must demonstrate value for money and pass the ‘public perception’ test.

Proposals for staff education and training will be considered up to a total value of £1,000 per person per year. This includes fees, travel and accommodation. Proposals will need to show:

• An approval letter from the trust’s workforce development department.
• The training or learning will improve staff performance in their role, improvements in the service,and show clear potential for benefit to patients.
• The opportunity is over and above that offered by the NHS.
• How knowledge acquired can be shared with other colleagues. 
• Evidence that other potential sources of funding were explored before applying.

We will not consider applications for: 

• Events which the charity has already supported two members of staff to attend.
• Education and training that are a core requirement of an individual’s role or NHS personal specification or professional registration.
• Masters, PhD studentships or similar qualifications.
• Attendance at an event as a speaker unless evidence is provided to show the organisers are unable to meet these costs.
• Education and training that can and should be funded through alternative means.

Projects for staff to attend awards events will:

• Be over and above the opportunities provided by the NHS.
• Demonstrate how knowledge acquired can be shared with other colleagues.
  Be for a maximum of £1,000 per person, this will include fees, travel and accommodation.
• Be for a maximum of ten people at any given event.

• The maximum contribution for attendance at a learning or recognition event is £1000 per person, per year, including travel and all other costs.
• All travel must be booked through the trust’s travel booking processes, in line with the trust’s travel policies. First class tickets for train travel will not be reimbursed. If seeking support for travel costs please submit your proposal with enough time to allow for the charity to process your request, and the trust to process your travel booking.
• Air travel is permitted where no other form of travel is suitable – first class, business class or premium economy travel will not be supported.
• Reasonable airport parking costs will be paid.
• Taxi fares are payable only where other modes of public transport are not feasible. 
• Use of a taxi could be justified when several staff are travelling together which would result in a net saving. 

• The maximum contribution for attendance at a learning or recognition event is £1,000 per person, per year, including accommodation and all other costs.
• Identify the most cost-effective options rather than the event’s ‘recommended’ hotel.
• All accommodation must be booked though the trust travel booking process in line with trust policies. All reasonable attempts should be made to look for the most reasonably priced accommodation where possible.
• Be clear why there is a need if seeking funding for the night before an event or after it ends.
• Additional extras such as newspapers, mini-bar purchases, dry-cleaning etc will not be reimbursed. 

If activity is away from home or place of employment funding must be within the trust’s limit for meal claims. This is breakfast – £5 per day, lunch – £8 per day, evening meal – £25 per day.

We cannot fund alcoholic drinks, service charges, optional tips, and gratuities. 

Proposals to recognise the achievements of staff who have made an excellent contribution and completed long service periods of 10, 15 or 20 years can only be considered:

• If there is a suitable fund available. 
• To support an event to mark the occasion and / or a thank you gesture for example a presentation of flowers.

Funding for a gift cannot exceed £50 and we cannot fund the purchase of alcohol. 

We are required to consider HMRC regulations when considering any proposals for the benefit of staff. Any gift given to staff where the value of the award is:

• more than £50 OR 
• given as cash or a voucher which could be exchanged for cash OR 
• in recognition of the employee’s performance or achievement OR part of their contractual terms of employment.

cannot be supported by the charity. This is because the gift is regarded as a benefit in kind and an additional cost of tax and national insurance will be incurred by the employee.

Other leaving events or the provision of gifts for individual staff are not supported.

These usually fall into two categories: publications and institutions. Proposals seeking funding for subscriptions will: 

• Establish that they are not available through the trust’s learning resources.
• Will bring genuine added knowledge to the staff team rather than just an individual.

We cannot pay for professional membership to UK bodies.