Training grant questions?

Jane5

Hey all
Just wondering,
Now that the training grant has been stripped from NCHDs and replaced with the new system (whatever that is), does anyone know if it is still possible to purchase a laptop and get even partial costs refunded?

Mine has completely packed in. Due to the paycuts, no overtime, etc etc, I'm actually too broke to get a new one-need one for work/projects asap. I don't understand the new system for training expenses very well, and would really appreciate any insight anyone has.

Thanks!
Jane

daithi1986

as a tax paying member of the public, i'd prefer not to buy you a laptop. your hospital surely has a staff library with computers. Or like all other public servants who want computers, you can buy a laptop for internet browsing and word processing for as little as €300. you could always look at a second hand one.

ergo

daithi1986 wrote: »

as a tax paying member of the public, i'd prefer not to buy you a laptop. your hospital surely has a staff library with computers. Or like all other public servants who want computers, you can buy a laptop for internet browsing and word processing for as little as €300. you could always look at a second hand one.

I can see your point here daithi

unfortunately out of the many hospitals I have worked in, the access to computers (any computers or half-decent computers) is pathetic. Especially after 5pm and often before 5pm.

Also, many hospitals have a firewall where you can't check your web-based mail ie yahoo, hotmail, gmail even though you may be getting lots of work or education-related emails from many different sources eg. your consultant bosses, other work colleagues, RCGP,ICGP,Medscape,UptoDate,emedicine etc etc

With so many of the training modules online now , with the many powerpoint presentations you have to do as well as the online revision for postgraduate exams a laptop is needed now much more than when the grant was first brought in to cover it way back in 2000 or whenever.

Whether the new grant system will cover it (or whether it should cover it), well I don't know the answer to that one. At least laptops are way cheaper now and you can pick up a decent new one for €400-500 or maybe less

sam34

daithi1986 wrote: »

as a tax paying member of the public, i'd prefer not to buy you a laptop. your hospital surely has a staff library with computers. Or like all other public servants who want computers, you can buy a laptop for internet browsing and word processing for as little as €300. you could always look at a second hand one.

the vast majority of NCHDs will not have the time to access these facilities (if they exist) between 9 to 5

outside working hours, people may very well have commitments which mean they cannot sit in the hospital library

and anyway, the quality of access to computers is shocking- i was in my current job 14 weeks before i was given access to a computer, it took another few weeks before i got a hse email address and another few weeks before i got internet access

dissed doc

daithi1986 wrote: »

as a tax paying member of the public,

Of course you wouldn't. Likewise, as a taxpaying member of the public, it's likely that you don't want to pay anything at all for healthcare.

It's mandatory to have access to online journals and training courses to maintain either speciality or trainee registration. Without it, continuous professional development doesn't happen (excluding the requirements for research and courses).

Next time someone doesn't know a dose of a drug, or a screw up happens, you can feel assured that the person died due to incorrect procedures but at leats you saved the €0000.10 it would have cost to maintain educational standards (and contracts, that have been universally breached).

Most hospitals do not meet the requirements for a fully stocked library, and if they do, the resources are unavailable except for office hours. The monthly Journal of Bed Washing and Skiving for A Smoke does not cut it in 2010.

Prime Mover

daithi1986 wrote: »

as a tax paying member of the public, i'd prefer not to buy you a laptop. your hospital surely has a staff library with computers. Or like all other public servants who want computers, you can buy a laptop for internet browsing and word processing for as little as €300. you could always look at a second hand one.

Don't worry, all your tax will be spent on 15k unvouched TD allowances, 12K for TDs who live in Dublin to get to work, government junkets for St Patricks day etc... long before she gets her laptop to research something that might actually help you someday.

daithi1986

Guys i know what you're saying. I work for the HSE, I'm a healthcare professional. But I just think it's pathetic you've to take your work home with you, and that the government would rather buy ye laptop's than give you protected CPD time during your working hours. Sorry for being a bit cheeky about not wanting to buy ye a laptop, possibly a bit of jealousy creeping in. I do a lot of online study and reading at home as well, but because I want to, not because I have to. I do feel for ye, but I think ye should be taking action on the wider issue. Then again, we all know the IMO doesn't give a sugar about NCHD's anyway.

Narkius Maximus

I love those buzz words-CPD, MET, CME... the list goes on and on. They will be written into our contracts. The powers that be will smile smuggly, acknowledging that they have done a good job in allowing the poor NCHDs to get some training during the working week. However they'll know that this will never come to pass. Anyone know anyone who has managed to get their SpR half day for training inthe last 6months, if ever?

At least, with this new 'contract', the onus is on the HSE to provide training for NCHDs.

And as regards taking work home, I've regularly had to prepare presentations for MDTs, clinical conferences etc at home, oh and there's always more books to study. There are just not enough hours in the day..