Tariffs for education and training - details announced.

[Jill Anderson]

The details for the implementation of tariffs for education and training have been announced. Moving to a tariff based system for education and training will enable a national approach to the funding of all clinical placements (both medical and non medical) and postgraduate medical programmes to support a level playing field between providers.

The Department of Health (DH) has been working with stakeholders since 2008 to develop the tariffs and this included a sample costing exercise to inform the level of tariff.

Having assessed the impact, it has been agreed that the following will be implemented:

• tariffs for non medical placements and undergraduate medical placements in secondary care from 1 April 2013
• tariffs for postgraduate medical training in secondary care from 1 April 2014

In order to avoid destabilisation, transition principles have been agreed that limit the losses on providers. Those gaining funding through the introduction of the tariffs will do so in a phased way. Strategic health authorities (SHAs) have shared the transition plans for the non medical and undergraduate medical tariffs with providers so they are aware of the impact on their income in 2013-14.

SHAs and local education and training boards (LETBs) will share the proposed 2014-15 transition plans with providers so they can plan for the additional changes in income associated with the postgraduate medical tariffs. DH and Health Education England will give final approval of the transition plans for 2014-15 later in the year once SHAs and LETBs have had these discussions.

Read the Introduction of tariffs for education and training impact assessment