Applying to Host a Trainee

All organisations wishing to host a trainee must go through a three-stage application process which includes the following:

• Expression of interest
• Placement Quality Assessment – Written Submission
• Placement Quality Assessment – Panel Meeting

The process is outlined on this page, but we highly recommend all new applicants attend one of our guidance session on applying to host a trainee to find out more. You can sign up to one below:

October 2025 – December 2025

January 2026 – April 2026

May 2026 – August 2026

Basic information is requested as a first step. Information we require at this stage includes:

1. Number of trainees per specialism you would like to apply for.
2. Placement information for each trainee you have applied for, including organisation, address, working arrangements and travel requirements.
3. Commitment to the financial contribution.
4. Commitment to an equality, diversity and inclusion statement.
5. Key contact details.

Financial contribution for hosting a GMTS trainee

All organisations hosting a trainee are required to pay a financial contribution towards the development of that trainee. This is spread across three financial years for the duration of the trainee’s time on GMTS and where possible, is taken via the Education Funding Agreement (further information on this available here).  Organisations may wish to recoup a proportion of this financial contribution from other host organisations; this is a local agreement and will not be managed by the GMTS team.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion statement

This asks for you to confirm your organisation’s commitment to the NHS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion improvement plan, specifically high impact six; creating an environment that eliminates conditions in which bullying, discrimination, harassment and physical violence at work occur. It requires your organisation to consider and review reasonable adjustments to remove disadvantage related to disability in line with Equality Act 2010.

Key contact details

We require the following contact details:

1. GMTS Lead – the key point of contact for the application and placement management. They are required to sign the memorandum of understanding and must be an employee in the organisation paying the financial contribution.
2. Executive Sponsor – accountable for management and delivery of GMTS within the organisation(s) outlined in this expression of interest, ensuring they act in accordance with the GMTS Quality Framework.

*Due to the impending abolishment, NHS England cannot host any GMTS Trainees.

Once you have submitted your Expression of Interest you will receive an email containing a link to fill in a Placement Quality Assessment.

The Placement Quality Assessment involves providing evidence of how placements in your organisation will/have delivered against key areas of the GMTS Quality Framework. Once submitted you will receive an email containing a link to book a 1 hour panel with the GMTS team to discuss your application.

Please see below the domains we are looking for evidence against:

How will the placements enable:

• An environment where education and training are valued.
• An environment that is an inclusive and safe space to learn.
• An environment where trainees are treated with dignity and respect.
• Interprofessional learning opportunities.
• Learning from the experiences of service users.
• Ensure any reasonable adjustments are considered and implemented to remove or reduce disadvantage related to a trainee’s disability.

How will the placements manage issues regarding trainee performance and the quality of placements?

How will placements ensure trainees are supported and empowered, including:

• Appropriate orientation to the health and care system at the start of the Scheme.
• Appropriate and timely induction into each new placement.
• Support to align and balance their work-based activity with achievement of competencies, academic standards and wider learning opportunities.
• Support with career planning and developing employability within the health and care sector.
• Mitigating common challenges that impact trainee progression and retention.

How will the placements identify appropriate Placement and Programme Managers and provide support to ensure they can perform their roles effectively to provide trainees with a quality experience?

How will the placements assess trainee performance against the competency framework, academic requirements and professional standards across the course of their placements?

GMTS Placement Quality Assessment Panels

This will be a 1-hour meeting with a GMTS Experience Senior Manager to review your application against the GMTS Quality Framework. All domains must be met for the application to be approved. The outcome of your application to host a trainee will be communicated to you via email following this meeting. In some circumstances, the team may request further information from you before approval can be granted.

Allocation

Candidates who successfully pass the GMTS assessment process will be matched to approved placements by the GMTS team from the end of March 2026. Many factors are considered when allocating a trainees, including: specialism, distribution of trainees, placement quality and personal circumstances such as ability to travel, caring commitments and ability to relocate. There is no guarantee that a candidate will be allocated, as demand from organisations often exceeds the number of available candidates. Placements that provide trainees a broad range of development opportunities, such as across multiple organisations, will be prioritised.

You will be notified by a member of the GMTS team as to which placements have been allocated a trainee and provided with a link to finalise your placements.

Whilst the GMTS team endeavour to retain candidates throughout this period, candidates may withdraw their application at any time; we will notify the relevant organisations as soon as possible if this is the case. Because of the variety of factors considered when allocating trainees, it is not always possible to backfill to the same organisation when a candidate withdraws.

Hosting organisations that are allocated a trainee will be required to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) outlining the terms and understanding between the host organisation and GMTS regarding the placement of a GMTS trainee in the organisation. This should be signed by the organisation paying the full financial contribution(s).