The SAS Eligibility and Permanency Framework (EPF)

Launched in May 2026, the SAS Eligibility and Permanency Framework (EFP) is a mechanism designed to enable experienced doctors in England to move from local to national terms and conditions (TCS).  

The process has been developed – in conjunction with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS Employers and NHS England – in response to the 2024 SAS England pay deal.

The deal included a commitment for the four organisations to work on a shared objective of enabling locally employed doctors (LEDs) to move to permanent SAS contracts “where this is in everyone’s best interests”. 

The EPF details how LEDs who meet certain requirements should be offered the opportunity to make such a move. This guidance explains the process – from applying for a transfer to a permanent, SAS contract, to what happens if an LED is successful in their application. 

Eligibility to the EPF

To be considered for the EPF, you must fulfil the following criteria:

• be currently employed for 24 months (or more) on a local contract (or contracts) with the same employer;
• have spent these 24 months (or more) in a role that is comparable to the roles, responsibilities and duties of a SAS doctor;
• have completed at least four years post-graduate training with two in the relevant specialty (or equivalent if less than full time).

Note that the latter can include overseas training or experience gained outside a formal UK training programme, where you can demonstrate equivalent specialty competencies and scope of practice through documented clinical roles, supervised practice or recognised international qualifications.

Overview of the EPF application process

The EPF process is made up of four stages: 

1. The initial choice window – where you can express interest in transferring to a permanent SAS contract as an LED.
2. The submission of competency evaluation – where you complete the Professional Competency Evaluation form and have this signed off by a clinical/education supervisor before submitting to medical workforce for review.
3. The employer review – where an employer has six weeks to confirm that you meet the criteria for transfer.
4. Outcome – where, if you are found eligible, you are offered a contract.

For more information about the individual stages, please see the joint NHS Employers/BMA EPF guidance.

Offer of contract through EPF

If successful, you should be offered a permanent contract using national TCS (the 2021 England Specialty Doctor TCS). 

If unsuccessful, you may still be able to obtain a more secure contract. The joint BMA/NHS Employers guidance states:

FAQs

Why would I change from a local to a national SAS contract?

Your TCS determine what you, as an employee, have rights to. This covers everything from what pay scale you are on, to your annual leave, to protections if you become ill. 

Local doctor TCS are agreed at a local level – between you and your employer. National doctor TCS are negotiated at a national level – agreed between the BMA and the DHSC. 

Local TCS, therefore, are more a matter of individual discretion; individual employers can pick and choose what they include in your contract, while national TCS ensure that employers are held accountable to providing at least the provisions agreed in these documents. 

While employers are free to offer favourable terms and conditions, they will not necessarily choose to do so. In these instances, it is good to have the protections of a national contract.

It is worth noting that any gains made to national TCS do not automatically carry over to local contracts. 

The process also focusses on offering permanent contracts. Many LEDs are on fixed term, temporary contracts, and there could be an advantage if moving to one with more security. 

How can I be sure that a national contract would give me better TCS than my current contract?

As local contracts are not answerable to a single, national standard, they each contain different TCS.

You should compare your current contract’s TCS to the 2021 England Specialty Doctor TCS, to see how these would change if you moved contract. For example, if your contract mirrors 2016 or 2002 England Resident Doctors TCS, there may be different rates of remuneration for frequent nights, weekend and on-call work. 

If you have questions or concerns, you can get in touch with the BMA through our employment advice webform. 

I like my current terms and conditions. Will I be made to move onto a SAS contract?

No. The EPF’s objective is to provide choice to LEDs. If you have no interest in changing to a national contract, you will not be made to do so.

What if I start the process and then change my mind?

You can still choose to stay on your current contract. If you are made the offer of an alternative, you will be free to reject it. 

What happens if my application is unsuccessful or I am not ready to apply?

If you are not successful, you and your supervisor should identify gaps in your competency form and include these in your personal development plan. 

You can reapply once these areas have been addressed, usually at your next appraisal. If you are not ready to apply during the choice window, you can still discuss transfer as part of ongoing career development.

I wasn’t notified of the initial choice window. Does this mean I missed my opportunity to seek an imminent contract change?

The window should not begin for you until you have been informed of your eligibility.

If you are on extended leave, the window should be paused or start upon your return. You should not be disadvantaged due to leave or delayed notification.

I am an international medical graduate (IMG)/I do not have formal UK graduate training. Will my experience be considered? 

Yes. The guidance states that overseas training and experience can be considered, provided you can demonstrate “equivalent specialty competencies and scope of practice through documented clinical roles, supervised practice or recognised international qualifications.”

The competency evaluation form is quite long. Do I need to fill in all of it? What if I only partly fulfil some criteria?

You (and your supervisor) need to complete the entire form, providing evidence demonstrating how you meet the criteria across the required domains such as clinical knowledge, decision-making, governance and team-working. You will be expected to provide an up-to-date CV detailing all previous posts, grades and dates to demonstrate equivalent service, and you can also submit supporting evidence such as from appraisals, job plans and work schedules. 

If some areas are only partially met, this does not necessarily prevent the possibility of transfer, but you should explain how these will be addressed through your continuing professional development. 

Who can support me with my application?

If you require any support in submitting your application and/or want to discuss your right to apply to a SAS contract, you can contact the below roles if they are present at your Trust:

• your SAS tutor
• your SAS advocate
• an LED tutor, if there is one present at your Trust
• your LNC LED rep 

You can also contact the BMA for advice. 

I have been accepted for transfer. What will my pay be?

At a minimum, you will be placed on the entry point of the 2021 Specialty Doctor Pay Scale, and any experience you have in the same or higher grade (or equivalent) in line with Schedule 12 of the SAS contract should then be recognised when determining your starting salary. 

To determine what point your starting salary should be, your employer must assess your previous experience, including NHS and non-NHS roles. You will need to provide an up-to-date CV and any supporting evidence.

Where such evidence demonstrates work at a level comparable to SAS duties, even if these are carried out whilst contracted on non-SAS pay arrangements, this should be recognised for pay placement.

I am satisfied with my current pay. Can I keep this if I move to a new contract? Do I have a right to pay protection?

You should check if your current contract has any protection provisions for LEDs transferring to SAS TCS, or if your employer has any policies on this. 

Otherwise, your experience will be considered in line with the provisions of the 2021 England Specialty Doctor TCS (Schedule 12 paragraphs 5-8) when determining your starting salary. 

Where you can evidence that you have worked at a level comparable to SAS duties, roles and responsibilities, this should normally be recognised for pay placement purposes even if this experience is under non-SAS pay arrangements (e.g. being paid on the national nodal point system MT01-05). Your employer can also take equivalent non-NHS experience into account. 

Any proposed reduction in pay as a result of this process must in any case be justified and evidence based by your employer. It is important to note that changing TCS can have other effects on pay (for example, moving from a contract that mirrors 2016 or 2002 England Resident Doctors TCS could have a knock-on impact on remuneration as these TCS were designed to directly reward frequent nights, weekends and on-call work). If you are concerned about how the move would effect you individually, you can ask for advice through our employment advice webform.

I have been rejected for transfer. What if I disagree with my employer's decision?

If your application is rejected, your employer should identify the gaps in your competency evaluation form (i.e. the elements in the criteria marked as ‘no’ or ‘partial’) to be incorporated into your personal development plan so that these can be addressed before reapplying. 

The employer should also explore offering an alternative permanent contract if they deem that insufficient evidence has been provided to demonstrate the role is comparable to a SAS doctor. 

If you feel the decision does not however fully consider the evidence you have submitted, you may wish to use your organisation’s grievance policy and procedures.

Why is this only being offered to LEDs with 24 months’ service at their current employer? I would like to move to a SAS contract now.

The EPF is based on wording from the 2024 England SAS pay deal, which suggested looking at:

"The development of a process by which all LEDs who have been fulfilling a role that is comparable to the roles, duties and responsibilities of a SAS doctor for 24 months or more should be offered the option to move to a SAS contract."

The establishment of this process is a step in the right direction, as it creates a formal mechanism that can be utilised by a number of LEDs, where this mechanism did not previously exist. 

An LED with 24 months’ service is very likely to have completed at least two years in a specialised area (as per the minimum criteria to become a specialty doctor), and so more likely to be eligible for EPF. 

We appreciate, however, that there will be LEDs without 24 months’ service at their employer who do still possess the relevant experience to meet a specialty doctor criteria. 

The BMA acknowledges that there is more work to be done and is committed to continue to fight on behalf of all LEDs.

I do not have the full 24 months’ experience yet but will in the future. Will I be able to apply for a transfer later?

Yes. If you reach 24 months during the choice window, you will still be eligible to apply to the process, even if your six-week employer review period extends beyond the official choice window dates.

While the guidance talks about the initial choice window for those wishing to transfer shortly after the process’s launch, it also notes that:

"Once the initial choice window closes, LEDs who reach 24 months of employment can apply to transfer to a permanent SAS contract at this stage following the process detailed above."

The process is designed to become business as usual for employers, to ensure that LEDs continue to be supported to progress into SAS roles where this is in everyone’s best interests.

If you are interested in moving to a SAS contract, you should work with your employer to identify any gaps in how you might meet the criteria in the competency evaluation form as part of your CPD, and discussions around your application should form part of your annual appraisal.