Arranging for study leave.

to study leave. It is not strictly an entitlement, since pressing service duties to patients may cause the leave to be waived. Nevertheless, most employing authorities are generous in their interpretation of the regulations, which may be found in the Terms and Conditions of Service for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff (England and Wales), revised in April 1981. All doctors on first appointment should receive a copy. Failing that, copies are kept in each postgraduate centre and in the administrative offices of each district. Study leave is dealt with in paragraphs 250 to 254. There are recommended standards for study leave for each grade, but since they might vary from time to time they are not given here. There is no substitute for looking at the original document. Study leave may be given for day-release courses; for longer courses, either regional or national; and for private study. It may also be allowed for research, teaching, examining, or taking examinations. Its terms are therefore very wide. The intention clearly is to have a very well trained and educated cadre of doctors at all levels, on the assumption that they will give the best possible and improving service to patients. It should never be forgotten that these generous terms lay some obligations on the person who benefits by them. Nearly all the costs of study leave come out of public funds and are an investment in the doctor, who should therefore do his utmost to give a fair return on the investment. He will benefit by his study, but it is properly expected that it will benefit his patients or enable him to do better work in whatever field he has chosen.