Consultant Discretionary Points

NHS Lothian Discretionary Points for Consultants

The closing date for applications to NHS Lothian's 2024 Consultant Discretionary Points Process is 5pm on Friday 20th September 2024.

Your Clinical Director / Associate Medical Director is required to check and sign-off your application online so please ensure you allow sufficient time for them to do so prior to the closing date.

Paper applications are no longer accepted. The online application form can be accessed at the link below, accessed using your NHS email address:

Application Form

Guidance

Please see the Guidance Notes linked below to assist you with your application. Video Guidance is also available.

Please note that your application will be rejected if your application fails to follow the stipulated requirements published in the guidance, or you fail to submit your job plan for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 (i.e. last year's job plan, not your current 2024/25 one). 

Further guidance is available on NHS Lothian’s HR on Line Discretionary Points Page.

Please direct any enquiries to the Discretionary Points Team at discretionarypointsapplication@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk.

Job Plan

Guidance on downloading a copy of your 2023/24 Job Plan from the eJob Plan System is  available on NHS Lothian’s HR on Line Discretionary Points Page

Submission of the correct Job Plan for the year 2023/24 is essential to the process as this allows the markers to compare your evidence against that which is expected of you within your normal daily role.

Should your application paperwork not include your 2023/24 Job Plan then it will automatically be disqualified.

Where mediation is being pursued in respect of a 2023/24 Job Plan these will be considered on a case by case basis.

Evidence

For those already in receipt of points this application should only include details of work undertaken/achievements that have taken place since your last award – up to a max. of 5 years.  For those applying for the first time, applications should include details of work undertaken/achievements that have taken place since being appointed to post – up to a max. of 5 years. All examples given must include dates.

The purpose of discretionary points is to award performance based on merit.  The points will be awarded to those who demonstrate levels of achievement/performance beyond those normally expected in that post.  The criteria are based on performance relevant to NHS Lothian objectives (Local Delivery Plan, Clinical Strategies, evidence of quality improvement and contribution to the wider role of the NHS).  A description of your duties under each heading is not sufficient to demonstrate high levels of performance.  In completing the application form, the assessor will need to understand the benefit arising from and timescale of your achievements, specifically: 

• What exactly you have done and why?  What was your specific contribution? What did you aim to achieve by it. e.g. Responsible for leading the review of…
• What has been the outcome of your actions?  Can you refer to evidence? Quantify the improvements where possible e.g. as a specific result of this action waiting times were reduced from 1 month to 2 weeks for this type of operation.
• What timescales were involved?
• When did you start the work, complete the work, is it still ongoing? e.g. Started reviewing the processes in August 2022 and implemented the revised procedures in November 2023.

Subsequent to your application, you may be asked to provide evidence for the achievements documented. Where evidence is lacking, NHS Lothian may investigate, and any probity issues identified may result in disciplinary action.