Help the Hospices have recently made some changes to the critiera for the Professional Development Grant Programme(PDG), as well as launching a new online application process.
Changes include:
Changes
Application criteria
New criteria come into effect 1 April 2009.
The most significant points to note are:
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Clinical and non clinical staff working in full UK member hospices of Help the Hospices are eligible for a grant.
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Clinical staff working in associate NHS member hospices will be eligible for funding towards courses specifically focused on palliative care.
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The grant amount applied for must now be match-funded by the employer, and evidence of match funding must be provided before an application can be considered.
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There is now an annual fixed budget for the PDG Programme of £400,000; after this money has been allocated, we will be unable to award further grants in that financial year.
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Additional questions will be asked on the application form, including questions to ensure that the proposed course is appropriate to the individual’s professional development plan and their organisation’s strategic objectives.
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Grants will remain at current levels:
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A maximum of 50% of course or module fees, up to £750 over 12-months may be awarded to any one individual for any one course
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For conferences, a maximum of £75 per day or 50% of the total cost, may be awarded, whichever is the lower
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£1,500 is the maximum that can be awarded to any one individual over a 4-year period
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The application process is now fully online and you are encouraged to apply using the webform.
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We will no longer be able to support applications from staff employed within Marie Curie Cancer Care, Sue Ryder Care, the NHS (except associate member hospices), Macmillan or Private Nursing/Care Homes.
A full list of the new guidence and criteria is also available online.
Improved online application process
The online application process for Professional Development Grants is now live, making it much faster and easier to apply for a PDG.
To apply for a Professional Development Grant online visit the Professional Development Grants webpage.
Word forms
Please note that the old application forms will no longer be accepted after 31 May 2009. New Word application forms are still available to print out and post to us, but we would encourage you to use the online application process.
Future changes
We will consult with members on further changes to the programme during the next 12 months.
