Flexible working is a core part of how we support colleagues to work well. Our Flex First approach is shaped directly by what staff told us in the Staff Survey, where many colleagues reported that access to flexible working was not always consistent or easy to navigate.

In response, we have strengthened our policy and processes, improving clarity on the different types of flexibility available, and making it simpler for staff and managers to agree arrangements that work for individuals, teams and services.

Supporting flexible ways of working helps us create a more inclusive, healthy and productive workplace, enabling colleagues to balance work, personal commitments and wellbeing while continuing to deliver high quality care.

Flexible working is available to all staff, in line with NHS principles and organisational needs. Feedback told us that colleagues want clearer information and a more consistent experience.

We are acting on this by setting out the full range of options - from adjusted start and finish times to part time working, compressed hours and other combined arrangements and by committing to consider all requests fairly and consistently.

We also recognise that healthcare services must remain safe and effective at all times. Flexible working arrangements are therefore agreed collaboratively between staff and managers, ensuring they meet both individual needs and service requirements. This reflects our commitment to act on staff feedback and make flexible working transparent, equitable and accessible for everyone.

This page brings together everything you need to understand your options, make a request and access support.

Flex First

Flex First is our Trust-wide approach to flexible working. It aims to make options clearer, fairer and easier to access for everyone.

For most staff, the policy sets out a simple process to explore flexible working. It helps you find a way of working that supports your personal commitments and wellbeing, while making sure we continue to provide safe, high quality care.

Consultants and SAS doctors

Consultants and SAS doctors should continue to use the annual job planning process to discuss and agree flexible working. You can also use informal routes at any time.

This may include discussing flexibility during job plan reviews, using national guidance and considering options such as annualised PAs, flexible scheduling or remote SPA time, where this is appropriate.

This approach helps balance your needs with the needs of the service, so we can support wellbeing alongside safe patient care.

What we commit to

We will consider flexibility from advert - We will build flexibility into every role from the point of recruitment and include clear wording in job adverts.

We will start from ‘yes’

We will treat flexibility as the default starting point for conversations. Managers will explore how flexibility can work before considering whether it can work in practice.

We will make flexibility part of everyday practice

We will support teams to use flexible approaches day to day, enabled by good planning, fairness and open communication.

We will monitor fairness and consistency

We will routinely review flexible working requests, outcomes and staff experience to ensure flexibility is applied fairly across teams and staff groups. We will identify barriers, act on feedback and make sure access to flexibility does not depend on where you work or who your manager is.

As part of this commitment we will continue to work with our trade union colleagues as part of the "Get ahead on Flex" pledge.

Types of flexible working 

The flexible working options listed below give a quick overview of what each option broadly covers, helping managers and staff understand the types of flexibility available. These descriptions are intentionally short and high-level but there is a lot more information available under resources.

  • Agile / hybrid worker: Regular, agreed split between home and workplace(s). Not fully remote.
  • Annualised hours: A set number of hours worked across the whole year, allowing hours to rise or fall during busy or quiet periods.
  • Condensed working hours: Full time hours worked over fewer days (e.g. longer days, fewer working days).
  • Flexitime: Flexible start and finish times within agreed bandwidths, while maintaining core hours.
  • Job share: Two employees formally share one full time role, with duties and hours split.
  • Part time: Contracted hours are less than full time and the pattern is ongoing.
  • Part year working / term time only: Work is carried out only during specific parts of the year (e.g. term time), with pay averaged across 12 months.
  • Staggered working hours: Fixed but non standard start/finish times to support service cover.
  • Team self-rostering: Teams design their own rota within service parameters through a formal self rostering model.

How to request flexible working 

We want everyone to feel able to talk openly about the flexibility they need to balance work and life. There are two ways to request flexible working at KRFT: informal and formal. 

Informal flexibility is for short term, ad hoc or small adjustments that don’t change your contract. It’s the quickest and simplest route. You can request informal flexibility by having a conversation with your manager during a 1:1, wellbeing conversation or team discussion.

Examples would include: Adjusting start/finish times for a short period, swapping shifts etc. Sometimes it is possible to agree longer term arrangements informally too and we would encourage this wherever possible. However if agreement cannot be reached or a contractual change is required then the formal route should be taken.

A formal request can be made via ESR.

Consultants and SAS doctors should continue to use the established annual job planning process to explore and agree flexible working options as well as the informal routes which are available at any time.

Resident doctors applying for Less Than Full-Time (LTFT) training must apply to NHS England (NHSE) via the Trainee Self Service portal or their local deanery. You also need to discuss and negotiate your specific working arrangements directly with your Educational Supervisor, rota co-ordinator and Director of Medical Education.

Video guide for requesting flexible working.

What does Flex First mean at KRFT?

Flex First means we design roles, rotas and services with flexibility in mind from the outset. It shifts the culture from “staff must request flexibility” to “flexibility is considered by default wherever possible.”

Does Flex First guarantee that I can work flexibly?

No. Flex First means flexibility is explored proactively, but decisions must still balance service needs, safety, fairness and team impact.

How many days can I work from home?

There is no fixed number. Hybrid patterns depend on role suitability, service needs, team coordination and agreed outcomes. Managers will discuss what is workable.

Can I work from abroad?

No. KRFT does not permit working from abroad due to tax, legal, data protection and professional regulation risks.

What equipment will KRFT provide for homeworking?

KRFT provides essential equipment only (e.g., laptop, headset). Additional ergonomic equipment is the employee’s responsibility unless required as a reasonable adjustment.

What happens if several people in my team request the same pattern?

Managers will consider fairness, service cover, skill mix and rotation. If all requests cannot be supported, managers will explore alternatives with each individual.

Can flexible working be trialled first?

Yes. Managers can agree a trial period (usually 3 months) before confirming a long‑term arrangement.

What happens if service needs change after my request is agreed?

Your manager will discuss the change with you and explore adjustments. Formal changes may need review if the pattern is no longer workable.

Who can help me think through my flexible working options?

Your manager, HR Business Partner, Freedom to Speak Up, Trade Union representatives, pastoral team or another colleague can all help. 

What if I’m not comfortable raising this with my manager?

You can speak confidentially to HR, Freedom to Speak Up, trade unions or a staff network for support before approaching your manager.

Can I change my flexible working arrangement later?

Yes. You can request a review or submit a new request if your circumstances or service needs change.

What if everyone requests flexible working?

Flexibility doesn’t mean saying yes to everything - it means having good conversations, exploring options, and making fair, balanced decisions that work for the team and for the service. When a whole teams ask for flexibility, that’s an opportunity to have a transparent, team‑wide discussion. There are options such as team rostering that can be considered and support can always be provided.

What if agreeing flexibility creates unfairness in the team?

Flex First is about equity – not identical arrangements. If everyone gets an opportunity to discuss and agree their particular needs – it is not going to create unfairness.

What if everyone wants to work from home?

Remote working should always be explored, but it must be balanced carefully against the needs of the service and the team. In many cases, full remote working won’t be feasible, but hybrid arrangements, rotational patterns or partial remote working can offer flexibility while still protecting service quality and team functioning. The expectation under Flex First is exploration, not automatic agreement so possibilities should be explored to shape arrangements that support both staff wellbeing and safe, effective care.

What if the role genuinely can’t be flexible?

Some roles have constraints - but very few roles have no flexibility at all. Flexibility can be starting later on one day, finishing earlier, job share, predictable shifts etc.  If the exact request cannot be agreed, then alternatives should be explored.

Remote working should always be explored, but it must be balanced carefully against the needs of the service and the team. In many cases, full remote working won’t be feasible, but hybrid arrangements, rotational patterns or partial remote working can offer flexibility while still protecting service quality and team functioning. The expectation under Flex First is exploration, not automatic agreement so possibilities should be explored to shape arrangements that support both staff wellbeing and safe, effective care.

Flexible working options Infographic

Many ways to flex (Let's Talk About Flex)

Get inspired (Let's Talk About Flex)

Why flex (Let's Talk about Flex)

Talking about flexible working (Working Families)

These training sessions for managers compliment the e-learning module so you will gain more if you have had an opportunity to watch this before the session. This practical, interactive session will help managers build the behaviours, confidence and mindset needed to deliver Flex First consistently, fairly and with compassion. Through real world scenarios, guided discussions and soft skills practice, managers will learn how to lead flexible working conversations, balance team and service needs, and create a culture where flexibility works for everyone.

Tuesday 28 July - 9am-11am: Reserve your space 

Wednesday 29 July - 10am-12pm: Reserve your space 

Monday 3 August 11am-1pm: Reserve your space