LED doctors can now apply for SAS contracts in England
Locally employed doctors (LEDs) in England can now apply to move to a permanent SAS contract under the new SAS Eligibility and Permanency Framework (EPF).
The initial six-month choice window opened on 1 September 2026. The framework provides a route for eligible LEDs who have been working at SAS level to move onto a nationally recognised SAS contract, providing greater job security and a clearer pathway for career development and progression.
Who is eligible?
The framework applies to LEDs who have been employed continuously by the same trust for at least 24 months and have been carrying out duties and responsibilities comparable to those of a SAS doctor. There are also requirements around qualifications, training and experience.
The BMA says that eligible doctors should have at least four years' postgraduate training, including two years in the specialty relevant to the SAS post they are seeking.
Eligible doctors should be notified by their employer and can express an interest in transferring during the initial choice window. The process includes a professional competency evaluation and employer review before progressing to job planning and, if successful, a new SAS contract.
If you think you may be eligible, speak to your employer to find out how the process is being managed locally.
Read the NHS Employers SAS Eligibility and Permanency Framework.
A welcome step, but more needs to be done
The Association of Anaesthetists welcomes the introduction of the EPF and the opportunity it provides for locally employed doctors.
However, we believe more needs to be done to ensure that England catches up with the other UK nations in recognising and supporting experienced SAS doctors and LEDs.
In June, we published Freedom of Information data highlighting the disparity in recognition and progression of experienced SAS doctors across the UK. Our findings also showed how LEDs make up a bigger proportion of the combined SAS and LED workforce in England compared to Wales and Scotland.
The EPF is an important opportunity to address some of these inequalities. However, we believe that access to a permanent SAS contract should not be limited to a one-off window. Trusts should take steps now to incorporate the EPF into regular workforce planning and make it available to all eligible LEDs on an ongoing basis, so that doctors who meet the criteria can move to a SAS contract when they are ready.
We hope this progress in England will also encourage the other nations of the UK to establish similar pathways for eligible LEDs. We will continue to press for fair, consistent and sustainable career pathways for SAS doctors and LEDs across the UK.