1. Summary

1. The first underlying principle of the Sussex Heart Charity is to improve, support and fund cardiac healthcare in the county of Sussex. We are therefore proud to offer educational bursaries to Sussex based NHS cardiac staff that will support their professional development and ensure that cardiac healthcare in Sussex continues to improve and develop.
2. This document sets out the full terms and conditions for the Sussex Heart Charity (SHC) Educational Bursaries project.
3. The T&Cs are a contract between the SHC, and the grantee. They are designed to provide clarity and accountability. They provide a framework that ensures both parties are clear on the project scope and their responsibilities.
4. It is the responsibility of all grantees to read, understand and accept the full T&Cs before applying for a bursary. The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by grantees that do not meet our funding criteria and are not eligible for reimbursement.
5. If grantees have any questions regarding the project’s terms and conditions, the SHC are here to help; please contact via email at grants@sussexheartcharity.org

2. Scope – Eligibility Criteria

Information on whether the event you wish to attend meets the SHC bursary eligibility criteria:

1. Before applying, always speak to your line manager to explore if any alternative funding sources are available (for example, are there any options available on IRIS).
2. With respect to governance and the Charity Commission, the Sussex Heart Charity is not able to provide funding for events that fall under the statutory responsibilities of your local NHS Trust or are part of mandatory training or required accreditation.
3. SHC bursaries are intended to be enhancements to support staffs’ professional development – therefore any events which are essential for staff to fulfil the requirements of their job cannot be funded by the SHC.  SHC bursaries are designed to give staff the opportunity to enhance their learning and development by attending supplementary courses or conferences that fall into the optional or aspirational category.
4. The Sussex Heart Charity supports professional development where it delivers a direct and measurable benefit to the hospital and its patient care. Applicants must clearly demonstrate how the proposed training or education will enhance their skills while contributing to improvements in hospital services or patient outcomes. Applications for courses or conferences that solely benefit an individual without a clear link to wider hospital or patient care improvements will not be considered appropriate for funding from charitable resources.
5. Examination fees do not qualify for funding under the SHC educational grants and bursaries scheme.
6. A maximum support ceiling of £500 per person per financial year is allowed. Therefore, a grantee can make multiple applications over the course of any given year, but the total of the claims cannot exceed your £500 allocation. The £500 is each grantees own personal allowance, and it cannot be shared with other people.
7. Line manager approval is required before you can apply for a bursary. Application forms should only be submitted once you have the approval and sign off from your line manager. Line manager authorisation will be verified.
8. Retrospective claims will not be considered. Applications need to be submitted BEFORE you attend an event. The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs you incur if an application is rejected.
9. All grants are at the entire discretion of the Trustees of the Sussex Heart Charity, including decisions on the merits of individual applications, priority, and availability of funds. The final determination of grant awards rests with the Trustees.

3. Introduction – The bursary process

Important information on the responsibilities of grantees during the bursary process:

1. It is the responsibility of all grantees to read the ‘How the Bursary Process Works’ guidelines. It is important that you understand the bursary process before you apply.
2. We aim to respond to applicants within 30 days of receiving an application – please submit your application to allow enough time before your event for your application to be processed. The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs you incur before your application has been approved.
3. Your application can include claims for course or conference fees, travel and accommodation – all claims must all meet our eligibility and funding criteria. The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs you incur before your expense claims have been approved. Further information on funding criteria can be found in section 5 ‘Funding Criteria – Travel Expenses’ and section 6 ‘Funding Criteria – Accommodation Expenses’
4. It is your responsibility to source all the appropriate evidence (invoices / receipts and proof of attendance) to support your claim. The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs you incur that cannot be reimbursed due to insufficient evidence. Further information on evidence requirements can be found in section 8 ‘Guidance on the Evidence Required for Reimbursement’.
5. Grantees are required to submit their evidence using the SHC ‘CPD Feedback and Evidence Form’. The SHC will email you a link to access the form once your application has been approved. The ‘CPD Feedback and Evidence Form’ must be submitted AFTER you have attended your event.
6. If you application has been approved, but you make the decision not to attend the event – please inform the SHC. To cancel your bursary request please email us at: grants@sussexheartcharity.org
7. Please note that all applications have a time limit, and evidence must be submitted within 6 months from the date it was awarded. Therefore, reimbursement evidence should be submitted in a timely manner to avoid funding being withdrawn.

4. Guidance for completing an application form

Advice on how to fill out a successful application:

1. The grants are intended to support individual professional development, and each grantee must submit their own application. You cannot share your individual funding allowance with other grantees. Therefore your application form should only include only your own expenses.
2. We are delighted to offer bursaries to UHS and ESHT staff. There are separate applications forms for the different NHS Trusts. To avoid any delays with your application, please make sure you submit the correct form.
3. On the application form you are required to provide the name and contact details of your Line Manager. Line manager approval is required before you can apply for a bursary, and you will also be asked to confirm that:
   • Your line manager has approved your application
   • You have explored alternative funding sources with your line manager – and explain why these were not available

Application forms should only be submitted once you have the approval and sign off from your line manager. Please be aware that line manager authorisation will be verified – line managers will be cc’d in the email we send to grantees confirming if their application has been successful or unsuccessful.

4. In the ‘Outline of Proposal’ section you are required to submit the following details:

• Details of the course / conference you want to attend – a web link to the event is also required for verification.
• How attending the course / conference will benefit you and patient outcomes
• A breakdown of all your estimated costs

5. At the application stage, you just need to provide the estimated costs of every expense you wish to claim for. Please ensure that the expenses listed are as accurate as possible. These do not have to be your final costs – just the best estimate of your expected costs.  Please include as much information about your expenses as possible on your application. For example – links to booking websites or hotel websites.
6. We will refer to the application form data when reviewing your evidence and will ask for verification if there is a large discrepancy between the costs submitted on the application and evidence forms.
7. As a charity the SHC has a duty to make sure that bursaries are fairly awarded and that charity funds are used in the best way possible – it is therefore your responsibility to plan and budget carefully and seek out the most cost-effective options.

You must:

• Chose the standard/basic travel and accommodation options and rates

Please consider other cost-saving measures such as:

• Booking in advance to take advantage of early deals
• Compare prices from different providers and websites in order to source the best prices
• Look at ‘Group Booking’ offers if you are travelling with colleagues attending the same event
• Look at joining hotel loyalty programmes to benefit from cheaper deals and offers
• If appropriate, look at sharing a room with a colleague who is attending the same event

Please refer to section 5 ‘Funding Criteria – Travel Expenses’ and section 6 ‘Funding Criteria – Accommodation Expenses’ for further information regarding eligible and ineligible travel and accommodation expenses.

8. If you plan to split an expense with your colleagues (for example, you are sharing a hotel room), please include as many details as possible on your application form. For example: the name/s of the colleague/s, what is the total cost of the expense – and how much of this is your share (i.e. the amount you are claiming for).  Please note that if you are splitting a cost with colleagues, everyone must submit an application for just their own share of the cost. Please read section 7 ‘Guidance on Splitting Expenses with other Grantees’ for further information.
9. In the ‘Helping the SHC Help You’ section you are required to submit the following details:

• How you could publicise the SHC
• Confirm if you consent to us using your photos and quotes for marketing purposes
• Confirm if you are happy for us to contact you in the future
• What the SHC means to you

We would be grateful if you could spread awareness of the SHC and the bursary project (for example by sharing photos on social media and tagging us on any posts, writing a thank you).

10. If you tick ‘yes’ and agree that we can contact you in the future, you will be added to our supporter mailing list. Please note that all grantees will be automatically added to our grantee mailing list – this is to ensure that we can contact you with any changes or updates about the bursary project.
11. Incomplete application forms will not be considered. It is essential to submit applications with all the appropriate and required information. Please include as many details as possible on your application form.
12. Once you have submitted your application form, the SHC will review your application, and we aim to respond to your bursary request within 30 days:

• If there any issues with your form, we will email you for clarification.
• If your application has been successful, you will receive an email confirmation. The email will contain information about the reimbursement process. Your line manager will be cc’d in this email.
• If your application has been unsuccessful, we will email you to explain the reason. Your line manager will be cc’d in this email.

13. An approved application can be retracted if the SHC find that you provided incorrect or misleading information on your application form.

5. Funding Criteria – Travel expenses

It is your responsibility to seek out the most cost-effective travel options – please read point 6 in section 4 ‘Guidance for Completing an Application Form’ – for further guidance.

The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs you incur that do not meet our funding criteria and are not eligible for reimbursement.

Eligible travel expenses

Core transportation is eligible for reimbursement. The following modes of transportation will be considered:

1. Public Transport:

• Trains – this can be getting a train to/from the airport/coach station/hotel or a train journey to your final destination
• Coaches (i.e. National Express) – this can be getting a coach to/from the airport/hotel or a coach journey to your final destination. You must pre-book your ticket.
• Flights – to UK or international destinations

2. Private vehicle travel (via road):

This is restricted to:

• Travelling in your own vehicle (or the vehicle of a colleague you are travelling with)
• If you have privately hired a vehicle from a rental company that you (or a colleague) are driving.

 

Ineligible travel expenses

The following modes of transportation are NOT eligible for reimbursement:

• Taxis
• Uber (or any other similar provider)
• Car-Sharing providers
• The London Underground (The Tube) – unless this is covered in your National Rail train ticket (such a One Day Travelcard)
• Local buses
• Local trams
• Local underground or metro services
• Car parking (including airport parking and hotel parking)
• Any mode of transportation where payment is ‘pay-as-you-go’, ‘tap-on, tap-off’ or any contactless payment systems where payment is made by bank card (this includes Oyster payments on all London transport services).

 

Travel expenses – T&Cs

Travel expenses are subject to conditions.

Please note that any optional or ‘add on’ costs are not eligible for reimbursement – please make sure you are aware of what costs can be claimed for.

1. Public transport:

You must choose the standard/basic fare option. Optional add-ons, extras or upgrades (where they are an additional cost) can NOT be claimed for. This includes (but is not limited to):

• Seat selection / Reserved seat
• Seat upgrades (extra leg room seat, an ‘up front’ seat etc)
• Cabin upgrades (premium economy, first class, business class etc)
• Extra baggage/luggage not covered by the basic allowance (i.e. additional/large cabin bag, checked/hold luggage)
• Excess baggage charges
• Speedy/Priority boarding
• In-Flight options / Journey ad-Ons (food and beverage packages, Wi-fi, entertainment etc)
• Travel insurance
• Fast Track Security
• Bag Drop
• Airport lounges
• Airport check-in fees
• Reservation changes or amendments
• Any non-UK Pound Sterling transaction fees incurred at point of sale or through your bank

If you want to add on any extras or upgrades, these can be purchased at your own cost – your evidence should include a full breakdown of all costs and details of the items you are claiming for.

 

2. Private vehicle road travel:

• Claims are based on the milage costs only.
• The SHC will only reimburse mileage for the required journeys – you cannot claim for the total cost for filling up a tank or any unnecessary journeys.
• Mileage must be calculated using the AA milage calculator to ensure accuracy. Please use the ‘Total Expense’ total on the AA Milage calculator and not the ‘Approx Fuel Cost’. (Total Expense is calculated using the predefined standard milage allowance rate for expense claims).
• Mileage can be claimed at the HMRC-approved rates of 45p per mile for all types of vehicle. (when using your own vehicle). This rate is subject to change in line with HMRC updates.
• The SHC will not reimburse for any additional costs – i.e. car insurance, parking fines, car parks costs.

3. Private vehicle road travel – additional conditions for rental vehicles:

Please be aware that only the basic rental costs can be claimed for – the SHC will not reimburse for any additional costs. This includes (but is not limited to):

• Optional extras (such as additional driver, Sat Nav, roadside assistance, insurance)
• Upgrading your rental vehicle
• Unreturned deposits
• Damage costs
• Excess charges
• The costs of travelling to/from the rental company to pick up/drop off the hire vehicle

4. Please note that any mandatory charges and fees (such as booking fees, airport taxes) will be eligible for reimbursement.

Please refer to section 8 ‘Guidance on the Evidence Required for Reimbursement’ for information regarding the evidence you need to supply to support your claim for travel expenses.

6. Funding Criteria – Accommodation Expenses

It is your responsibility to seek out the most cost-effective accommodation options -please read point 6 in section 4 ‘Guidance for Completing an Application Form’ for further guidance.

The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs you incur that do not meet our funding criteria and are not eligible for reimbursement.

Eligible / Ineligible Accommodation Expenses

Accommodation costs can be claimed of if an overnight stay is required.

1. For events located within a reasonable travel distance (i.e. London) accommodation costs will only be considered if there is a legitimate reason for an overnight stay (i.e. an evening networking event in the middle of a multi-day event). In this instance, on your application please include details about why accommodation is required.
2. We want to make sure your event is as beneficial to you as possible – therefore you are not expected to arrive at an event late – or leave an event early. If deemed necessary, you are entitled to book accommodation the night before and/or after your event. This is not applicable to events within a reasonable travel distance (i.e. London).
3. Eligible types of accommodation:

• Hotel or BnB (pre-booked directly with the property or via a booking website)
• Airbnb bookings (or similar rental websites)

Accommodation Expenses – T&Cs

Please note that any optional or ‘add on’ costs are not eligible for reimbursement. Accommodation expenses are subject to conditions – please make sure you are aware of what costs can be claimed for.

1. You must choose the standard/basic room option. Optional add-ons, extras or upgrades (where they are an additional cost) can NOT be claimed for. This includes (but is not limited to):

• Room upgrades
• Bed & Breakfast rate
• Room service
• Meal or drink options (evening meal etc)
• Early check-in
• Late check-out
• Parking fees
• Baggage holding
• In-room charges (mini bar, safe, telephone, pay-per-view movies etc)
• Wi-fi or internet fees
• Use of hotel facilities (gym, spa etc)
• Any non-UK Pound Sterling transaction fees incurred at point of sale or through your bank

If you want to add on any extras or upgrades, this can be done at your own cost – your evidence should include a full breakdown of all costs and details of the items you are claiming for.

2. Mandatory charges and fees (such as resort fees or taxes) will be eligible for reimbursement.

Please refer to section 8 ‘Guidance on the Evidence Required for Reimbursement’ for information regarding the evidence you need to supply to support your claim for accommodation expenses.

7. Guidance on splitting expenses with other grantees

1. If you are splitting the cost of an expense with a colleague, The SHC will not repay the full total of the expense to just one grantee. This is because each grantee has their own individual bursary allowance. Therefore, while sharing rooms and / or travel arrangements with other colleagues is encouraged, please make sure that these costs are divided up, with each grantee submitting a claim for just their individual split of a cost.
2. In cases where a colleague has paid for your expenses (either because they paid for a shared cost or they made a group booking) it is your responsibility to source the appropriate receipts from your colleague. The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs you incur where you cannot provide the necessary evidence.
3. If you are booking and paying for the expenses of your colleagues (either because you are sharing one cost, or because you are making a group booking on behalf of a colleague) it is your responsibility to recoup these payments directly from your colleagues.  The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs you incur from payments made on behalf of other people.

8. Guidance on the evidence required for reimbursement

It is your responsibility to source all the appropriate evidence to support your claim. The SHC accepts no responsibility for any costs you incur that cannot be reimbursed due to insufficient evidence.

Required evidence

1. You must submit the following:

• Valid invoices / receipts for all your expenses
• Proof of attendance

2. Each applicant must submit their own reimbursement claim for their own individual expenses – it is your responsibility to obtain valid receipts or invoices for all your expenses.
3. Please ensure that submitted evidence includes the following information:

• Your name and/or email address
• Full payment details (vendor, date and amount paid)
• Travel evidence should also include: dates of travel, where you were travelling to and from
• Accommodation evidence should also include: name of hotel/lodging, check in and check out dates, breakdown of costs
• Course/Conference fees evidence should also include: name and the date of the event

Accepted evidence:

• We accept copies of tickets, documents and email bookings (as long as they contain all the required information and are a proof of purchase) – this includes scanned copies, taking photos of documents or screenshots of emails.
• We encourage you to source ‘expense receipts’ or ‘expense invoices’ where possible – hotels will supply these on request and online travel providers (such as Trainline) offer this option via your online account.
• You can supply more than one document per expense to make sure you submit all the required information (i.e. for a paper train ticket you should submit the train ticket and a receipt. Receipts can be requested from the ticket office or most ticket machines when purchasing your ticket).

 

Unacceptable evidence:

Please note we do not accept the following:

• Credit card receipts
• Evidence of a withdrawal from your bank account – such as a bank statement or a screen shot of your banking app.
• Reservation Confirmations that are not a proof of purchase – such as a hotel booking confirmation email sent before your stay where no pre-payment has been taken.
• Any evidence with missing or insufficient information

 

Please refer to the ‘Evidence Guide‘ for real examples of evidence that will be accepted and rejected.

 

Proof of attendance

Proof of attendance is required. We ask for this evidence as photos are very useful for our marketing and promotion of the bursary project.

You should submit photos from the event you attended such as:

• You and your colleagues at the event
• Images of a presentation or talk you attended
• Your ID badge from the event
• A certificate of attendance

9. Guidance for filling out the ‘SHC CPD Bursary Feedback and Evidence Form’

All your evidence (and feedback) should be submitted via the ‘SHC CPD Bursary Feedback and Evidence Form’.

The SHC will email grantees a link to the form – it will be included on the email confirming your bursary request has been accepted.

1. The form should be submitted AFTER you have attended the event and have gathered all the required evidence.
2. Your form should only include the claim for your own individual expenses.
3. To ensure the utmost security of your personal information, we have chosen to use Google Forms for data collection. Please note that accessing the form will require a Google Account. If you don’t already have a Google Account, sign up details will be included on the email we send you. While we understand this may be a slight inconvenience, we firmly believe that the added security measures outweigh any minor hassle.
4. In the ‘Course or Conference Details’ section of the form, you will need to supply the following information:

• The details of your event (name and date)
• Feedback on the event: how attending benefited you and your patients. Please provide as much detail as possible – any insights and feedback will help us enhance our bursary project and will give us a better understanding of the impact of our support.
• Upload your photos from the event
• Please note that if you gave consent for us to use your photos and quotes then your responses from this section may be used in our marketing of the bursary project.

5. In the ‘Evidence for Reimbursement’ section, you will need to supply the following information:

• A breakdown of all your final individual costs and fees
• Total cost to be reimbursed
• Upload all your expenses evidence (receipts, invoices etc).

6. For any non-UK Pound Sterling transactions, please note the following:

• The expense will be converted and paid in UK Pound Sterling.
• The conversion will be calculated using the exchange rate on the day the claim is submitted. The conversion will use the ‘Mid-Market Exchange Rate’ on Google Finance.
• Any non-UK Pound Sterling transaction fees incurred at point of sale or through your bank are not eligible for reimbursement

7. Please note that all applications have a time limit – and evidence must be submitted within 6 months from the date it was awarded. After this date the funding will be withdrawn.

10. Reimbursement

1. Once we have received your ‘SHC CPD Bursary Feedback and Evidence Form’, the SHC will carefully review the evidence.
2. Submitting your evidence does not automatically guarantee all your expenses will be eligible for reimbursement – this can only be confirmed after you evidence has been reviewed. The SHC is not responsible for any costs you incur that cannot be reimbursed due to insufficient evidence or that do not meet our eligibility requirements.
3. We will contact you via email if there are any issues with your form, or if additional evidence or information is required.
4. When your expenses have been approved for reimbursement, you will receive an email confirmation. This email will include a link to the ‘Reimbursement Information’ form.
5. To ensure your reimbursement is processed promptly and securely all reimbursement payments are done via bank transfer. We ask that you provide your bank details via the secure ‘Reimbursement Information’ form. We understand the importance of safeguarding your personal information, and this secure form has been designed to protect your data. Once submitted, your details will be used solely for the purpose of this reimbursement and will be handled in accordance with our data protection policies.
6. Once we have received your payment details, we aim to process your reimbursement within 14 days.