If you are participating in a blockout only self-rostering process, your hospital and HosPortal's automated reminders will usually send you an overview of the structure of the roster and your obligations. You will also be told how many shifts or days you are allowed to block.
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For all self-rostering processes, you will have a ‘window’ of time (normally 1-2 weeks) to select your blocked-out dates for the upcoming roster. These type of roster allows you to choose days that you do not want to be allocated.

You may be allocated a minimum or an unlimited number of shifts or days that you do not wish to be assigned. These settings are determined by the hospital. You can get further details of how this is determined from your hospital administrators.

You can opt not to maximise your blockout allotment.

You may receive SMS and email notifications to let you know when the window for self-rostering opens and closes.

When you log into HosPortal, if any of your hospitals has an open self-roster period, you can see the details on the left of your dashboard, showing the details (A), including the name of the facility and that it is a 'preference based' rostering process.

If it is not yet open, there is a countdown timer (B) showing how long until it opens. If it is open, the timer will show how long until it closes.

Click on the panel (C) to start self-rostering.

Once the self-roster window is open, you will see a screen like the one below. Shifts you can select for blockouts are in navy blue.

Note that the roster changes in real time: you will see the count of blockout shifts change as other users make their selections. The blockout shifts appear in blue navy colour.

You can see the number of block-outs you are allowed to select on the left-hand panel (D) or choose unlimited blockout days. The system will not allow you to choose more than the allotted number of blockouts and will trigger a notification as shown.

If you make a mistake or change your mind, and for as long as the self-roster window is open, you can click on one of your blockout shifts to ‘release’ it.

You can change your selected blockouts as many times as you like during the self-roster period. Nothing is confirmed until the window closes.

Usually, a roster administrator will need to review all users' selections before finalising the roster. Depending on the rostering rules and the selections made by others there is no guarantee that you will get any or all of your selections (especially if the self-roster is preference based). The blockouts will give an indication to HosPortal not to assign you on these days, but it is at the discretion of you administrator to override this.

The timing to publish the final roster is up to the roster administrator.

Once the roster is finalised you will receive notification of the shifts you have been assigned.