Mumsnet Talk

LadySnapcase, your original question sounded exactly like my situation!! Although, i am due to go back in a couple of months, and have only just started thinking about actually leaving. I am relieved to hear we can apply for other NHS jobs....makes life so much easier!

Happy applying!!

Lady I miss some aspects of the private sector, the NHS (as you know) can be frustrating in its constant change, which stifles the pace of change - lots of non recurrent, time limited funding, which makes it hard to recruit and therefore to change services.

The current changes are creating lots of opportunities, and the GPs who will soon be in charge of commissioning will IME want to increase/improve mental health services in the community.

It might be worth asking if any of the fixed term posts could be offered as a secondment.

I worked for nhs trust in Eastleigh and moved when I had my dd and got a new job still for the nhs locally.

They were fine with that, my understanding was as long as you are still working for the nhs its fine.

TeaOne, just curious, which do you prefer (private/NHS)?

I'm in mental health, currently tertiary services, but there is a massive amount of change going on at all levels at the minute. Have seen a few jobs I would have liked, but many seem to be on fixed term contracts, so not really appropriate for me right now...

I changed jobs while on mat leave, I joined the NHS from the private sector.

There are lots of opportunities at the moment, given all the changes to the NHS, in the commissioning/primary care side of things anyway, can't speak for provider services.

Yes you have to back for three months and work a certain amount of hours. As far as I'm aware we have to work for the NHS. It dosn't matter where or what.
evil

Excellent, thank you

I've been adamant that I've always liked my job, and it has lots of advantages, but since I've moved into a different role due to the pregnancy I've realised how stressful it actually was Time to re-evaluate my priorities I think..

And yes you can apply while on mat.leave.

Yes, you can.

You can take any job within the NHS (I went from Nottm to The NE) not necessarily the same trust and still be entitled to your maternity pay.
If you choose not to return to work then you will be expected to pay back the NHS maternity pay but not your statutory mat.pay.
Or you can return for 3 months after mat.leave and not have to pay anything back.

gin yes, agenda for change...will dig out the handbook!

Oh, thanks people, wasn't expecting answers so quickly! That all sounds pretty promising then.

I would definitely need to repay anything above the statutory pay if I don't return to work for 3 months, we have quite a decent enhanced maternity pay allowance so wouldn't want to lose that.

I'm not sure yet Terracotta, I'll have nearly 9 weeks AL to use between August and April, so might put some on the end. This might be a silly question, but can you apply for other jobs whilst on maternity leave?

It can be any NHS post , I relocated from London whilst on Mat leave and took a 3 month temporary contract miles away to avoid paying any Mat pay back.

You either have to return for 3 months (to any nhs employer) or pay back your enhanced mat pay (unless your manager feels this would cause undue hardship).

For example, after one mat leave during which I was being paid by the acute trust I worked for, I got a funded study place for a pct within the 3 months - no issues.

I have a friend who was a nurse in a hospital in eg London, then moved for her dh job while on mat leave. She got a job in their new area eg Birmingham - she just sent proof of nhs employment to London trust and had no problems.

If you leave NHS employment after your maty leave without returning for at least 3 months (I think), then you have to repay the additional pay. I don't think you have to return to your original job? Are you under agenda for change? Check the handbook.

also says this:

NHS Enhanced Occupational Maternity Pay Scheme

The OMP scheme is an enhanced level of payment to those employees with
the required level of service and who intends to return to work within the NHS
for a minimum period of three months after her maternity leave has ended

To qualify for OMP, the employee must:
• Have at least one year’s continuous service in total within the NHS, by the
11th week before the EWC, provided there has been no break in service of
more than 3 months;
• Intend to return to work with the PCT or another NHS employer for a
minimum of 3 months after her maternity leave has ended

If you don't return to work for 3 months post maternity leave ending then yep, in the NHS you have today back all the extra non-statutory pay.

You'll be fine to get another job in the same trust. Possibly even a different one but I can't quite remember fully for that one.

Will you be sticking much annual leave on at the end of your maternity leave? I got another job and only ended up working about a month of notice as I'd had 8 weeks of A/L tagged onto the end of my mat leave. Means you'd have a bit more time to try and find another job.

from an nhs document online:

If an employee opts to take the enhanced maternity benefits under the
provisions of the NHS Occupational Maternity Pay Scheme (see section four)
and then fails to return to work within 15 months of the beginning of her
maternity leave, she will be liable to refund the whole of her maternity pay, less any Statutory Maternity Pay or maternity allowance received.

8.9 In cases where the enforcement of the repayment is likely to cause undue
hardship or distress, the Director of Finance will have the discretion to waive
rights to recovery.

Check! I work for the NHS (dentist) and was told that I only became eligible for maternity pay after 2 years of working but once paid the maternity pay there was no obligation to return. Full stop, not even to another practice or pct.

you only need to pay back if you get enhanced maternity pay over and above statutory maternity pay. Dont know a about the other bit

I work for the NHS. Would you really have to pay back your maternity pay?! I've never heard of such a thing. But what I do know is your NHS trust is your employer, so long as you found a job with the same Trust you would be with the same employer.

Am a very long way off from returning to work - not even off on maternity leave yet! - but am doing some extreme forward planning after realizing I don't really enjoy my job Basically, I work for an NHS trust and know I will have to return to work after maternity to avoid paying back my maternity pay. What I was wondering was whether I would have to return to the same job, or whether it would still count if I could find alternative work within the same trust? Anyone any ideas...?