Does the NHS offer flexi time?

[jumpyjan]

Seen an NHS job adverised (office job) which I am thinking of going for but cuurrent employers offer flexi time which I think I would struggle without. Does anyone know if you work on the office side of NHS you get this?

[lesley33]

Yes NHS does offer flexi, but it depends on the needs of the job. For example, if part of the job is dealing with patients booking in for appointments, then you need to be there when patients are told they can do this. There is normally a contact person named,so I would ring up and ask. They won't think this is an unusual thing to check out as so many NHS admin jobs do have flexi time.

[RecursiveMoon]

I'm afraid that it probably depends on the office / department. Phone them to ask . Maybe ask something else first, then ask that (apparently as an afterthought).

[Hollyfoot]

I've not come across flexi time in the 3 NHS organisations I've worked in. That said, there are lots of other options such as term time only contracts, annualised hours (not quite flexi as you dont tend to vary your hours on a daily basis) and part-time working.

[jumpyjan]

Thanks all. Its through an agency so might try and check it out with them. It is an office role so not related to patient care etc. Its hard to know when/how to ask these things as dont want to come across badly! Its the first job I am going for in 8 years so well out of practice!

[catsareevil]

They will likely have a lot of applicants for the role, so unless there is something very distictive about the way you ask the question no-one will know that it was you who asked it when the applications come in.

[Ispywith]

I work for the NHS & they have taken a massive step backwards in the family friendly department! Basically if it doesn't fit in with them & save money you won't get it! I asked for 6 weeks flexible working to continue breast feeding till baby was a year & they said no! I am midwife working on a maternity unit! Not good. Sorry to be negative but in my opinion they are not generally flexible!

[gamerwidow]

It really depends on the organisation and the role. I work in the NHS in an office based role which was advertised as FT but at interview I asked if I could do 3 days a week instead and they accepted.
My employers are happy for me to switch my days around and do different daily hours as long as I work my allocated hours for the week and it doesn't affect the teams business.
In return I am flexible with my hours and will switch days if training etc. can't be scheduled on my working days.
It can't hurt to ask :)

[jumpyjan]

Thanks all at least I know that it is definitely not the norm. Think I will try and see if the agency know as dont really want to ask at interview!

[SecretSquirrels]

I work in the NHS in admin and I work flexi time which is great.
Having said that if it's through an agency would you be employed by the agency or the NHS?

[jumpyjan]

Thats interesting secretsquirels. The agency are just doing the recruitment so would be employed by NHS. Is your flexi a special arrangement you negotiated or something that is available to all in your office?

[catsareevil]

All the secretaries that I work with are flexi to a certain extent (all in every day, but the time that they arrive at and leave is flexible).

[SecretSquirrels]

As far as I know most office staff work flexi hours. As cats says the start and finishing times are flexible but the days you work are fixed, although they can be changed by arrangement.
I tend to start very early and leave early but some colleagues do it the other way round.

[Spindelina]

Where I used to work, there were no formal arrangements, but lots and lots of give and take. Swapping days was no problem; starting and finishing at different times was no problem - all as long as you turned up to anything you had scheduled and you got your work done.

Think it really depends on the office.

[tribpot]

My experience is similar to the others, usually fixed days but quite a lot of give and take in the start and end times. In a non-NHS role I once worked in an office in Paris where one of the admin guys took flexi to a ridiculous extreme and literally did 3 ten hour days and then vanished for the rest of the week. Every week. These were not pre-arranged, compressed hours I should add!

[feedthegoat]

Dh works in NHS accounting and they operate flexi time in his office,

[feedthegoat]

Dh works in NHS accounting and they operate flexi time in his office,

[jumpyjan]

Thanks all - am feeling a little more hopeful that the role might offer what I need which is something along the lines of my current arrangement which us 7.5 hrs a day but I can start/finish when I want outside of core working hours.

[tribpot]

Everyone I know works like that, jumpyjan, unless they are on one of our helpdesks, so obviously have fixed hours. Oh, and my friend who works at NHS Direct as well!

Everywhere's different of course, but fingers crossed you get the job and can make it work for you!

[StealthPolarBear]

My office based NHS job was 37.5 hr week flexi time with the core hours being 10-12 and 2-3.30. if you wanted an afternoon or day off as flexi you had to book it.
I now work still in the NHS, another office job with flexible arrangements agreed on appointment but no "flexi time" as such. I work 3 days from home! the 2 I am in the office though I feel I should be there between 9 and 5 (fair enough!). As it is I work very long days for those 2 days and them am more flexible when WFH.

[tribpot]

Agreed, Stealth - flexible start times and actual flexi time are rather different beasts. The first is much more common than the second I think.

[StealthPolarBear]

In fairness where i work now, it's so small that I son't think they see any need for formal flexi time

[jumpyjan]

I am not so fussed about the flexi time more just the flexible working hours.

Thanks Tribpot I hope I am lucky and get the job too