Don't complain about the state of the NHS and the lack of jobs in the same breath

The NHS is broken and isn't working. That has no bearing on whether I do or don't have a job.

And I've worked with "HCAs" who are only in the job because they've been forced into it. They are hell to work with. And they are the only jobs NHS are advertising within a 5 mile radius that don't require a qualification or previous experience.

We've got a load of support staff all looking to get the hell out of education now (Think there's a problem with teachers? You want to look at who isn't going to be there to get those kids on the roll, the lights kept on, the vaccinations booked, salaries paid, the exam entries made, the free school meals added, the child with SEND assisted come December) - but all of them came to education via the NHS. Not one of them has any intention of returning.

Not a great advertisement for the working conditions and pay for either, really

'Work in Education - At least it's not the NHS'.

You managed it! This is a perfectly reasonable length for a sentence👏

Don't be ridiculous. The vast majority of NHS jobs are wildly underpaid, why should people choose a pay cut? They are still allow to want a decent healthcare service.

I say this as a lifetime NHS worker, before anyone jumps on me.

The responsibility for change rests on the government to properly fund roles if they want them filled. Not on the average person to restrict their and their family's lives to facilitate working for less money.

Benefits ARE less than actual jobs.

Your average band 5 (starting at £28k) inpatient staff nurse or midwife, chronically understaffed and responsible for the care of multiple patients with complex needs in situations which are regularly unsafe. Being accountable in the face of patient harm and complaints. Why would you?

Band 7 starts at 43k and is usually a job with significant managerial responsibility.

Maybe five to ten years ago these would be seen as good wages but these are not good wages for highly skilled jobs with significant responsibility and stress. It’s not just the wage.

You don’t often see trainee posts advertised anymore. A long time ago I seem to recall you could go into the NHS with no experience whatsoever, just as a trainee HCA or whatever the entry level post is in the department you’re working in. I may be misremembering but I seem to remember people were paid a trainee salary which increased when theyd passed their vocational qualification or had more experience.

there seems to be very few posts advertised now where on the job training is the expected and main way of becoming proficient in your role. They all seem to want specific qualifications and prior experience. People have to start somewhere. Are they expecting people to start straight from school as apprentices?

The other thing that puts people off is the way that all entry level jobs in public sector organisations are now not really entry level. More and more responsibilities have been heaped on them, often they used to appear in the job description of those on the next grade up. Combine that with pay rises not keeping up with inflation, and increased housing and childcare costs and what you’re offering people is a job which can actually be quite skilled, which requires prior experience, pays poorly, gives a worse pension than previously, often worse terms and conditions, more stress, not even a free staff car park, no perks at all, and for what? just so you can barely keep your head above water financially?

People will take the less stressful job for similar pay in those circumstances.

Not exactly at all. That 10 million figure isn't people not working. It includes the early retired and students. The actual number of people claiming benefits is 1.5 ish million.

Fantastic idea except they don't work around child friendly hours and I'm a single parent to two autistic children which means that while my 15 year old has aged out of childcare I can't leave him to get to school unsupervised or feed himself my 11 year old is a complete non starter can't even get him to peeing the toilet with any degree of accuracy getting home from school unsupervised will never happen

Well, don't bother then...I'd consider yourself a bit spesh as I'm normally not so rude/blatant on MN.

You do do realize my user name is shortened to THING? Probably not, as the jokes and curve balls that life consistently throws us is lost on you.

"Gissa Job" aka Yosser Hughes has never gone away for many people. And Boys from the Black Stuff was actually considered comedy, whilst the reality was far from comical.

But the state sector in poor areas continue to suck the life blood out of the people, whilst the rich areas chatter away.

Consider yourself part of the problem OP, and not the solution.

By the way I applied for at least 5 different entry level NHS jobs last year when I was made redundant and not a single one offered me an interview.

Where are all these people complaining that there are no jobs?

My mum works in the NHS and there's been a recruitment freeze in her department. She's of the view that there's too much money being wasted on unnecessary middle management salaries, leaving not enough to hire staff for work that actually needs doing. I don't work there though so what do I know.

Unemployment is about 3.5% just now. There are not millions of people not working and on benefits.

OP, is your lack of punctuation intentional to illustrate how irrate you are?
The incredibly long sentences with minimal commas come accross as though you are saying all of this without pausing for breath.

I am in admin NHS - love my job - wish I joined 30 years ago!

Depends where you live you snooty cow; round here any NHS/public-sector job has a massive queue of applicants.

And these are mostly snapped up by those with previous expereience, downsizing from other areas, very rarely a locally experieced person. After all, if you've lived in the SE for many years, you have to have some 'serious' probs to reman unemployed; even an NHS admin job can be considered as scraping the barrel.

Down these parts in the SW an NHS admin job is considered a 'top job'.

I don't really have a solution to this reality, just know that even though I'm a post-grad qualified worker, tho still a post-60 carer, I'd be more than happy to work for the NHS, even under it's most basic T&Cs

But I'd probably fail the 'personality' test. As I actually have one.

Exactly. Why are so many people not working when we can't get staff for hospitality, social care and healthcare? Benefits should always be less than actual jobs otherwise people will be stuck on benefits.

Quite a long time ago now, bit I did one day as an agency cleaner in our local hospital and refused to go back. I did do other cleaning jobs since, so that wasn't the issue, I genuinely felt that I was putting patients at risk and potentially myself. The agency staff got paid more than the direct employees, so there was no incentive to learn things and stay. There was no training and the person who was meant to be working with me left after an hour. I didn't know which cleaning products or equipment to use. At one point, there was a large puddle of blood by a bed and a nurse had to clean it up because I had no clue or gloves etc.

I only found out that part of the role was making drinks for patients by reading something on the staff room wall, so they weren't necessarily receiving proper hydration. No one helped anyone frail to drink, so I collected full cups of cold tea later.

Hopefully things have improved there since.

To add, final salary pensions are rare now but that's a separate issue

I don't think many people can afford to work for it!

It's high-stress, low-pay and there are many reports of toxic work environments.

Plus many people want to consider their own health after covid and want to protect themselves.

Most UK universities are public sector.

You don't understand what a pension is. it is just savings for old age, currently with a tax saving. Unless you want to work until you die you need a pension. The amount that is saved depends on both what you put in and what your employer puts in plus what interest it earns. How much is in it will determine what age you can afford to retire at. The state pension age is set but you choose what age to start claiming your workplace pension (has to be over 50 or 55?).

If your employer puts 28% into your pension that's the equivalent to an extra 28% on your annual salary, just saved up. It won't suddenly cease to exist - it's your money!