Is there good career progression working in admin in the NHS?

[connecting]

Basically I've only ever done low level low paid jobs in various admin roles. So I have quite a bit of general type admin experience
This has worked for me as Ive had my children. Its been part time and flexible mostly and has worked for my family.

Now that I've finished having my last child i want to get better jobs and really start thinking about a career as opposed whatever will do.

I have recently got a bank ward clerk job at the hospital. Baby is still young so this is perfect. However in the next couple of years im thinking of moving up the career ladder so to speak. Im not looking for £30000 jobs or anything but ward clerks start on grade 2 and in wondering if and how I can get to say a grade 4 in admin in the NHS. Has anyone started off as this and moved up?

Hi, I've managed admin staff in the NHS for many years so may be able to help with some advice here. Do you have formal qualifications?

Hi londonloves thank you. I have a degree which is nothing remotely to do with admin. (Optical science). As for admin qualifications I've done the ecdl and a couple of ecdl advanced modules.

Hi OP, there is really good progression in the NHS within admin - perhaps into some project work. Where are you based? have you considered working for a commissioning support unit?

UGH1 I am based in the northwest. I have no idea what a commissioning support unit is! Sorry! Also when you say project work, what do you mean?

Which areas have good progression?

I think you would have a good chance of progressing with that level of education. First step would be to apply for a permanent ward clerk role, learn as much as possible in that role and take whatever training opportunities arise. Give it maybe 6-9 months in that role then start looking at what Band 3 jobs there are around - often appointments clerk roles are band 3 or theatre scheduling. Ask your boss if you can do some shadowing. Read the person specs and identify your gaps, see how you can get the relevant experience. Band 4 roles are often team leader now so you might need to look into an NVQ or ILM qualification.
Another possible route is working towards becoming a medical secretary. These roles are changing a lot in some trusts though with introduction of digital dictation etc. and becoming more like patient pathway coordinator roles.
The main thing is to learn as much as you can about patient pathways through your hospital and how administrative roles support them. Learn how to interact with all the different professional groups, who does what etc.
It can be a really rewarding career. I started as a med sec and was a General Manager 13 later (did an MBA along the way though!) is the sky is the limit!

Ah yes so I've just advised based on acutely hospital roles but there are tons of other types of NHS organisations out there.

connecting Play your cards right and you'll be the CEO in a decade!

I'm being a bit tongue in cheek, obviously, but in my NHS Trust, I am surrounded by Band 5 admin staff who started with the odd NVQ, as ward clerks, filing clerks, booking clerks (who are Band 3). 2 of our Band 8 managers came up through the admin route. Neither have 'professional' qualifications.

I say best of luck to them, although a tiny part of me does look at the Band 5 admin as they saunter in at 9 and go home at 5, and think the equivalent Band 5 HCPs have a degree and a £40k debt and they're currently up to their armpits in someone else's body fluids right now...!

But yes, it's perfectly possible to get a very god career trajectory in admin in the NHS.

I didn't work 9 to 5 as a Band 5... and I had 2 degrees. And a professional postgraduate management qualification when I took on a senior management role.

OP you will need to get used to admin/management in the NHS being told they don't work as hard as clinical staff...
(Sort of tongue in cheek too, I don't want to detail your thread)

londonloves TBF, you're reinforcing my point: some NHS Band 5s have more degrees than a thermometer, some non-clinical Band 8s have all but no professional qualifications; and the qualifications they have taken have been 'in house', all have been done on NHS time.

I said '9-5' but I can tell you for free there are no admin staff in my dept before 8.30am and none after 5pm (Mo-Fri), ever.

An example I think is salient: One Band 5 degree qualified HCP decided to pursue management. She became a research assistant (admin), part time, staying as an HPC the rest of her time. She undertook a local tech college NVQ qualification. 18 months later, she has the NHS giving her study leave (2 out of 5 days a week) to pursue a masters which the NHS is partially funding, and has been told she should now be applying for Band 7 jobs. She 'shadows' a senior management most of the time she is at work.

With respect, this is a woman who had the job of arranging the HCA's rotas and A/L (all 9-5, Mo-Fri) taken off her, she was so bad at it.

She may not be regarded as 'typical' but this is what is possible if you take the right paths.

Thank you for your posts. Its been really useful. Its good to know that there is progression.