NHS staff - enhanced DBS advice

[NeonHalo]

I went through the enhanced DBS process when I started my role (nurse) in 2016. I was asked to enrol on an annual update scheme around that time where I was meant to pay £13 a month for my DBS to be kept up to date. I did this but then due to switching bank accounts and things I dropped out of the scheme. I wrote to Recruitment at the time for advice but got to no response. I then went on maternity leave (twice!) and forgot all about it.

Is it my responsibility to have kept this up to date? Will my original DBS have now expired? I’m struggling a lot at the moment with anxiety related to some family health issues and I’m projecting some of that onto this weirdly. I’ve convinced myself I’m going to get struck off the nursing register as will have been working illegally or something.

My DBS is totally clear by the way and nothing has changed since the original application 🙂

thanks in advance

It's your responsibility.

Do you mean £13/yr?

Yes £13 a year sorry! So what do I have to do? Am I in serious trouble for this?

I’ve emailed recruitment about it but no reply so far.

No. Trouble. It's not like a professional membership that's mandatory.

The worst that could happen is they ask you to pay a full dbs fee again... Your trust would never realise unless they had a reason to apply for a check / update, which they shouldn't really do unless you change roles or are promoted.

@FixTheBone thank you. I’m more than happy to pay for one if they want me too. I appreciate you replying.

Oh I know the answer to this.
Don't worry at all. The update service was really useful if you moved roles like a locum but no - your trust will pay when you need to be updated. You don't have to have it. It isn't mandatory at all.

Sorry I mean the update service isn't mandatory!

@beachruns thank you very much 🙂 I haven’t been asked for one for at least 5 years (fell off the annual subscription thing about 5 years ago) but I assume that’s okay?

DBS checks do not technically expire but in practice organisations refresh them every few years. You should be able to apply for a new one.

Your HR dept will tell you if you need to update it. They'll ask for someone to check ID etc and you'll complete your application online.

@LIZS and @beachruns phew and phew! Will relax now and phone recruitment on Monday. Thanks again.

I think thr only people who need to be in the update service are locum workers who move around. If you are with an employer they should do it and then do it again as needed.

I am a nurse, in my trust we only seem to have our CRB rechecked when we change jobs. I recently had to sign something to say I was not a criminal when I changed jobs, but don't think they actually rechecked my CRB.

I wouldn't worry, and actually think it's a piss take that you were asked to pay for this register yourself. It's not mandatory, and if the trust want it then they should pay for it. We already have enough to pay for with parking, NMC and Union fees (before anyone says Union membership isn't mandatory, I like to be a member just in case I need legal help in the future, God forbid).

As long as you declare any criminal things (speeding tickets, murder etc) to the NMC, then you are fine.

I'm with an ambulance trust and we get reminders from HR every year to show them we've subscribed to the update service, I'd say it's your employers responsibility to check!