If you work for the NHS...

[Toberlerone]

...can you also be a local district/borough/county councillor?

I'm looking at a job in the NHS but also want to stand for election and wondered if I got a job in the NHS would it stop me standing to be elected?

I have Googled but I can't find any authoritative source that says either way. Thank you for your responses.

Bumping in case someone is on their lunch break who knows

Yes you can have another role/job, but you have to declare it with HR. There is paperwork that you need to complete.
I think this is the relevant guidance, but I cannot be sure.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/guidance-managing-conflicts-of-interest-nhs.pdf

I am a NHS midwife interested in politics. I always thought I could do both. I fact there is a Peer in the Lords who used to work as a nurse (I can't remember her name but this Peer was definitely a nurse). My professional code stipulates I can't use my midwifery status to promote anything not related to midwifery or health. This doesn't mean I couldn't argue against library closures as long as I don't bring my midwife qualifications to it (It would be a stretch to say that longer library opening hours help women enjoy healthier pregnancies- unless I had a data to proof it). What I think you will find more challenging is to work for NHS if you have a go-get-it type of personality. Change in NHS is possible but it happens SLOWLY. At least this has been my personal experience

Thank you both.

@B1rd thank you - I couldn't find the word 'councillor' in it but much of it is about declaring stuff. I'm keen to check if I did declare something once in post it wouldn't be a conflict of interest.

@Kosenrufugirl thank you - I've worked/am working in slow moving sectors and I agree the frustration is real. I found managing my expectations helped but knew to leave one role when what they said we were going to do was so completely different from what the data said we should do. I couldn't justify it to the service users. Professional and personal integrity is crucial for me.

I suggest you might look into the chartiy sector then. The pay and conditions is not so good as in the public sector (or so I heard). I would say change in NHS is possible, but it's incremental and there is a lot of politics (not just office politics but Westminster politics as well). Good luck with whatever you decide.

There is at least one MP who is also a practising doctor.

That's a higher elected position than I'm hoping for but if that's OK then locally elected would probably be OK?

If it's the same as other public services, there are probably some jobs that are politically restricted, but they tend to be more senior or higher profile posts, so there isn't just one blanket rule by institution.

It is a senior role (Band 8 - not being specific for anonymity) but there's nothing on the job description saying it's politically restricted.