Do you enjoy working for the NHS?

[Carlie97]

I'm thinking of applying for a job in the NHS. It would be a clerical role. I love hospitals (absolute weirdo!) but have heard horror stories about working for the NHS, including bullying being rife. Is there anyone out there who actually enjoys their job?

I do love my nhs job. Used to be clinical now managerial. Absolutely great

I’m just placemarking as I’m heading back to uni for a role as a radiographer in the NHS 3 years away, but keen to listen to all opinions.

Yes I love my job and the culture has greatly improved in recent years

I wouldnt work for anyone else. Ive been an RN and now a podiatrist for 46 years. Ive tried other jobs but always went back.

Ahh thank you. I recently attended an appointment and the staff were all so kind and although rushed off their feet, they were very patient and welcoming during my two hour visit there.

I'd like to work nights ideally. Are there ever any clerical/non-skilled medical night roles available? I'm not the greatest cleaner so would avoid that role.

In terms of booking leave, is your manager flexible with this and do you get most of your leave requests granted?

I love my team, and I love lots of aspects of my role. There’s lots I dislike too though!

Honestly it totally depends on the trust and department. I have been in the NHS for 35 years and have worked in amazing and absolutely dreadful departments.
The trust ethos really matters, as does your colleagues.
If they seemed like good people, do it.

@Carlie97 I'd like to work nights ideally. Are there ever any clerical/non-skilled medical night roles available?

Have you asked about A&E desk roles?

Switchboard
Health Records
A&E/UTC/SDEC Reception

All work nights

A & E receptionist would be a baptism of fire.
as regards leave, i have been disappointed with rejections to my recent request, unfair, new manager, it can be an issue, you need to check with colleagues

do you enjoy working in the NHS?
no

do you get most of your leave requests granted?

also no.

I have a saying that I like my job (true) but I hate my work. I am a clinical senior/supervisor role.
it’s honestly not that bad, there are pros in that i do have an element of job security and job satisfaction.
The leave situation in my trust is frustrating. We are short staffed, and this results in not finding out about leave and also not getting it granted.

I have also been bullied previously and it was very hard to prove and has very much affected my mental health and how i view myself.

I think this is a fairly extreme example, and you sound like an open minded egg OP. I think you could probably do a lot worse in terms of a job.

No it’s awful but I’ve been a nurse for 20 years so I’m stuck. With regards to leave also no

Absolutely love it. Worked in the nhs for 35 years - clerical

No do not enjoy. Reasonably senior managerial (band 8a). Supposedly contracted to work 37.5 hours. Actually work around 55 hours per week. Back to back meetings. Over 300 emails a day, impossible to get through every increasing workload, even working all the extra hours. Don’t get either paid or time back in lieu for the extra hours. It’s awful. Am looking for another job.

As far as annual leave is concerned, expect to be disappointed, don't book holidays before you get confirmation of your leave. Depending on the department you work in, expect to work bank holidays including Christmas.

No. Very short staffed all the time.

I am NHS med sec. I do like my job a lot. I get a lot of job satisfaction from going out of my way to help people as much as possible including flagging up to other services if I can't help. We have a very hands off manager as she is stretched too thin so as a team we are pretty self sufficient. We try and sort our leave between us so it usually always gets approved. Yes we are short staffed and insanely busy but I wouldn't swap. The sick pay/annual leave are very good and my department is great. I think it depends where you work in all honesty.

Yes. I’m proud to work for it. Frustrating as it is at times. Nurse for 22 years.

Yes, I work in a clinical role where I lead a team and really enjoy my job. I've enjoyed all the teams I've worked within in the NHS but have also worked adjacent to some I wouldn't have wanted to be in so I think it varies team to team! Wider hospital politics and culture within the NHS can be trickier but at a lower level that won't have too much impact on you day to day. A/L requests in my team are very rarely declined but would also vary a lot.

I think it’s so hard to get a job with the nhs these days. Lots of redundancies, cost cutting etc. hundreds of applicants per minimum wage job. Such a tiny amount of suitable jobs whenever I’ve looked

NHS leave is not very flexible. There are a few but not many clerical night roles . You could be a porter?

I assume a lot of the admin roles, especially low level ones will be replaced by AI once they have the programmes

Not true in an outpatient role. Yes don't book holidays before your leave is authorised but DH wouldn't do that either in the private sector (high level IT) As a team we week school holidays between us, we get a guaranteed week alternate half terms, you have have some of the other ones sbd we get one week or the other at Easter and Christmas.

I have worked in NHS over 25 years but community role and love it.

If you want to apply do it asap as I was applying for a band 4 hospital role recently and it shut a week before closing date due to high level of applicants. I went back to added my references and it said closed.