To move down a band in work?

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Hiya. I need help. Currently on mat leave. I was a band 5 for a few years in the nhs then moved to a 6. Every 6 job I've disliked I find it too stressful and want to go back to a 5. I get anxiety so anything stressful I do struggle with. I'm looking at part time band 5s but worried as I know I can be a good band 6 I just find it too hard

I would go for the band 5 if you can afford it. Life is too short to be stressed out because of work. I was in a similar situation and went down a band, never regretted it.

I've been a band 7 before now and that was a whole new world of hell

I know I can be a good band 6 I just find it too hard

This is contradictory.

Don't drop a band because you want to go part time and feel you ought to but fine to drop it if you don't like being band 6.

Anxiety hold me back

I can strongly recommend self demoting. I've done it as has my DSis (neither NHS), Life is so much better!

I'd say it depends what you found particularly stressful about being a Band 6. Does going back to a Band 5 totally absolve you of this stress? The overlap of the Band's can of course mean that you aren't actually that much worse off - if at all. It's the future salary you'll be losing but only if they do actually retain increments. The time that your little one is little is so short & so if you can enjoy parenthood more by being in a band 5 then life balance is the thing to aim for. Slightly / might depend on which of the pension schemes you are in. If you are final salary then potentially very little lost financially and much to gain in quality of life assuming that you do actually lose the stressful bits and don't just get Band 5 money for a similar job.

I'm band 5, toying with the idea of applying to band 4 roles which are Mon-Fri 9-5/8-4 atm. Done the sums, and as long as I do one Saturday agency shift every two months, I'd pretty much be on the same money .

Life is too short to be stressed out by work.

Popc0rn - great work/life balance.

I am an 8c (but non-clinical) and dream of going back down. It's horrible.

How about a Carer change? I went from Band 6 secondary care to Band 6 primary care after mat leave and have never looked back .
FWIW I now earn considerably more in primary care than my friends who stayed in secondary , stress is minimal , no late evenings, bank holidays or weekends , bliss.

Work's not everything. If you think your work-life balance will be better by dropping a band, go for it.

Would more training (or better training) mean that you could do the Band 6 work without anxiety? Because that might be something to suggest if you think it would help. But otherwise, I see no problem in going back to Band 5 if you think it would make your life happier.

Have you sought help for your anxiety? If you can see that actually you are good at the band 6 role but find anxiety holding you back, it might be better to get some good quality help for the anxiety rather than backtracking career wise. I've done this and it's meant that I'm much more able to handle stress in all areas of my life, so it was well worth it.

I stepped down once OP
Lack of support and financial implications of the NHS plus having no free time and being called every day on days off meant the tiny extra bit of money wasn't worth it !
Step down ! You'll feel an instant relief

Do you want to do the band 5 role? You are entitled to apply for flexible working when you return, whether it is granted or not is another thing but if you were doing less hours in the band 6 role would you feel better?

Have you tried ways to manage your anxiety? It seems like a waste of a career to demote yourself if you haven’t tried your best to succeed.