To leave my part time NHS job I enjoy?

[ravenousunicorn]

I currently work in the NHS part time as a band 2. I enjoy my job but I'd like to progress (and work full time!). I've been told the only way to do this is to go back to university and do another undergraduate degree. Talking to other students it sounds like there's really no guarantee of a job at the end and the course is quite substantially oversubscribed. I already have a degree so don't really want to go back to university and also would really struggle financially if I did.

One thing I dislike about this area of the NHS is the inability to go away over Christmas / New Year as we always have to work a few days. I love going away at Christmas with DSD and DH and really miss it. I also dislike the pay. I know it's not the be all and end all but I miss being able to go away at the drop of a hat (well sort of considering DSD and our pets). I've looked into going full time in my current role but it's just not an option at the moment.

As much as I enjoy my job, WIBU to leave it and go back to my original industry? The pay there is far better than the NHS. It's a totally different field but uses my original degree. There are options to progress and there is more flexibility with annual leave. The pensions and benefits are nowhere near as good though.

I think I feel at this stage in my life (late twenties), I want to have the money to have fun, to actually have a honeymoon, finish redecorating our house and then in a couple of years have the money and stability to be able to ttc. I know money and progress really isn't everything but still.

Did you say you were mid 20s?
Lots of things to think about - maybe change jobs, save money, increase pensions contributions then in 10 years, after saving, study for job you really want to follow. Or throw everything into getting the job you really want and intend then to keep it for life.
But are you planning on having a family any time? How would that fit in with jobs/study?
Are you needed around for DSS for school pick ups etc so postponing studies meanwhile is a good idea?
You need to weigh it all up.

Thanks @QueenBeee I'm late twenties. I'm not currently needed for DSD's school pick up / drop offs but that may not always be the case. We are planning on having a family, preferably sooner rather than later but of course that doesn't always go to plan does it.

It’s definitely a criticism of the NHS @ravenousunicorn. I think its banding criteria are batshit. They’ve paid for so many people to do masters that they’re a criterion for just about everything now. The whole banding issue needs review. Again.

I totally agree with you @Alsohuman. The banding criteria is totally flawed and also not consistent across the different health boards.

That said, they didn't actually pay for my Masters, for 1 it's in a totally different field and 2 I managed to get funding for it through a research council and the undergraduate degree was paid for through student finance - which I'm now not paying back due to the minimum wage job but that's a whole other issue.

I think you need to ask yourself what you want out of your job. The NHS isn't great for flexibility so if that's what you are after you'd definitely be better off elsewhere

If you retrain then you need to think carefully about how studies and family would work and then with shift patterns.
As for retraining and getting a clinical job,clinics are often fully staffed but there is no shortage of band 5jobs out there.

there is no shortage of band 5jobs out there.

I have an alert setup and I think over the last 12 months there have been around 4 jobs come up, only 2 of which have been an actual commutable distance . Of course there is the potential to go private but I'd much rather stay in the NHS if I were to stay in this field.

I think you need to ask yourself what you want out of your job.

That's a really good question. I think some degree of flexibility, job satisfaction (yes I know that's vague), at times challenging. I love helping people. My previous industry didn't involve directly helping people. I think that probably needs to be balanced with everything else though really doesn't it.

I know the NHS has really good maternity pay once you've got a job but does that financially mean more than having a good job with just SMP over the course of a career (if that makes sense)?