'Band 3' NHS

[ClockedOut]

Genuine AIBU. Name changed.

I'm in an NHS post paid at a band 3, I work with band 4s, 5s and 6s.

I've been in the post 18 months and a couple of things are bothering me.

1- being referred to as a band 3. I mean my work title is support worker but many colleagues would say, 'a band 3 could do that' or band 3 this or band 3 that.

AIBU to expect people to just say support worker instead of referring to me as a pay grade?

I don’t think it’s meant in a derogatory way. I might often say ‘this needs to go to a band 7’ - it isn’t just a pay grade but could refer to your roles and responsibilities.

Hello 👋

It’s an engrained loaf of bullshit. I am a b3 and it happens a lot.

I found finding a new team, particularly on a ward where b3s heavily outnumber anyone else really helpful.

I was cross for a long time - I have worked as a three for 5 years and only in May when I started on a new ward did I feel like a proper person.

Do you have a freedom to speak up guardian or a whistle blowing process ?

The NHS is ridiculously hierarchal - everyone uses bands

O do see your point but have to agree with buzz in that this terminology is a peculiarity of the NHS and it's perfectly normal to say "that's a band 7 decision" etc. It's a shorthand way of referring to role and responsibilities or scope of practice.

It’s just nhs culture I think and a way of highlighting responsibility/capability.

I agree it can be taken as a little insulting at times but it’s very rarely meant that way. Banding just gives people a way to talk about roles that is a little more difficult to do in companies that don’t structure their salaries that way. It would sound incredibly crass to say ‘you pay me £30k pa, advertised for ten years experience and want me to spend my time answering the phone?’. It is a little bit rude but the sentiment has a point.

I think it's just an organisational culture thing. It helps knowing what responsibilities and level of authority someone has. I used to work in the NHS and heard it all the time. I have since moved and the new organisation doesn't do that but colleagues when referring to the NHS will say 'it needs a band 6 post, or' can you believe they are an 8a and do xxx'
I don't agree it's right though but I don't think it's being done to make you feel bad
Can you raise it at a team meeting or with your manager?

This is my second NHS job.
My first job I never ever heard someone refer to people as band this or band that.
It's only since being in this job I've come across it.
I actually find it quite derogatory.

Cross Post with everyone! Sorry!

Oh and I’ve been known to refuse to do things on the basis my band isn’t high enough to take the potential fall out if things went tits up. It works both ways.

Yikes. I work in nhs labs. We never refer to each other by band. We use names like normal people. What a horrible practise.

We do the same in civil service -level 1, 2 3 etc.

Don't see the problem

Of course you use names!!
But it's common when allocating work or responsibilities to refer to the banding rather than job title.
Not sure if that's because of the constant job title changes so what was once a support worker is now xxx and then yyyy?

I work in the NHS. We use names when talking to people but will say 'I need to speak to a band 7' or 'a band 6 can go out and do this assessment'. It's just so people are clear on what level worker needs to do each job.

I’m a band 2 clerical worker in the NHS and I hear this all the time in the department I’m currently in - ‘the band 2 will do that’ or ‘even a band 2 could do that’ - not great, but when my colleagues refer to me, and introduce me to other members of staff as ‘the band 2’ I tend to get a bit annoyed. I might only have a crappy admin job (to other people), but I’m still a person, doing the best I can. I find it disrespectful and patronising.

Totally normal in relation to tasks / roles. I'm a band 7 and people are always giving me tasks (from higher and lower bands) and say 'this needs a band 7 to action/check/carry out' etc.

It's only rude if they use it instead of your name - 'oi, band 3, what did you do at the weekend?...' that's not on obvs!

It happens.a lot in healthcare. People will say a 5 is in charge today or ask if a b6 or b7 are available. With support workers it seems to be a b3 can do something which maybe a rn usually does. I prefer same uniform for everyone or scrubs and titles.

I’m a band 7, people are always passing things to me as ‘it needs to be a band 7’

Qualified staff in my team are 7,6, or 5 despite having the same professional title they have separate job descriptions and levels of responsibility so I can’t just refer to them as ‘nurse’

The support staff are band 2 or 3, and they too have different responsibilities dependent on grade.

If asked to do something outside there role staff will often respond ‘I’m only a band 5’ or I’m only a band 2

It’s not an insult, it’s a way of ensuring people work within their competency & are fairly treated and not expected to take on responsibility they are not paid for...

I have been every grade from 2 to 8a and always felt proud of my role & happy to be referred to by grade

Although I agree, oi band 7 would not be a nice way to greet me

I think it's very rude. I never refer to anyone by their grade but by what theyou do or their name.
I'm a 6 and would be pissed off to be referred to like that.

I feel you! I'm a band 3 also and absolutely sick of being referred to by my pay grade! I have a degree that I decided not to pursue a career in and it is so infuriating how the higher bands think we are all thick high school dropouts. Our manger has also been very vocal about how we (band 2/3's) are the bottom of the food chain and I quote 'shit rolls downhill'. Nothing would get done in our department without the band 2/3 assistants and clerical staff. The seniors wouldn't have a clue what they're doing. I work in radiology and have band 4's, 5's, 6's, 7's in our department who are referred to as radiographers or senior radiographers and sonographers (band 6/7's). Or by their names!!
I bet most people commenting saying this is fine have never worked as a band 2/3 and subsequently don't know how it feels to be treated like the shit on their shoe.
Your pay grade is not your name, it's not your job title and it IS insulting and derogatory to be referred to and introduced to patients and other healthcare professionals in that way.

Whatsyournameagain you actually get introduced as 'the band 2' 😨. That is incredibly rude!

I'm an NHS Band 2 after several years of being a SAHM (I was a Band 7/8 equivalent in the private sector for a long time pre-DCs) and my sister (who is a Band 6) has asked me several times what band I am. To start with, I thought she was being very forgetful, but now I realise that she's just found yet another way of putting me down 🙄.

Polka. I've never heard anyone introduce staff by their band. It's ok to say this isxxx she is our support worker or senior support worker.

When I was a band 5 it was used all the time. You’re getting her up over something which you don’t need to.

Apologies - I don’t know how to quote things in bold, but yes I do get introduced as ‘the band 2’, frequently. Which is one of the reasons I am looking for another job as we speak!

Placemarking