Questions from NHS job offer

[BettyBoop1302]

Hi all!

This my first ever thread and I’m hoping I’ve done it correctly I would like to ask for some advice please!

Unfortunately, I’ve been made redundant recently due to Covid-19 (I worked in travel insurance and as you can imagine how that’s going with minimal travel atm...) I had a job interview for a receptionist with the NHS and got a phone call the same day telling me I got the job! I have accepted the job verbally, but have a few questions

HR have contacted me asking to complete some paperwork including ID checks, DBS etc. My question is, in the list of things they’ve requested, they’ve asked to see a copy of my last payslip, which would be from my most recent employer including redundancy pay I received and my salary rate at furlough rate - I’m feeling this is very intrusive and not sure if I need to? Also, I haven’t been told my holiday entitlement days, would this be the best time to call the hiring manager back to ask this?

I would be grateful if someone can shed some light on this and if they’ve had the same recruitment process from an online application. Thank you in advance!!

@Gingernaut Wow, 3 months is crazy long

3 months is pretty average. 8 weeks would be considered fast.

Could be for proof of eligibility to work it will have your ni number on we ask for a previous payslip for this reason.

All you need do is show them the spayslip and include a note to say "This is my most recent payslip but the payment shown on it is not my normal salary" .

No further clarification required; but it means they won't use it to calculate the salary offered to you.

You don’t have to supply a payslip.
They asked me for one and I never gave one.

Don’t worry about it. It’s for making sure people moving between roles get put on the right increment and that increment dates can be maintained.

You can negotiate on pay but success will depend on how competitive the post is and how likely they think you are to walk away. For band 2 jobs locally there is huge demand so negotiating may be difficult.

Thank you everyone I decided to send HR an email to clarify just in case! You are all amazing, I really appreciate all your replies!

I just checked how long mine took last year as I thought it took ages (they also wanted an original copy of my degree certificate - which they hadn't in any other role - so that may be a band 7 thing)

It wasn;t actually as long as I thought

Interview and offer on 10th October,
Checks complete and unconditional offer 5th November - then handed in my notice so didn't start for 4 weeks but I could have

@Asdf12345

Don’t worry about it. It’s for making sure people moving between roles get put on the right increment and that increment dates can be maintained.

You can negotiate on pay but success will depend on how competitive the post is and how likely they think you are to walk away. For band 2 jobs locally there is huge demand so negotiating may be difficult.

It's incredibly unusual to negotiate starting on a higher incremental point if you are coming into a band 2 job, unless you've got previous relevant NHS experience. In fact it's rare to come in at anything other than the bottom point for most lower grade posts. NHS jobs are so sought after that there's always a raft of other people waiting to take the job if someone walks away.

Completely standard.

Payslip will be used to provide proof of previous employment - quicker than them chasing a reference.

@Glitteryone

Completely standard.

Payslip will be used to provide proof of previous employment - quicker than them chasing a reference.

Hmm, I've never accepted a pay slip in lieu of a reference when doing NHS recruitment (I've done an awful lot of it) References need to confirm employment start and end dates, and a pay slip won't do that.

Congratulations OP. Yes all standard stuff in the NHS.

I hope you enjoy it. Our admin staff are superstars and worth their weight in gold.

There have to be REALLY rigorous checks. Fraud/identity ‘theft’ is unfortunately more common than you’d like to believe.

I went on a fascinating recruitment training course. We were taught how to look at passports etc to make sure the person interviewing was the actual person coming for the job

Unfortunately thy can be abit crap with things llike that, when I first started as a first year undergrad they wanted like 5 years of references of work ect, I had to explain I fairly recently finished school and had only one previous role, in the end it took me nearly 3 months to start because of all the incompetent delays they caused!

It's not being 'abit crap (sic)' to ask for 5 years of references. Because of the nature of the organisation, the NHS will always ask for extensive references, and any gaps in employment will be explored. It's good recruitment practice.

They will want to see last pay slip to get proof of your NI number and tax codes. It will have last date you worked on it. My son had to show his when he started his new job. He had to hunt around to find it. What is problem with showing it? They will photocopy it and give original back to you.

Start thinking start date in terms of months not weeks though OP! Mine was 2 months, many others I know was 3.

DBS need to see employment record including any gaps so proof of redundancy might be required. I underwent security checks for my new job and was asked for my payslips from 2015 as the employer wouldn’t confirm I worked there as my name had changed. Luckily I had that.

You should keep payslips for at least 6 years.

@HerFlowersToLove can you not read? They knew I had literally come straight from school so did not have 5 years of references, furthermore they don't accept references from non official companies, my cousin worked for a tele sales company that went bankrupt and had a nightmare trying to produce references that obviously weren't from a company business address because it no longer existed.

Just give them your p45.

I worked in NHS recruitment a few years ago (and still in same field but different sector). There are 2 reason I can think of why they need copy of payslip. One is to check service for point on scale. That wouldn't apply to you but they might have mixed you up with someone else or automatically ask everyone for a payslip - although thinking about it, most or all NHS Trust should be using ESR which transfers prev service details.

The other reason could be for right to work - if you didn't provide a passport then they need a birth certificate and something with your NI number on, although that is meant to be a letter from or on behalf of HMRC so payslip wouldn't be acceptable but I have known people think it is.

It's the NHS. I wouldn't worry about it. They won't give a monkeys about your previous earnings.

They don't need your previous payslips. What they do need is your P45. If you don't have it you have to complete a new starter form but you may be out on emergency tax. The only thing that may be relevant is to make sure your furlough ceases when you commence your new job

Thank you all

Hi

I have just received a job offer for the NHS in Admin, as I don’t have my qualification certificates I have been asked to sit two tests in maths and English, I’m not asking to cheat but can anybody tell me roughly how hard the questions are and what kind of questions they ask, also are there any test papers anywhere I can practice as I really want this job. Thank you all in advance, I’m really nervous and a lot older than most but desperately want this job.