To think what's the point in applying for a promotion (Agenda for change)

[Bluetoybox]

With the way the pay increments work now. I'm a band 7 clinical practitioner and a band 8a has just come up that my manager is encouraging me to apply for. I'm not certain it's the right move for me so I'm weighing the pros and cons and the thing that's really bugging me is it's barely a change in pay for at least 5 years. I'm already at the top of band 7 so for all that extra responsibility I'd get just over £1000 more a year which obviously does not equate to very much at all day to day but then that's it! For 5 years! And yes after 5 years it could be a nice rise (that stops there) but I really don't think it's fair to give all that extra responsibility immediately that's only really compensated 5 years later. It only really makes a promotion feel like a promotion if you were not already at the top of your band.

It's crap. Recently moved from 8a to 8 b and it will be 3 years before I see a pay rise .

I feel your pain. I had no idea about this when I applied for and for an 8a post. I range payroll and queried why I had not had an incremental rise and they said I HAD gone up an increment but pay remained the same. I have since done some more research( now in my 4 th year) and I think that this year and next there is a one off payment at some stage of just over£1000 to compensate and then the following year there is quite a jump(£5-6000ish)
I guess you would have to be passionate about the role. It was easy for me as I came from a 7 role that carried almost as much responsibility and I actually feel I have more support in this role than previously, so I guess it depends on lots of factors.

I would hope money would not be the first consideration. In any case there is no harm in remaining in your current job if it is rewarding for you (in more than just money) or you feel a promotion would be at the expense of other things in your life.

Same here OP. I'm due to go to the top of an 8a soon and it feels like there isn't much point going for an 8b. The extra tax at this level means take home doesn't go up by they much either.

You can ask your new manager if they will put you higher up the band, perhaps it won't mean an immediate pay increase but could cut down the numbers of years until you see an increase.

Absolutely not allowed at our trust

I would hope money would not be the first consideration

Why not? Would you say this if it was someone talking about a promotion in a finance / IT / retail / anything other than healthcare job?

@CuthbertDibbleandGrubb
I'm confused by your reply! Why on earth would you take on a heck of a lot more responsibility for no/very little pay and rise?

@CuthbertDibbleandGrubb

I would hope money would not be the first consideration. In any case there is no harm in remaining in your current job if it is rewarding for you (in more than just money) or you feel a promotion would be at the expense of other things in your life.

Why would you not hope a promotion would be the first consideration when taking on more responsibility??

What a ridiculous notion.

*would bring more money,

The new pay scales brought in by nhs should see you top of the band in 3 years. Still a long time, but not as long.

Completely agree OP. I am band 7 and because of what you’ve said have no real ambitions of becoming 8a. I imagine a lot of people will feel the same way

I've just moved to s band 8a too. My job hasn't changed, so I was always doing that role. Waiting 5 years to get to the top is a real pain. I am considering going for 8b roles just so I can see a real payrise, but I'm not sure I want all that responsibility. We were really screwed over at the management levels on this change to AfC.

I soooo get this! I just went up an increment in band 5 and because I now have to pay 9.3% in my pension I’m £40 a month worse off! The NHS and government are grandly telling the public how amazing our pay deal is. It. Really. Isn’t!!

I've been at the top of 7 for over a decade. I am in an extremely small speciality and unless I uproot my family and move regions, I need to wait for my manager to retire to get the chance of a band 8. There will be stiff competition when manager retires. I plan to go for it as the pay rise 5 years later will help my pension.