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AIBU?

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Original poster

References NHS

65 replies

BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 03/09/2021 17:49

Anyone have any experience of trac.jobs?

I have an offer for an NHS role, they are insisting on references for the last three years of employment, 2 of my previous employers have ignored all requests, won’t answer my emails or the phone to me.

I provided a personal reference as an alternative, which trac initially said was fine, and now have changed their minds and said it has to be all employers within the last 3 years.

Help!!!! I could get the offer withdrawn, but I can’t force them to give me references can I?

They are companies with no HR departments.

OP posts:
FlorencenotRatchet · 03/09/2021 17:53

Can you ask your previous manager for a reference?

tttigress · 03/09/2021 17:54

I am not a legal expert, but I thought companies were forced to give you a reference.

A reference could simply be: BluebelllsRosesDaffodills worked here between 1January and 31st August 2021, she had X days sick leave.

FleasInMyKnees · 03/09/2021 17:54

Are they still in business. It's up to trac or the NHS to request references, have they got the up to date email address and phone numbers.

Monr0e · 03/09/2021 17:58

I've just received an offer through trac. The references were a pain in my backside. 2 of my previous referees didn't reply. I needed up giving around 4 alternatives, in some cases they weren't necessarily a manager but experienced colleagues I had worked with who were happy to provide a reference for me.
You will need to give them a few other contacts, they won't stop chasing for them in my experience!

Original poster
BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 03/09/2021 18:07

@FlorencenotRatchet

Can you ask your previous manager for a reference?
I emailed her asking; she ignored the emails
OP posts:
Original poster
BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 03/09/2021 18:08

@FleasInMyKnees

Are they still in business. It's up to trac or the NHS to request references, have they got the up to date email address and phone numbers.
Yes, they are both still in business.

Trac has tried and now says it’s up to me to chase! They say they’ll withdraw the offer if I don’t get them

OP posts:
Original poster
BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 03/09/2021 18:10

One of the employers is an agency, I only have one contact for them, I ring up and they always say the relevant person is ‘in a meeting’

OP posts:
MonkeyPuddle · 03/09/2021 18:16

Oh god how horribly stressful for you.
Could you pop down to the agencies office and ‘check the number is right’

Original poster
BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 03/09/2021 18:35

Went today, their office is behind a big locked gate!

OP posts:
daisypond · 03/09/2021 18:42

No company or former employer has to give a reference. My DD’s two former workplaces were Debenhams and Topshop, neither of which exist any more, which has proved very tricky for her. What if you were self-employed? No references there.

Original poster
BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 03/09/2021 19:34

@daisypond

No company or former employer has to give a reference. My DD’s two former workplaces were Debenhams and Topshop, neither of which exist any more, which has proved very tricky for her. What if you were self-employed? No references there.
Originally, they said if self-employed to give a personal reference instead.
OP posts:
bakewelltarty · 03/09/2021 19:41

This is due to NHS Employers stating that all new employees must have a three year employment record with references.

If you have tried everything I would speak to your new manager (not HR) and explain the situation. If the manager is happy to accept you on the references you've got they can ask the HR department to waive the references and get you to fill out a personal statement instead. If you have copies of your old contracts that would also help.

HurryUpAndWait23 · 03/09/2021 20:15

I've had this literally last week.
Also NHS.

My reference was on annual leave, what with it being summer holidays and stuff. Could that be the reason?

Original poster
BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 03/09/2021 20:34

@bakewelltarty

This is due to NHS Employers stating that all new employees must have a three year employment record with references.

If you have tried everything I would speak to your new manager (not HR) and explain the situation. If the manager is happy to accept you on the references you've got they can ask the HR department to waive the references and get you to fill out a personal statement instead. If you have copies of your old contracts that would also help.

Sorry, what is a ‘personal statemnet’?

Is it like a personal reference?

OP posts:
Original poster
BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 03/09/2021 20:35

@HurryUpAndWait23

I've had this literally last week. Also NHS.

My reference was on annual leave, what with it being summer holidays and stuff. Could that be the reason?

No, when they are on leave you get an ‘out of office’ message.
OP posts:
HurryUpAndWait23 · 03/09/2021 21:49

No one is allowed to give a negative reference.

You can only refuse to give one.

If several people are refusing to engage, could it be possible that they don't have a good reference to give?

daisypond · 03/09/2021 22:26

You absolutely can give a negative reference. It just has to be truthful.

bakewelltarty · 03/09/2021 23:18

A personal statement is a form that Recruitment use for new employees to complete if they haven't got the required references (ie out of work for a period of time, career break etc). We use it at our London NHS Trust so I'm sure yours would have something similar.

ThatSunnyCorner · 03/09/2021 23:31

@HurryUpAndWait23

No one is allowed to give a negative reference.

You can only refuse to give one.

If several people are refusing to engage, could it be possible that they don't have a good reference to give?

That's not correct.

OP, presumably you asked your referees before passing on their contact details to the recruitment team? If they are now asking you to chase, I'd check if a simple dates of employment and sickness record would suffice. If so, chase your referees hard and explain that only minimal info is required, rather than a full reference. That might work.

If not, I'd do as bakewelltarty suggests. Contracts and payslips might be helpful to prove who you were employed by. The information here might be useful too: www.nhsemployers.org/articles/temporary-pre-employment-checks

Original poster
BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 04/09/2021 09:10

@HurryUpAndWait23

No one is allowed to give a negative reference.

You can only refuse to give one.

If several people are refusing to engage, could it be possible that they don't have a good reference to give?

2 have not been engaged, I got references from 2 others including my current employer
OP posts:
Original poster
BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 04/09/2021 09:57

Thank you, this is helpful.

The trouble is, with the agency I worked for, they always answer the phone and say they’re happy to do it, will get the right person to do it etc, then he never does, never allowed to speak to him, he’s always ‘in a meeting’.

They ignore all my emails; no matter who I sent them to.

I’m not on bad terms with them or anything, they are just so disorganised and can’t be bothered to fill in a form.

OP posts:
HurryUpAndWait23 · 04/09/2021 13:44

That's not correct.

Oh fair enough, this was what I was told about 20 years ago and I've never questioned it Blush.

What is the case?
Can people give a negative reference?

Queenie6655 · 04/09/2021 13:47

@HurryUpAndWait23

That's not correct.

Oh fair enough, this was what I was told about 20 years ago and I've never questioned it Blush.

What is the case?
Can people give a negative reference?

That's what I thought also??
bluegreygreen · 04/09/2021 14:18

You can give any kind of reference you like, but it must be truthful and you must be prepared to stand over it.

For this reason many companies now give very neutral, structured references.

HurryUpAndWait23 · 04/09/2021 16:01

God, all those years I was giving out references from jobs in which I was a teenage nightmare, thinking they couldn't give me a negative reference!!

😂😂😂