Give up NHS job to work in supermarket

[Agelikeafinebottleofblacktower]

I'm so torn.
I'm an unqualified NHS worker in a semi clinical role. My job is so stressful, there's so much to do and little help, all my colleagues end up staying late, working during annual leave, being essentially on call etc. I love what I do but it impacts on everything. If I take some time owing to sit in the park with my DC's I spend the whole time worrying about what be going on with my wards, whether the on call doctor will visit without me calling twenty times to try to locate them. I regularly stay up at night worrying about what I have or haven't done. My children just get the remnants of me in the evenings as I am emotionally done in.
I could earn 20p less an hour working nights at my local supermarket. I'm not at all suggesting this is easy but my best friend works in a similar role and listens to podcasts and stacks shelves, rotates stock, helps with online orders. She doesn't serve customers and says she never thinks about work when she leaves. She tells her boss she is not prepared to work any overtime so they don't ask her. It sounds like bliss.
My fear is that I will lose my pension. I will not be able to get back into it if I leave and miss it. I will not get the 'high' of genuinely helping a patient.
I have an interview tomorrow for the role and if, which isn't a given, they offer it to me I don't know what I would decide to do.

I should say as well that I was a retail manager for five years prior to my current role so I do know what retail is like too.

My main concern would be if you would be contracted the full hours that you need, if zero contract or just a promise of x amount I’d say no.

The plus is that with you’re experience and drive, I would think that you could aim for a management position if you decided to stick with it for a bit and wanted to

It’s not just the pension to consider....but bank holida and annual leave entitlements and also sick pay provision.....could you not find another role within the nhs...in a different Trust maybe?

@Kitkat151

It’s not just the pension to consider....but bank holida and annual leave entitlements and also sick pay provision.....could you not find another role within the nhs...in a different Trust maybe?

You think there are NHS trusts where it isn't like that? Pretty much everywhere's on the brink.

@nocoolnamesleft indeed, I actually think mine is one of the better ones, pay wise at least.

What band are you on?

I know a lot of NHS staff who have left or are leaving the NHS due to long inflexible shifts, stress, lack of scope to progress. For example a Band 3 has no way of getting into management unless they find a way to get to a 5 first, and even then you normally need to be a band 7 and above to be a manager.

Sadly experience and clinical skills, overtime, dedication through the pandemic (often to the detriment of our own families) doesn’t seem to mean much to NHS managers.

What job is it, why are you having to.chase up the doctors.

How many more years until you hope to retire?

I feel really similar to you atm. I'm not NHS, but I'm in basic admin yet the workload is unbelievable and they just seem to be pushing more abd more onto me. I really feel like doing th same. As you, I know what retail is like as well, but the leaving and not thinking about work at all afterwards is really pushing me to this. Sorry I'm not much help, just wanted to express that I feel th same

@StrawberryJamSandwiches I'm sorry you're going through it too. I feel like I'm just living to work, there's no respite.

I wouldn’t, I’ve been nhs support staff and it’s stressful and underpaid for how hard you work. Luckily I was given the opportunity to become qualified in my area so I will now be able to progress.

But I just found retail soul destroying. I was so so bored and while it’s easy and pretty low stress, I just wouldn’t ever go back to it. But if you want a stress free time and don’t mind the lack of job satisfaction, then go for it. Each to their own and all that.

@nocoolnamesleft what do you mean, there are NHS Trusts that don't offer sick pay, annual leave etc?

Thanks OP I think I'm going to give it until Christmas and if nothing changes I'm going to seriously start applying. Life is just too short to feel this stressed for such minimal reward (monetary or otherwise) I'll try to remember to post back at Christmas to let you know what I decided. Keep well

[quote AwaAnBileYerHeid]@nocoolnamesleft what do you mean, there are NHS Trusts that don't offer sick pay, annual leave etc?[/quote]
No, I mean that being stressed out of your skull, over stretched, under staffed, taking work home with you, staying late, and working during annual leave are all normal in the NHS.

I am, for example, currently on a weekend off. I'm posting whilst taking a break from doing paperwork.

@nocoolnamesleft

I am, for example, currently on a weekend off. I'm posting whilst taking a break from doing paperwork.

Maybe you need to look for another job as well as OP ....I work as a band 7 Nurse in the community.... all things considered...I feel very lucky that I work for my trust....I work weekdays only...very rarely go over my hours and if I do, I have the opportunity to take my time back....my friend does the same job as me in a neighbouring trust and is always stressed..... so in answer to your question above.....’yes, I think ( actually i KNOW) there are trusts that are not like OPs

I would try and find ways of making the NHS job less stressful and more enjoyable. It shouldn’t be weighing on your mind like that when you’re not there.

Does your trust have a wellbeing service who could help you? Or can you access CBT through Occ Health?

How tight is money? Do you have a partner? I just googled and looks like NHS pensions are about 20%, could you top up the presumably minimum 4% from the supermarket by salary sacrifice of 15% or so and pull your belt in, if that’s what you’re worried about?

Or what about trying to find an administrative role in another organisation like the civil service, financial services or an accountancy firm? I work for a big 4 firm and the secretarial staff/admin staff seem pretty chilled. Generally they look after us very well too. Everyone can work from home 3 days a week and the bonuses are good even at lower levels.

No idea if any of these suggestions are useful but I feel for you, my mum left her very well paid consultancy role to work for a local NHS trust to spend more time with us and stayed there for about 15 years despite it being a bloody terrible decision which ended in several stints of stress leave before retiring early!

You should work to live - not live to work.

If you are unhappy and stressed out, change your job.

Funny enough, I work in retail but want to work in NHS

Remember they are recruiting for Christmas right now. What hours are guaranteed after that?

Lol wanting to work in the NHS

It is such a shame that working for our wonderful NHS is like that. I work for my local authority and we deal with the same stress, it consumes you and I’m currently in the same position where when I get home my family get a very grumpy, hard assess version of me and it isn’t fair on them.

Are you in a hospital based role? Could you move to community/ GP practice etc?

Deary me, harassed!**

It sounds like, despite the stress you have blossomed in your role and picked up transferable skills along the way.
Surely there is something closer to what you're doing now than the supermarket, that gives you a better work life balance.