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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What would make you consider working in NHS admin right now?

253 replies

Helpmethinkofasolution · 04/08/2022 00:46

I have never known things as bad as this. Job getting no applicants, successful applicants regularly turning down jobs and then us having to go back to the start in terms of recruitment.
When I started in 2018 I remember there were 200 applicants for most band 4 jobs. Where are those people now and what is going to attract people to apply again?

Is it post Covid wariness of the NHS? Is it that we used to be flexible but now WFH jobs are even more flexible? Is it that the private sector is paying more? To my (possibly un- observant) eye, it doesn't seem like there are loads of admin jobs out there offering much more money. Unless it's that there is less responsibility with these private sector admin roles.

We used to get a good stream of working mums (generally) who would appreciate an interesting and flexible job with good sick pay, annual leave and ok pension but they are no longer applying.
This won't be used in any recruitment campaign, I'm just genuinely interested (and bloody worried that I'll be doing six peoples jobs forever!)

OP posts:
EmpressaurusWitchDoesntBurn · 06/08/2022 18:35

Helpmethinkofasolution · 06/08/2022 11:10

@EmpressaurusWitchDoesntBurn you'd think that but the doctors I work for are very concerned about safeguarding biologically female patients on single sec wards.

Really? That’s great to know.

MabelMoo23 · 06/08/2022 20:37

I’m a Band 5 Admin ( which I absolutely appreciate is rare) am part time and WFH.

so I’ve obviously been very lucky, however my background is events and stakeholder
management and I got this job because I had to step down in my career due to our children and my husband’s career.

but I’m bored to death - the job is way way beneath me - but it was a choice I made because I had to, but I stay because I appreciate how bloody lucky I am.

But my boss actually is lovely and treats me with respect, probably because I don’t dick about, I don’t have the “not my job” mentality that so many people in the NHS have, but then as the pay is so shit can you blame them? I’ve also taken on a couple more things in my role - but I had to, I was so bored, on some days i could cry.

there’s no way though I’d work in a hospital though - paying a fortune to park the car, if you even get a space

but basically - the answer to your question is seriously shit pay. I’m not really happy with my pay and I’m a band 5, but I stay for the work from home and the flexibility. That’s it

bottleofbeer · 07/08/2022 14:59

The recruitment is painfully slow. Expect to wait at least six months between being offered the job and getting a start date.

TheNinny · 07/08/2022 15:33

There is also a lack of full time permanent jobs. Im one of only 3 full time permanent band 4 admins in the hospital. When I was applying for nhs, when asked at interview what hours would suit (for a part time role) I asked for full days but 3 x per week. I live rurally and had a commute plus potentially parking cost. Needless to say i didn’t get it, but management where I work now seem to want people in for 3 -4 hours in am for 5 days per week. Which where I live isn’t feasible ( rural Scotland) on a part time wage. I won the job lotto eventually after months of bank work and secured a full time permanent band 4 (last of its kind it seems) in the hospital where I am now and people are surprised I didn’t drop hours when DD was born. I know I wouldn’t get them back in future and so holding on with all I have. Now I’m glad as despite big costs for childcare we can weather the cost of living increases better. If I was 4/5 days part time there’s no way I could do it

MabelMoo23 · 07/08/2022 16:25

TheNinny · 07/08/2022 15:33

There is also a lack of full time permanent jobs. Im one of only 3 full time permanent band 4 admins in the hospital. When I was applying for nhs, when asked at interview what hours would suit (for a part time role) I asked for full days but 3 x per week. I live rurally and had a commute plus potentially parking cost. Needless to say i didn’t get it, but management where I work now seem to want people in for 3 -4 hours in am for 5 days per week. Which where I live isn’t feasible ( rural Scotland) on a part time wage. I won the job lotto eventually after months of bank work and secured a full time permanent band 4 (last of its kind it seems) in the hospital where I am now and people are surprised I didn’t drop hours when DD was born. I know I wouldn’t get them back in future and so holding on with all I have. Now I’m glad as despite big costs for childcare we can weather the cost of living increases better. If I was 4/5 days part time there’s no way I could do it

Lots of my colleagues do 25 hours across 5 days- but I do 25 across 4 days.

to do it across 5 days would’ve meant paying for 5 days of childcare and they only do full days - but 4 days are longer days (not by much to be honest) but it’s mean only paying for 4 days…

TheNinny · 07/08/2022 16:57

After I posted I realised this set up may actually suit some working mums who aren’t as rural. It puts me off as I’d be paying the same amount of petrol ( I have 35-45 min commute and no bus) for 5 days part time as 5 days full time. Add in childcare of any kind (excluding free hours) and it wouldn’t have been possible.

ItsSnowJokes · 07/08/2022 17:01

The nhs don't really offer flexible working though. If they did term time only you would have people biting your hand off. I know people will say they need staff all year round but the civil service offer it regularly and it works, other places do as well. Even if not term time the hours are really inflexible in a lot of departments so basically it's full time or not at all.

I would jump at the chance of a term time only contract in the nhs.

AngelicaBluebellCosmos · 08/08/2022 11:56

With part time job-stating the hours and days of the week to be worked on job adverts would be a start. When I’ve looked at NHS jobs (jobs.nhs.uk) more than half do not mention both.

I’ve worked in several hospitals and departments; some are well managed and some are – to be frank - unprofessional. I will be looking for a part time job later this year and yes, I could send emails asking about the terms, however, I do wonder if the departments that can’t compose a comprehensive advert are the ones to avoid...

Also, a half decent working environment. I would not wish to spend my day working in a tiny cupboard and would expect to be able to store my keys, purse etc securely. Mask wearing is fine.

50daysplus · 08/08/2022 14:22

ItsSnowJokes · 07/08/2022 17:01

The nhs don't really offer flexible working though. If they did term time only you would have people biting your hand off. I know people will say they need staff all year round but the civil service offer it regularly and it works, other places do as well. Even if not term time the hours are really inflexible in a lot of departments so basically it's full time or not at all.

I would jump at the chance of a term time only contract in the nhs.

I agree. I think you wont find many jobs that are term time only. I agree with that the NHS are very inflexible with hours though.

DashboardConfessional · 08/08/2022 16:50

AngelicaBluebellCosmos · 08/08/2022 11:56

With part time job-stating the hours and days of the week to be worked on job adverts would be a start. When I’ve looked at NHS jobs (jobs.nhs.uk) more than half do not mention both.

I’ve worked in several hospitals and departments; some are well managed and some are – to be frank - unprofessional. I will be looking for a part time job later this year and yes, I could send emails asking about the terms, however, I do wonder if the departments that can’t compose a comprehensive advert are the ones to avoid...

Also, a half decent working environment. I would not wish to spend my day working in a tiny cupboard and would expect to be able to store my keys, purse etc securely. Mask wearing is fine.

Absolutely! The worst ones say "part time" and when you enquire turns out it's 5 days a week, 9 until 4.30. I might as well just broaden my search to full time.

Ontomatopea · 08/08/2022 17:24

DashboardConfessional · 08/08/2022 16:50

Absolutely! The worst ones say "part time" and when you enquire turns out it's 5 days a week, 9 until 4.30. I might as well just broaden my search to full time.

Show quote history

Ha yes. With a 30 mins lunch break if you're lucky

Newbiehereee · 14/12/2022 14:33

Hi, I have a zoom nhs band 2 admin interview this week. Not sure what to expect. Would be great if you could share your interview experience. Thanks

MarieG10 · 16/12/2022 05:41

I don't do recruitment for admin jobs, but managers who work for me do. Recruitment is very tough even in Yorkshire...admin jobs here compete with Leeds market and paying £20-25k at best doesn't cut it.
Application quality is extremely poor...if a decent standard was applied , all would be sifted. Applications come in with an expectation of working from home from the start 5 days a week which is generally impossible for many of these roles.

As for nursing...we have a full time team doing international recruitment. The nurses that we get have to be met at the airport, housed and the retrained for months to get them to a U.K. standard....it just feels so wrong as we are taking them from countries that need them even more than we do.

Bottom line is we just can't recruit on pay levels such as there are. The next step will be international recruitment for admin roles

Newbiehereee · 20/12/2022 06:39

How your admin job. Do you enjoy it?

Avrenim · 20/12/2022 11:31

Nothing. In the new year I'll be trying to get out. At this point I'll even consider working for a private company (yes, I do have transferable skills and private terms and conditions have improved beyond recognition, while NHS terms and conditions have got worse and worse).

This is also after over 15 years of being quite happy in an admin-type role, until I moved from a part of the country where things were generally pretty well run and most people relatively happy to work for the NHS to my current Trust. It's the worst of the seven I've worked in and for. Mainly due to the, er, managers. And if I ever find out what this Trust actually DOES with the money they're given, apart from overpay certain managers and prop up knackered old buildings that should have been razed to the ground 30 years ago, it'll be a revelation.

The really scary thing is that apparently this is one of the better Trusts in the region according to the CQC reports and the Staff Survey. Which makes me wonder every time the CEO and Team trot it out - just HOW bad are the other Trusts locally?!

WhistlingInWhistler · 20/12/2022 11:42

Helpmethinkofasolution · 04/08/2022 00:55

@Doormatnomore 22k to 25k. There's increments so you have to wait three years to get a pay increase. Which is shit.

I don't think this helps really as it's just not true that you have to wait 3 years to get a pay rise. I've worked in the NHS for most of my working life and have often heard people say this. Apart from during the bloody awful austerity period, A4C staff get an annual cost of living pay rise. The level of annual pay rise is too small and doesn't reflect the cost of living, but it does exist.

On top of COL pay rise, the increments are further apart now, yes, I do agree with that. But they are in addition to annual (again, not during austerity, and not enough, but ...) pay rises.

AreOttersJustWetCats · 20/12/2022 11:46

The level of annual pay rise is too small and doesn't reflect the cost of living, but it does exist.

But it's a real-terms pay cut. I don't blame people for not calling it a pay rise, because it isn't one.

WhistlingInWhistler · 20/12/2022 14:12

AreOttersJustWetCats · 20/12/2022 11:46

The level of annual pay rise is too small and doesn't reflect the cost of living, but it does exist.

But it's a real-terms pay cut. I don't blame people for not calling it a pay rise, because it isn't one.

Ok, there's an annual pay award. And also an incremental award every 3 years

Avrenim · 20/12/2022 15:29

That annual pay "award" is cost of living, not always back-dated. The increments, as you moved up the scale, also used to be annual.

Now you have to wait two years for the first increment on the scale, and then five years for the second. And I've yet to understand how you are ever supposed to get anywhere near the actual top of the scale now as those annual increments are gone.

In addition, if you leave the NHS and come back after a break of more than a couple of months (can't remember the exact time scale, but it's short), you get stuck right back at the bottom of the scale again. Your previous experience counts for nothing at all. Yes, it's affected me personally, but the most extreme I've encountered was a nurse who was a very senior matron in the Middle East who got stuck back at the bottom of Band 6 again when she returned to the UK. It really doesn't act as much of an incentive.

The pension is also much worse than it was. I'm also finding in my new Trust that they're being utter pains in the backside about giving me the annual leave allowance I've built up as I've been in for over ten years, despite my having plenty of letters from previous Trusts to say, yes, I really did work there (payslips and P60s evidently not being sufficient proof any more).

It really isn't worth being in the public sector any more; the trade off was always a lower annual wage but higher levels of job security, a better pension, annual leave, sick leave etc. That just isn't the case any longer. Although I'd really like to know where these £40-70K admin jobs are, even in London.....!! I'd like to know where they're being advertised even more - or is it just in the Nepotism Times?!

ThreeLittleDots · 20/12/2022 15:41

What puts me off is 8am starts, having to pay for parking which is a 10 min walk away, and few part time posts.

SirenSays · 20/12/2022 15:46

Unmanageable workloads and disgustingly high levels of staff bullying in the NHS the only thing that could make me consider that role would be a blow to the head

bottleofbeer · 20/12/2022 22:09

One day off sick? Make it your only one. When you're genuinely not well, ask yourself if you can drag your arse in because one day you might be worse.

2 days off in a year and you're on a warning.

Newbiehereee · 29/12/2022 14:13

I'm due to start next month. Administrator role in a hospital. Really not sure what to expect. Is it as bad as the posts I've read? I was really looking forward to it 😔

RupertBearsScarf · 29/12/2022 18:56

bottleofbeer · 20/12/2022 22:09

One day off sick? Make it your only one. When you're genuinely not well, ask yourself if you can drag your arse in because one day you might be worse.

2 days off in a year and you're on a warning.

That would not be be the case in any of the 6 NHS organisations I've worked in.

bottleofbeer · 29/12/2022 19:04

It is for me. Currently I'm genuinely unwell. Absolutely not fit to work. I had a day off in August to get a doctor appointment for a UTI (I can't let them take hold or they tend to go to my kidneys)

I was put on a warning today. It hurts everywhere, I'm burning up on and off (off ATM or I wouldn't even be posting).

I hate taking time off but what can I do when my legs are shaking so much I have to psyche myself up to go to the toilet?