To refuse this redeployment?

[xrayted]

I am a highly qualified and experienced NHS band 6 with many
years of experience in my field. Without going into too many details our department has temporarily ground to a halt due to supply issues. This is a worldwide problem in what is a rather niche area of our expertise. This should be resolved in the next few weeks but in the meantime the powers that be have decided that we should be redeployed to work as porters, ferrying bed/chair patients to and from appointments within the hospital. I assume they cope fine without us when we are otherwise busy.

Now, first of all i can think of a hundred admin tasks we could be doing in our own department which we normally have no time for, being an incredibly busy department when up and running. We are still catching up with a huge backlog of work from covid and waiting lists are long. We are not allowed to take unpaid leave during this period (although can they refuse?). The other consideration is that I am approaching retirement and have a history of bulging disc injuries and am not looking forward to being forced to lug around beds and wheelchairs which invariably have wonky wheels or dodgy brakes let alone supporting mobility challenged patients.

So thanks if you got this far. My AIBU is: how can I handle this situation professionally without appearing to be rebellious and refusing this redeployment? I am a hard worker but don't see the sense of this. I really want to refuse this work but my contract does state that we can be transferred to other departments at management's discretion- I didn't realise at the time that this was what that meant! Management seems determined to get its money's worth instead of finding an intelligent use of our time.
Would love some clever ideas!

If you genuinely have a bulging disc then state that and ask for an occ health referral to put in reasonable accommodations (if manager isn’t able/willing to do so).

Ask for a referral to occupational health about concerns you have about the tasks you'll be doing?

I Would probably try and present to the powers that be the backlog issue and show the benefits of having someone using this time to clear it.

I don’t know how the NHS works but I do wonder if it’s similar to my field in which a situation like this is actually about money and if you’re in a different department you then temporarily come under their budget rather than your own budget?

Surely your health condition and history of back injuries is a completely legitimate concern. Especially if you offer to do other necessary tasks which don't involve lifting and manual handling duties. Hope they listen to you.

I do genuinely have a history of a bulging disc and was unable to walk for 8 months, however this was over 5 years ago and I have recovered well with rehab. I think a referral to occ health at this point might be viewed with scepticism which I obviously want to avoid however genuine my concern.

I guess I could present a case for tackling the admin backlog but I am fairly new to this trust and the word is that management can be very inflexible. Up to now they have kept it very vague as to what will exactly happen and whether the moving and handling issue will involve training beyond our basic requirements 🤷‍♀️

You don't have to request a referral to occ health, you can just refer yourself

I did not know this! Good to know.

Put together a proposal/paper for the admin clean up mission with some milestones and ask the manager to consider you doing that instead

So are they paying you Band 6 salary to work as porters? Surely there are some Band 6 or 5 positions you could cover since there is a lack of nurses (if you are a Band 6 nurse). That would make more sense.

Speak to occupational health R.E. Your concerns about manual handling.

I presume you are a non-clinical band 6 role otherwise you would be re-deployed to a clinical role rather than portering. It’s the start of ‘winter pressures’ season (not that we had any actual relief over the summer this year) so they’re going to use you wherever they can for support until your role is back up and running again. Maybe you could try to compromise and ask for 50% alternative role and 50% your admin tasks.

Don’t over-complicate this. Just say, I can’t do portering because of my back.

I’m a teacher. I was expected to do training to use Evac chairs. I explained that my back wasn’t up to it. End of story.

I’d get this moved to Legal. Whilst it’s not uncommon for there to be clauses around the employers right to move you around the organisation at their discretion, I’m not sure they can change your actual role. But I’m not a lawyer. An employment lawyer would be able to give you a good steer on whether they are allowed to do this in theory.

Can I guess this is to do with the lack of radioisotopes ? Yes the NHS contract is so vague about this 'any other duties' clause... they really can suggest moving you anywhere. This may have been understandable during covid but you can't be expected to do a job that is not physically suitable for you.. is there no training you could go on ? Are there any other people in a similar position that you could work with to put a case together about what is outstanding within your department ? Is there not another band 6 role somewhere that you could be allocated to ? You are definitely not being unreasonable, they haven't though this through. Go to occupational health first and see what they will say.

This is good advice. Keep it simple.

Do it.
Day 2 call in sick and day you've injured your back.

Honestly- from a fellow B6, portering?! I completely acknowledge how hard porters work, they are absolutely crucial to the team as a whole. But, they are going to pay B6 wages for you to porter (band 2 in my trust!) when the wards are absolutely on their knees?

This is why the NHS is up shits creek.

Don't be ridiculous.

What a ridiculous waste of your training.
There must be wards that are understaffed ?

Just because you were off with your back 5 years ago doesn't mean your back isn't 'at risk' now. No way should you be portering!!

it's the only one you've got! Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself.

put your case forward for admin to clear the backlog.

I can't believe they're wasting the skills of a B6, to be a porter.

yes I'm sure they need more porters, but not a B6 and not someone with very serious back issues!!

For goodness sake OP I'm a highly trained band 6 also have similar injuries, I'm 62 and don't do any lugging about whatsoever. I went to see OH and have a plan of things I can and can't do. And I make damned sure I don't do them.
I'm currently off waiting for a hip replacement and I'm doing waiting list triage full time from home.
Get a referral to OH as soon as possible.

Yes this is largely my point; I am not demeaning the hard work porters do, but surely my skills can be better deployed - I am patient facing clinical.

Good point - It is so hard not to come across as a slacker though as colleagues have in the past under similar circumstances been reported for being insubordinate (!)

Excellent point - 💡
How do I do that?

What kind of an attitude is that!
The OP is an NHS professional. She isn't going to act like a 15 year old on a weekend job.
Presumably, as you suggest this type of unprofessionalism, you have the same approach to your work.
This behaviour contributes to women attitude towards women in the workplace

Yes spot on you've guessed it! We have ground to a halt virtually overnight and yet suddenly there is a coincidental shortage of porters; it feels dreadfully unthought-through and lazy.