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Original poster

Why is the NHS so generous with their employee leave

328 replies

Ionlywentandbloodydidit · 15/12/2025 23:03

Maybe I’m just jealous plain and simple.
I work really hard in a patient facing private sector clinical role ( not transferable to NHS) , long hours, huge amounts of stress and responsibility just like NHS workers . Four weeks holiday , no sick pay , no time off for GP, dentist appointments etc . Not just me , this is completely normal in my industry.
The NHS is on its knees , I see it every day , I’m privately employed but am also registered with NHS as a performer ( it’s complicated ) .
I have several friends who work within the NHS as nurses, midwife’s etc . They are all mostly on eight weeks holiday per annum , regularly on leave for months at a time on full pay for various reasons such as two months for a miscarriage, six months for the death of a very elderly parent or a bad back or stress etc.
They will all receive a good pension .
I’m so intrigued ( and envious I admit ) at how the NHS can be so generous with tax payers money.
Im ashamed to say I’m beginning to resent my NHS friends some of whom are quite brazen with it, especially when I also see first hand how long waiting lists are for consultations / ops for my own patients / family etc .

OP posts:
Switcher · 15/12/2025 23:06

Can't criticise the hallowed NHS. They're all angels...

EmptyNester25 · 15/12/2025 23:06

Assuming your company is profit making, maybe you should ask why you allow yourself to work with such poor terms and conditions. Maybe join a union. It's not a race to the bottom.

couldthisbethenewname · 15/12/2025 23:08

This reply has been deleted

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MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 15/12/2025 23:08

Join a union and campaign for better terms and conditions from your own employer? Look for a different job? Retrain and work for the NHS?

I don't work for the NHS and I don't get their employment benefits, but I don't begrudge them anything. It doesn't have to be a race to the bottom.

CranberryCandyCane · 15/12/2025 23:12

If you’re in the UK surely you get 5.6 weeks of annual leave?

MajesticWhine · 15/12/2025 23:13

6 months bereavement leave is not a thing in the NHS. You can get 6 days compassionate leave. Anything more would have to be sickness and you would need fit notes.

Greggsit · 15/12/2025 23:14

Are you really arguing that women shouldn't be given time off for miscarriage?! As others have said, don't drag everyone's conditions down to your level, try to get yours improved.

olympicsrock · 15/12/2025 23:14

Have a look at NHS terms and conditions . Definitely not 8 weeks . It’s 30 days usually .

NotThisAgain1987 · 15/12/2025 23:16

Because via trade unions and collective bargaining they have negotiated better terms. They also earn the better holiday etc with longer service

If your role is completly non transferable then it's probably either in a clinical role the NHS doesn't offer or non clinical. So your options are train to do a clinical role and get an NHS job or unionize.

Don't be bitter. Make your employer do better

Itsmetheflamingo · 15/12/2025 23:17

It’s just old fashioned. It won’t modernise to modern slavery standards because they’re unionised

VikaOlson · 15/12/2025 23:17

Your company's first priority is making a profit for shareholders. If they can continue employing enough people while offering minimum time off, why wouldn't they?

The NHS's priority should be providing quality healthcare, and part of that is ensuring staff retention.

JLou08 · 15/12/2025 23:18

Sensible move for staff retention in my opinion. I don't work for the NHS but I have 33 days leave a year plus bank holidays and 6 months paid sick leave (never used that yet) and a good pension. It keeps me in a really stressful job, whenever I think of leaving it is the benefits that keep me there.

Sunshineandrainbow · 15/12/2025 23:18

olympicsrock · 15/12/2025 23:14

Have a look at NHS terms and conditions . Definitely not 8 weeks . It’s 30 days usually .

I get 8 weeks, 25 years NHS service

MajesticWhine · 15/12/2025 23:20

If they are on 8 weeks of leave that means they have 10+ years of service - they would get 33 days plus the 8 bank holidays. It’s not bad I will admit. A new joiner would get less.

SwedishEdith · 15/12/2025 23:20

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

It's a misinformation post disguised as faux naive "curiosity".

climbintheback · 15/12/2025 23:20

Look at the stats for sickness in the NHS versus sickness in the private sector - it’s sickening!

What2wear2work · 15/12/2025 23:22

Change jobs. It’s your employer scr*wing you. Why are you putting up with it and complaining about people who chose to work in NHS. The NHS is a poor employer - sis standard facilities, out of date equipment and buildings, pay for parking to work, grungy staff rooms, hot desking, so don’t begrudge its employees what little they get.

Inthedoghaus · 15/12/2025 23:22

Maybe dump your friends so they don’t have to make you feel bad for taking time off for a miscarriage

Throwntothewolves · 15/12/2025 23:23

CranberryCandyCane · 15/12/2025 23:12

If you’re in the UK surely you get 5.6 weeks of annual leave?

That's the minimum for full time workers, but it depends on your ts & cs. I expect the NHS is similar to most government run organisations and employees start with more than the minimum leave, then get extra days after working for them for a length of time. When public holidays are added (shift workers don't often get the option to take these on the day) that could give long serving employees quite a lot of leave. So yes, it is generous, but many staff will be working 12 hour shifts on Christmas day with no choice about it. That isn't comparable to an office hours private sector job.
The other things mentioned are sick leave, which is generous in the NHS, but has limits. Of course people should be able to take the time they need to recover, and not be forced back to work before they should return because of money.

Didimum · 15/12/2025 23:27

Staff retention and attracting new employees. Simple as that really.

Hibernatingtilspring · 15/12/2025 23:29

The conditions you describe are usually only for long service or people on much older contracts (six months full pay for sick leave is not standard, and it would be sick not compassionate as another poster mentioned)

However the conditions are the only incentive the NHS can give to staff, they can't give performance related pay rises or promotions like you can get in the private sector. They need to have something to offer to attract good staff; most clinical roles with an equivalent in private healthcare pay far less than the private sector.

Comparison is the thief of joy, if you don't like it, feel free to retrain and decide if the grass is truly greener.

AluckyEllie · 15/12/2025 23:30

I see both sides. I work in the NHS and it’s a definite perk. I also like the flexibility of shift working as I have young kids and it allows us to maximise time with them (although not me and my husband!) It’s good to have job security and a good sick leave cushion if something awful happens.

However, it does make people entitled and quick to call in sick. Someone called in once and said they were too tired! At least lie and say you are unwell but they know no action will be taken. It’s also impossible to get rid or fire anyone so the useless staff get moved around like a game of old maid 😆. So yes, I realise I am lucky but I also don’t take the piss and I work hard.

Marble10 · 15/12/2025 23:30

You are probably paid more in the private sector. Swings and roundabouts

CranberryCandyCane · 15/12/2025 23:31

Throwntothewolves · 15/12/2025 23:23

That's the minimum for full time workers, but it depends on your ts & cs. I expect the NHS is similar to most government run organisations and employees start with more than the minimum leave, then get extra days after working for them for a length of time. When public holidays are added (shift workers don't often get the option to take these on the day) that could give long serving employees quite a lot of leave. So yes, it is generous, but many staff will be working 12 hour shifts on Christmas day with no choice about it. That isn't comparable to an office hours private sector job.
The other things mentioned are sick leave, which is generous in the NHS, but has limits. Of course people should be able to take the time they need to recover, and not be forced back to work before they should return because of money.

Show quote history

Even if OP works part time, they should still get 5.6 weeks worth of their part time hours.

I agree that NHS workers deserve their entitlement. The majority of my friends and relatives who work for private companies also accrue extra holidays with service. The starting point at DH’s workplace is 29 days plus a bonus birthday day plus all the English and any additional Scottish bank holidays. Then extra holidays are earned after a certain number of years. The person OP should be annoyed with is their employer.

flashria · 15/12/2025 23:34

I work for the NHS; newly in from private sector. My experience is that basically everyone is pretty much always off. Sick leave, part-time working, flexible working, reasonable adjustments, maternity leave, carers' leave, dependents' leave, compassionate leave, annual leave, bank hols. It's astonishing and culminates in being rarely able to get a swift efficient response from anyone. OF COURSE I do not mean that people shouldn't have holidays or be off when they're ill, but my goodness all of that entitlement adds up essentially to a licence never to be in.