Is there such thing as a flexible, part time, well paid job?!!

[emmabrown123]

I'm a Physiotherapist in the NHS. Currently sitting in the doctors office (they're running behind) panicking because I need to get to work but need to get my 1 year old seen because he has conjunctivitis and nursery won't take him unless he has drops.

Have already missed a meeting and had to push back a patient. My commute is about an hour so looking at not getting in till 1030 at this rate.

I would just love a job where I could work more flexibly, or from home. But I need to earn a certain amount (around £32k), and for this to be guaranteed. Is there any job out there like this???As a Physio I don't really feel qualified to do much else!!

So sick of alternating between mum guilt and work guilt!!!

My friend is a private physio. Still does a couple of days per week for the NHS but then sees her own patients to fit around children. Makes a good income from it.

I've thought about it but it's the self employed-ness that scares me. DH has just moved jobs and taken a pay cut so we need my income to be steady. I imagine there'd be a period when building up a caseload of not earning much from it.

I guess I could start it in evenings and weekend but feel like I barely see enough of the kids anyway. Still maybe worth considering for the future...

There are but they usually involve taking your current skills and spinning them into something else. So I was a communications manager in a big corporate, now I'm a copywriter. As the pp has said, you're a physio so doing that would be the logical choice -- that said, you don't have to go fully self-employed, there are physio places around here where I imagine the physios 'rent a bed' (for want of a better phrase!) almost like a hairdresser would rent a chair? So you benefit from them having the space and being known, kind of thing, rather than starting out completely on your own.

I'm a Paramedic and work on the bank, so can't comment on the specifics of physio works. I had to go part time/ reduce nights for health reasons, my target earnings are much less than £32k though.

However, where I can comment is your fear of "self-employed-ness" I had been in the NHS since 18, so 17 years, when I made the change to bank work, with the uncertainty of hours and minimum statutory employment rights (and that is a battle in itself). It scared the shit out of me and delayed me making the change. Even though when I looked around me there were loads of my friends working freelance and self-employed, and they have families and mortgages and have managed like this for years. It was at that point that I had (to my shame) to admit that I had become institutionalised to the NHS and its Terms and Conditions. Maybe something you need to think about, before you can start coming up with a plan, and having a better more balanced life.

Eryri I think that's absolutely the problem. I've worked in the NHS since I was 19, it's the only job I've ever really known. I am so scared to go into the unknown and leave my good annual leave / sick leave / pension arrangements (I've had all maternity leave I'm ever going to need!!) and relative job security.

I've been told to look at case management work as that can be done on a more flexible basis, even on a self employed basis if I wanted.

Would be great to hear from more people who have the sanctity of the public sector for something else!!

I'm a finance manager for an independent school - I earn about £28k for 3 days so about £46k FTE. I get paid overtime, 6 weeks holiday, small annual bonus, Christmas hamper, 8% pension. Lots of flexibility. I'm currently pregnant and not massively well and able to work from home as required. No problem swapping days around to look after my son etc if he's ill. It's seriously a great job for a working parent. And because of their generosity I don't take the piss and work very hard for them.

I'm a part-qualified management accountant but I've got a lot of experience across various sectors so I'm quite flexible which makes a good fit for a smallish business.

I could earn more but not have anything like the autonomy and flexibility I currently have.