NHS maternity leave

[MelissaJ22]

Hi there I hope someone can help :/, I am
New to this forum and seeking advice about maternity entitlements. I am a staff nurse currently working within an NHS trust where I have been for 5 months, I have longer than the 12 months NHS service as I worked in another trust before the one I'm in now. However I had a break in service (about 4 weeks) does this mean I have to start again with my maternity entitlements when I started this trust? And are all NHS trusts the same maternity policy or can they differ trust for trust?

Sorry for such a long question? Hope someone can help :)

I think you're allowed 3/12 before it's a break in service. Pretty sure that's the deal for medical staff, and on this one it should be the same.

As far as I'm aware, NHS Maternity pay is the same within every Trust.

I'm a Community Staff Nurse and am entitled to:

8 weeks at full pay.
18 weeks at half pay plus SMP
13 weeks at SMP only
Then 13 weeks unpaid if so wished.

Have you asked for a copy of your Trust's Maternity leave Procedure?

Mine is a 36 page document, so really thorough, and I bet there would be some information in yours about how breaks in service may affect you.

Break in service would have to be longer than 3 months so you're fine. Unlike my break, of two years!

i had similar issue phone your hr dept they where able to fix my dates but it meant my next increment will be later than planned. hope u get it sorted mat leave pay is shit enough

Check with your HR department and ask for a copy of the policy. You should be able to access this fairly easily on the Trust intranet pages.

In my trust you have to be in their employ for 12 months to qualify for occupational maternity pay (employer top up pay). regardless of how long you have been in service with the NHS. You should get statutory maternity pay regardless. Trusts do differ as my previous trust had no restriction.

Your finance link in payroll would be able to give you a forecast on matty pay too. They calculate it based on the last 3 months worked before finishing for maternity leave so the more extra duty enhancements you work, the more you will receive from occupational pay. If you are not pregnant yet and are just testing the water they won't tell your boss, don't worry! You will just need your payroll number.

I am a ward manager so if I can help in another way I'm HTH.

The full maternity policy will be on the trust intranet. Also.your ward manager should go through it with you when you have 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester risk assessments.
I have over 5 years with same trust so was simple, but agree, check with HR. I'm pretty sure 4 weeks shouldn't make a difference.
Good luck, I'm on Mat leave now and it's FABULOUS !!

Thank you all so much :) I will deffo look on the intranet tomorrow when I'm in, I'm not pregnant yet bt we are thinking about ttc now so I thought I should look into it and see what I will be able to get :) thanks again :)