NHS mat leave pay?

[nhsmatleave]

Hi all, just trying to get my head round NHS mat leave and potentially changing jobs mid pregnancy.

I'm currently 12 weeks pregnant, band 5 nurse on AfC, been full time with my trust for over 12 months. Recently interviewed to a full time band 6 with a different trust and quite keen on taking the job for new opportunities and of course a higher wage. If I were to accept, I reckon I wouldn't begin until almost 7 months gone with notice periods and HR. The new band 6 job also doesn't yet know I'm pregnant, as was waiting for formal offer to disclose.

A few questions:
At my current position, I'm eligible for both SMP and OMP, is that right? But if I change trusts, I am only eligible for SMP? Is there a way of finding out whether a trust has a different mat leave policy, or are they all the same under the NHS?
If I were to begin a new band 6 at 7 months gone, the higher salary wouldn't be considered in my mat leave, as it's calculated on the salary between 12-16 weeks, is that right?

TIA xx

As long as it's continuous NHS employment then you should still be entitled to maternity pay, I am not sure what grade it would be calculated at though sorry.

It's the same at each Trust as it's all under agenda for change
www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/pay-and-reward/agenda-for-change/nhs-terms-and-conditions-of-service-handbook/parents-and-carers/maternity-leave-and-pay-section-15

Thanks for that @Bluebirdsky. Sorry to be thick, but I'm still a bit confused by the link. It looks like regardless of whether I stay at my current trust or leave, I should be entitled to full NHS OMP as I've been more than 12 months with the NHS, but if I change trusts I lose the extra compensation for SMP and OMP?

For example, if my income per month is currently £2000:

NHS OMP alone is:
8 weeks: Full pay (£500/week x 8 weeks)
18 weeks: Half pay (£250/week x18 weeks)
Remaining 26 weeks: Unpaid leave

For SMP:
6 weeks: 90 per cent of their normal pay (£300/week)
33 weeks: Flat rate SMP (£145.18, as 90% of my weekly earnings is higher than the flat rate)
Remaining 13 weeks: Unpaid leave

And for OMP plus SMP:
8 weeks: Full pay less any SMP/SMA receivable (c £500/week - £145.18 = £355/week)
18 weeks: Half pay plus the flat rate of SMP (or average weekly earnings, whichever is lower) providing the total does not exceed full pay (c£250/week +£145.18/week=£395/week)
13 weeks Flat rate SMP (or 90 per cent of their average weekly earnings, whichever is the lower): £145.18 per week (as my average is higher than SMP)

Remaining 13 weeks: Unpaid leave

But if I stay at my current position, I'll qualify for both SMP and OMP, rather than just the full NHS OMP? Sorry, maths was never my strength and pregnancy brain has got me extra

I can't advise on the change of post stuff but you can ask payroll to spread your OMP over 12 months. You get less per month of course but you won't have the last bit as unpaid so it really helps with budgeting. They can't do it for SMP but can for your salary.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/employment_issues/3228145-Nhs-maternity-qualifying-period

This is my post a few weeks ago about qualifying period for mat pay, unfortunately yours would be based on the band 5 wage but please read for a clearer answer there.

As for the SMP you might not be entitled to that but would get maternity allowance instead which I believe is the same amount of money?

Thank you @polkadotdelight and @Hopp. Hopp, your post is quite helpful. I'm still not clear on the difference between NHS OMP, SMP, and OMP+SMP? Or am I just thinking too hard about this?

I think you are getting muddled up by looking at your figures in your example. The smp plus omp will not leave you worse off. When it says on the first 8 weeks “minus any smp” this is because you will get the smp too if that makes sense. So still the same amount but paid part by smp and rest by omp

Thank you Hopp. So the SMP+OMP would leave me better off financially, but I lose that option if I leave my trust now?

Your mat pay is based on continuous nhs service no matter what trust you work for.

Thank you cariadxx. I'm still confused as to why they make a distinction for SMP in the NHS employers handbook: To qualify for statutory maternity pay an employee has to have 26 weeks continuous service with the one (current) employer by the beginning of the fifteenth week before the expected week of childbirth (EWC).

Or is this just the law for any employee in the UK, NHS or not?

That's the rule for any employer in the UK not just the NHS; as far as I understand it the NHS is your one continuous employer.