Anybody been made redundant from the NHS?

[afriendcalledfive]

Sorry, not getting much traffic on the redundancy page.

Only ever known, or heard of, employees being re-deployed rather than made redundant, in the Trust I work in.

Ok, back story. I have worked for the NHS 9 years this year. Been under Health Records/admin and clerical division since I started, so basically Admin and Clerical is all I know.

We have been informed that by the end of this year, our Trust will be 100% paperless. No more casenotes. No Health Records dept, which is pretty much 95% what I work in, and is the one mostly affected. Half of Health Records personnel across the Trust are being made redundant.

I need to know what happens when it comes to looking for other roles in the Trust, and there are no roles in A&C. Are they likely to re-train me to do something completely different, rather than give me a redundancy pay-off?

Anybody been in this situation, and been made redundant? What happened (if you don't mind me asking)? Meetings have been held, but no one has yet said what actually happens at the redundancy stage. Sorry for the long post.

I used to work in the NHS as an A&C Senior Manager and for some of that time managed a very large Health Records department. I re-deployed staff, made staff redundant and was made redundant myself.

When I was made redundant (about 3 years ago) I had to redeploy staff and make staff redundant first before leaving! There were about 20 staff affected and with two exceptions we managed to redeploy everyone to other A&C or IT focused jobs.

I can't think of an example where someone has been redeployed/re-trained into a completely unrelated post, against their will.

What used to happen (and I can't imagine it's changed much) is that you will be given notice that your post is at risk. You should then be placed on a priority list to receive details of internal vacancies. You can then let your HR contact know which ones you're interested in and you should be guaranteed an interview and maybe even a trial.

In my case, the biggest saving was my post and there weren't any suitable alternatives roles. I made it quite clear that I was happy to go. I was the one who came up with the new departmental structure which was minus my own role!

My advice would be to try and get something within IT, Service Improvement, Risk/Governance, all growth areas. Another good route is Clinical Coding which at least has a career structure.

Clinical coding would be a good area to move into if there are vacancies. Also, now the new payment by results stuff is being rushed through, I guess they may need staff to do the clustering of patients into their payment groups. We've started this recently and it is a nightmare which current staff are struggling to fit into their working hours, so a possible area where recruitment may take place in future.

(Medical Secretary/union rep)

Sorrelforbes- how awful having to do all that before leaving yourself!

Thanks both for your advice.

Done a little research based on your answers. Being a Band 2, I can apply for clinical coding officer at entry level. Also ward work.

Hope something like that becomes available.

Just a couple more questions, if I may?

If there is a job role on the list that I don't want to apply for, and they are shortstaffed in that particular dept, and I have the skills required, would I be offered that role if any of my other job application fails?

And if I refuse the job role, would they refuse to pay me redundancy, and say I have to take the job?

If I recall correctly, they can offer you a job if you meet 50% of the criteria for it. If you turn it down then you would effectively be making yourself jobless I guess.

Thanks thenightsky.

I worked in a particular dept, albeit for a short time, and was glad to be redeployed away from it. I have since heard of people leaving in droves from there, and the remaining ones becoming depressed.

Due to people leaving, I'm sure there'll be vacancies. Would they not pay me redundancy at all if I refuse the job?

Not being awful, please understand, I have another 10 -15 years working before I can apply for retirement and don't want to end up being depressed for that long. I live on my nerves as it is...

Hopefully, though, it won't come to that...

Yes, it was slightly unpleasant at the time but I think everyone ended up fairly happy with the outcome.

I would be surprised if you were redeployed somewhere that you'd previously been redeployed out of. However, thenightsky is right in that refusing a role that you meet the criteria for could be seen as making yourself 'jobless'. I always think it's best to be honest and would recommend saying straight away that you're very concerned about being redeployed to that department and give the reasons.

Try not too worry yet, IME people usually end up with another role that's pretty much ok. Bear in mind too, that whilst you remain employed (even in a role you're not keen on), you'll have the opportunity to apply for any other internally advertised roles.

Hi sorrel, I know it sounds daft re the redeployment bit, but if they want to cut down on how much redundancy pay they want to pay out, and need to fill the vacancies, surely they would overlook the fact they redeployed me out of there in the first place.....

The reason they redeployed me was because I failed the test and interview to re-apply for the job role, which was going through change and re-structure.

Yes, I am worrying a little too early, aren't I?

Thanks again both for your advice

They'll definitely be looking to minimise the number of redundancy payments they need to make but they'll be loathe to expose themselves to future issues over suitability of redeployment.

I think if they made you take the role in this other department you should bring up the fact that you were deployed out of there because you failed the test and interview. So, in fact, are they saying that you shouldn't have failed?

I'd sit tight at the moment and wait and see what transpires.

Hi,

I recently received an email from my manger regards to they can not afford to have me as an permanent employee as staff bank work in admin and Clerical.

I have been there for an year and 18 months.

Manager never told me no meetings, no warnings nothing. Just an email saying the trust can't financially afford to have any staff bank workers and stopped them.

But another member of staff I know and I helped has got an contract with them for admin and Clerical for 28 months as permanent.

So I am not sure why they couldn't argue or help me or support me.

They had an review with HR meeting and said get rid of me.

I feel so upset that I wanted to be permanent and loved the job and feel so unappreciated that they used me for an year. Never supported me or helped me to develop.

Not sure what to do?

Any advice please.

Hi Tee11
You'd be better starting your own thread as this is an old thing from 2014.