Thinking of changing profession in the NHS but concerned about breaking NHS service

[Supermum222]

HI,

I have worked in the NHS for almost 18 years now and things are changing that are making it difficult for me to continue. For example, we are being moved to another hospital soon (so long commute) plus extended working days/longer weekend working. I am part time but still expected to do the same amount of out of hours as a full timer. I made the mistake of moving hospitals a few years ago so I could be closer to home (as I was a mum to small children)...BIG mistake. DH works shifts and many weekends and we have no childcare support apart from a childminder who works M-F between 730am and 630pm.

Due to increased costs of above and stresses of it all (hard to swap shifts and no family life left) I am considering retraining in another NHS profession with normal hours. I would rather work full time with no out of hours than part time with loads of out of hours work! I have been offered training at my old hospital but I would need to be a student again for 2 years. Although there is a shortage in this area and I should, hopefully, gain employment at my old hospital I am worried about breaking my NHS contract. What will happen to my service history? Will it start again? Will I lose my perks (extra annual leave)? Also, what do I do about my pension?

Working out of hours is a big problem for child care and family life and especially when both of you are doing out of hours!!!
I am in a sort of similar situation like yours and same questions bother me!!!

What are you leaving and what are you going to< nosey>
Radiography? SLT? OT

I'm not an expert but have changed jobs a couple of times in the past few years and had these questions at the time. Your pension should stay 'on hold' until you do something with it. So basically nothing will be contributed into it. I don't think you can pay in either unless you are actually working for nhs. If you did start again with them in the future I think you can start paying in again. You won't lose anything already there.

Your continuation of service will be broken if you leave employment - even by one day. So if you left to train then came back you'd loose extra holiday etc. I guess you may be able to negotiate but most places are quite strict on this.
If you are a student with the hospital will you still be under contract with them? If you are then you should not loose it.
May be worth you phoning hr and double checking.
I guess you have to think about weather you want to retrain and hopefully life will be a bit easier or keep a couple of extra days holiday - although I know they are nice to have!

I had 10 months working for a charity between NHS contracts about 8 years ago. Despite this, my service years for annual leave etc include the time before as well as after the break so I've qualified for the 10 years+ extra A/L. It's calculated on total service in the NHS rather than uninterrupted service.

Could you do Bank shifts or similar and stay in the Superannuation scheme?

Having said this, I work in Scotland and I know the situation can be different with Trusts in England now.

Generally under the newer regs it is total NHS service for annual leave but sick leave is on continuous service for which we could have 3 months. If you do bank shifts does pension come out would this then count?