Refusal of NHS secondment

[SecondmentWoes]

Hi there, I have been working in a part time band 3 position (NHS admin, permanent contract) for the past year. I have just been offered a band 6 position in the same organisation, full time but fixed term for 2 years. It's a great opportunity, but unlikely to be extended and getting a similar job in 2 years could be tricky. I asked my boss for a secondment and was refused. The reasons given being that the skills I would gain would be of no benefit to my current position (true, but would be of benefit to the team), that there are no senior (ie similar to band 6) positions available in the team (again, true) and because it would be too difficult to recruit for a replacement for my position as a fixed term.

I disagree with this last point and am considering appealing / starting a grievance procedure. Is it worth it? Whilst I accept that it will be harder to recruit fixed term vs permanent, is this enough grounds to refuse the secondment request? Would my boss need to provide evidence to support this oppinion and can I ask for this from HR? I don't really want my current job back (I have not been treated well). However, it is better than nothing, and I want to work at a higher level within the team in the future (I am qualified and have suitable experience), so I don't want to piss them off too much. Nor do I wish to let them get away with this kind of thing. My feeling is that they should try and make the secondment happen, rather than dismiss it with crappy reasons...... buy maybe I am being naive?!

Presumably there is a policy on this? At my company the policy is that secondments must be supported unless there is a strong business case not to. Of course what is regarded as 'strong' is open to interpretation. I would check any policies on this first as raising a grievance may not be beneficial.

The way things are going, your job might not even be there in 2 years, so frankly I'd take the newly offered position and make the most of your opportunities.

I realise that hasn't answered your question about the secondment but I don't think you'd get very far with a grievance against your boss and it really would give you a black mark against your name, IME. Very parochial, the NHS.

Imagine if everyone wanted to go and do another job for two years but wanted their old boss to keep their previous job open just in case it didn't work out?!

I cannot actually believe you think this is worthy of starting a grievance! Really?

Secondments like this are relatively common in the NHS, Diamondo. The OP's organisation can quite easily offer a two year fixed term contract to cover OP's absence. They claim it would be too difficult to recruit to it but two years is loads - more than enough time to get all the experience the job has to offer and be planning your next move.

Have you asked to see the secondment policy, Woes? I would certainly talk to HR about it (although they will likely tell you it's down to your line manager, the response on virtually any issue in NHS HR in my experience).

I would agree with Thumb - if they won't let you go on a secondment, take the band 6 fixed term and then look around as that contract comes to an end. Jumping from 3 to 6 must be relatively rare - this is a worthy opportunity to progress.

Hard decision. Some departments here have a blanket no secondment rule, it's just to difficult to manage in current climate. Here it's virtually unknown for a band 3 to jump to a band 6, well done at being offered the job. I think I'd take the 2 year post, you'll have continuous employment rights at the end of the 2 years? My organisation has a no redundancy policy, so would try to find you another post at the end of he 2 years.

Not sure you'd get far with a grievance. As others have said I'd take the band 6 and look around, 2 years is a long time. The majority of people I've worked with who went on secondment (also in nhs) have never come back to there original role.

Also I assume.you are massively over qualIfield for your current role since the jump from band 3 to band 6 is pretty much unheard of so I imagine you would.find it difficult to find a suitable role at the end of your 2 years.

I would also take the two year secondment and sod the current job. It sounds like you don't really come back to your current team anyway and it would probably bore you to tears after 2 years atva higher grade. That's probably why your boss is not supporting this, as he knows the chances of you coming back are slim and it would be easier to attract good candidates if they don't have to advertise it as fixed term.

Just go to the band 6 post, your salary will double! No one I have ever known who had been seconded has ever gone back to their old post. I'd be handing in my resignation today

Don't start a grievance. Go for the band 6 position. Often fixed term contracts just mean that funding for the project is agreed in tranches and you may find that after 2 years the project is extended. If not, the new experience will help you get a band 6 position in another team. Go for it. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

It would be silly for your current boss to keep your job open for you. You won't want to go back to it.

"I disagree with this last point and am considering appealing / starting a grievance procedure......is this enough grounds to refuse the secondment request? Would my boss need to provide evidence to support this oppinion and can I ask for this from HR?"

None of us can read your secondment procedure. If it says you are entitled to a secondment unless good business reasons are given for refusal and if it says evidence must be provided, and if it provides an option to appeal a decision, then yes you could appeal it and ask for that evidence.

I would be very surprised if the secondment procedure says that, but I don't know because I haven't seen it.

I can't imagine raising a grievance about a refusal of a secondment is in any way sensible.

As already noted, you do need to look at the Trust policy on secondment. General principles are:
12 months employment in your current post (suggested in OP)
Secondment are usually for 12 months or less. 2 years is unusual and may be outside the scope of the policy.
Agreement from line manager should normally be gained before applying.
Formal arrangements include your current budget recharging to the new post, formal maintenance of contact and handover arrangements to support you back into post and to ensure any sickness/conduct & capability issues are managed appropriately.

Was the post advertised as a secondment??
Within the same Trust or an external Trust?
It is a formal agreement between the seconding manager (your current manager) and the host manager (potential new manager) with written agreement signed by both. The manager in question may be higher than your immediate line manager (I'm assuming this on the basis that your are band 3: the manager with appropriate authority to approve and sign off the agreement is likely to be the budget holder/overall manager for the department)

It is highly unusual for someone to return to their original post after a secondment which involves personal development for them and I would be astonished if this was the case for you!

To me, this reads as a straightforward fixed term post advert. If this is the case it may well be that the host and your current managers may both be reluctant to agree to the secondment, or that it can't be granted due to the length of contract. There is always a risk with a fixed term, however, 2 years experience at that band will provide extremely sound evidence for a new role at a similar or higher band in the future.

Personally, given the significant jump, I would take the risk and accept the post as is, and look forward to progressing my career. Leave the part time band 3 behind and move on. There will be plenty of time and opportunity once you have experience in post- by keeping an eye on NHS jobs and internal vacancies, you may be able to secure a substantive post ahead of the end of the fixed term (assuming there is no extension to post as suggested above)

Congratulations!

One more thing-
The secondment policy may well advise that a grievance is the next step if you disagree with the outcome of your request (usually both your request and the response are in writing BTW)
However, there is a danger that the timelines taken for hearing the grievance and you getting the outcome may be too long for the new post- if the recruiting manager for the band 6 post wants someone in post quickly they may not wish or be able to wait until you have been through this process before confirming you are accepting the job.
Is it worth jeopardising this promotion?

I agree that a grievance is unlikely to benefit you.

You may well find that your manager is prevented from recruiting someone to cover your absence - many NHS bodies have a recruitment freeze at the moment and your manager may have to make a case that it is "business critical" to replace you which, tbh, at Band 3 is unlikely IME to be easy.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply - it has been a big help. My line manager spoke to her manager, who again said 'no'. I will take your advice not to pursue this any further and simply hand in my notice. This is not a battle that I really want to fight.

Congratulations on your new job, then! Onwards and upwards.

Glad you've made the decision, Secondment and hope that the Band 6 job brings you greater opportunities in the future.