Is NHS that bad?

[pancakes22]

I am having bit of mid life crisis thinking about children going to school and wondering what to do with myself and so looking at change in career. I have always done business administration but am tempted to try and get into being some kind of healthcare assistant or similar in hospital to see if I enjoy that. I feel the need to do something to help others. I know nursing or midwifery would be a long road and I'm not sure if that's wise starting out in 40s but the thought is there at back of my mind. My question is that when I look through the work forums on here, there seems to be a lot of people doing the opposite and wanting to get out of nursing or nhs etc. Is it mainly advised that the work life balance is just too hard? Would people already in the nhs advise against changing job to go down this road? Should I try and think of something b else or is it worth pursuing as a second career?

Any nurses or midwives out there able to advise?

The NHS is full of women and full of older women. It's a good place to be in that regard. Lots of opportunities to work part-time and train.

You won't know unless you try. What's holding you back?

I suppose it's doing 3 years training full time with the children, struggling with childcare and the shift work that makes me hesitate. I'm scared I will feel far too guilty for missing things like parents evening or a nativity play or Christmas but then I'm also scared I will look back and feel like I never personally achieved anything career wise. I'm also worried I will do all this training and put my family through it and then find it's all too much and stressful from being understaffed and then it will all be for nothing. I'm so torn

I work in nhs admin. It's stressful. I get shouted at, I have to be on the ball 100% every day. Patients shout at me for things that are out of my control. But I love it. I don't see myself going elsewhere. I work with the most amazing group of women and they are so supportive

Yes it is bad ... it needs loads of money to make it better.

The pay seems very low for what it is. Every time I’ve been in an NHS place d erupted looked stressed out or grumpy. And then there are the patients. By the time they finally get seen to some of them seem to have completely lost their temper. I don’t think I could cope in those conditions. Always quite impressed by people who do though.

@Velveteenfruitbowl

It could be a lot worse ,, it could be like the USA

Don’t do it. I’ve worked for the nhs for 13 years and I want out

@Napssavelives does the job satisfaction of helping others not make it worthwhile? I know I'm totally looking at it from the outside so don't know the reality. What do you want to do instead? X

I have often wondered the same

You need to do a bit more research.

In our Trust the HCAs can work up through the ranks doing the degree apprenticeship. Not sure how it works exactly but it's a combination of work/earning/studying.

Well, I work in a therapy team of about 15. It's not without it's issues but we all love it!

I’m a psychiatric nurse working in the nhs. Yes we are overstretched and yes it’s hard work but if I make one person smile a day it’s a job well done for me. I was 28 when I trained to be a nurse 3 years at uni with a younger child. I had a lot of support from family. I’m 37 now and I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d want to work. Lots of mature students go in to nursing. I’d say go for what you dream of xx

I’m a midwife, I trained when my kids were young. Absolutely the best job. For possibly the Worst employer.

Brutal is how I would describe it. Gruelling. With awful, working conditions. Ridiculous expectations. Lack of basic equipment. Emergencies daily. 12 hours with barely a warm cuppa. But also amazing. That said I have grown with the job and the relationships at work are second to none.

But I know can’t do shifts for ever so have found myself a specialist role which is 9-5 and am happy.

You are right to consider it carefully. Very carefully!

@LatentPhase thank you for your comments, it's appreciated. I don't suppose there any other similar jobs with people you may work alongside perhaps, that you think may be worth exploring when I'm looking at a second career that would still get some job satisfaction working either antenatal or postnatally that don't seem to have these same pressures and demands that you mention?

I am a health professional in the NHS. I started my degree at 30, had a baby during my course and for various reasons didn't get my first job in this career until I was 40. I love it, the pay and conditions are so much better than my previous jobs in the private sector. The pension is fab. They are very accomodating to family life, very unlike private employers. Not to mention helping others is so rewarding!

I don't know pancakes but at the end of three years training you would be able to command a decent salary which would give you security. It all depends on you being able to balance work, study and child care.

I have been a nurse for 30 years now mostly in the NHS. What has changed is people’s expectations of services and the sense of entitlement of many patients and their families. I work in a specialist child area 9-5 although often work late to complete reports.No way I’d be able to work shifts now I’m too old at 52.
We have our resources issues like everywhere else but we know we provide a vital service and that’s what we do.
I’m in Scotland though and our NHS is nowhere near the crisis that England appears to have.
I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
We have lots of students in their 40s and I’d much rather employ a mature newly qualified nurse than a 20 year old.

I disagree that they are the worst employer. Admittedly, some areas are incredibly stretched and you hear of staff on the go for long stretches without time for a wee or something to eat and drink.

But.... the pension is one of the best, the holidays are good (27 days, 30 days after five years, 33 days after 10 years) and the sick pay builds up to 6 months full pay, 6 months half pay after five years and there are lots of opportunities for part-time working. Over the last couple of years, I have done more in-house training than I ever did during my former career of 20 odd years. They are also incredibly encouraging when it comes to changing jobs and moving up the ladder.

I worked in private sector for a variety of companies before I joined the NHS. I earn quite a lot less but I feel much better off in terms of security and benefits. The grass is not greener in private sector......

Also, they are the most female friendly employer I have ever worked for. I absolutely laugh my head off at some of the things they do to accommodate part-time working. There is no way in a million years that some of my colleagues would get that in private sector. Middle management working two days a week.....

My sister retrained after a spell of SAHPing as a HCA as she could choose shifts (she mostly did banking) and did a lot of nights so did not need childcare after school. She then became an auxillary and loves it and intends to go further. She loves nights as aside from being able to do school pick ups there are no family members on the ward so relatively little hassle.

I love my job in the NHS and yes it is hard work but as someone before said, it is reliable, good holiday entitlement, good pension, flexible etc. If you are not worried how long it takes to train I would start as an HCA and after a year or so, see if you can get on an apprenticeship so you earn whilst you train.

Another nhs worker. Nearly 15 years , started on the nurse bank as a hca, got permanent contract on the wards meant more training. Went higher up my banding. Last year I started the nursing associate course and qualify next yr. I get my annual leave , good pension, staff benefits , and they are good with flexible working ie term time only! Find your local hospital OP and join the nurse bank as a hca

@pancakes22 did you ever decide? I agree with others I’d try as a health care. If your willing to work night shifts & Sundays you can soon earn a very good wage probably than some higher bands.
I’m not sure that it’s NHS that is hard work I think any kind or health/social work is demanding due to it being a heavy work load, not enough staff & hours in the day. A lot of other fields could be like this too.
I’ve been with NHS for nearly 8 years! Through difficult times I’ve stuck with it as generally you have excellent job security, sick pay, pension and fab Mat leave.

@March20 yes I decided I really do want to join as a healthcare assistant and become part of NHS but because that will mean taking large pay cut I'm going to have to wait 2 years until my son is 3 and we get the free childcare as at the moment my salary helps with nursery fees. Not ideal but at least I kind of have a plan for future. Although even entry level healthcare assistants seem to need previous care experience and NVQ qualifications so I think it's actually going to be quite hard to get into

If you join the bank (agency) you won’t need as much experience. Could you do Nights or weekends? Massive pay difference compared to day shifts. Competition is stiff to get in as a healthcare a lot do the apprenticeship but it’s full time & you get paid on the job it take around 14 months to complete. You won’t need a qualification but they do tend to prefer experience. Maybe you could volunteer in a hospice/care home.