Can you work during a career break?

[Honeyjj]

Has anyone who works for the NHS done this? Can you leave a full-time job to take a career break if you have poor health then work part-time elsewhere?

Check their career break policy. Every large business I've worked for has one with a section on whether work is permitted.

@Honeyjj is your career break classed as a break from working but not a break in your service continuity with your employer, ie you're still on their payroll as an employee (albeit not being paid during your break?). If so then you would normally have agreed with your employer the basis of that break and there would be a clause in your contract which details any restrictions.

Are you intending to return?

In terms of part time working, during your absence, it would be risky for any of us on here to advise you not to worry, you're fine, if your contractual basis of taking the break is to rest due to ill health, when it's actually in breach of your contract to work elsewhere during your absence and you end up being dismissed.

If you don't want to work there full time, you'd be better off trying to renegotiate your hours with your employing Trust, so it's above board, or resign and go into the p/t work you mention in your OP. I would have thought that was a lot less stressful than potentially being discovered.

If however your contract does enable you to take on casual work, then you're home and dry!

Check policy, when i worked for nhs is was a no unless you had specifically asked and were working abroad- aimed at medical staff going to other countries usually third world but essentially they would be learning new skills to return to work. Other than that it was specifically stated that working wasn't allowed.

it's as christmasathome has said, not normally allowed to do paid work

www.nhsemployers.org/tchandbook/part-5-equal-opportunities/section-34-employment-break-scheme