Easy Admin vs NHS admin.... do I apply

[pancakes22]

I've been looking to get a new job/career for as long as I can remember and I have a real interest in perinatal care. I've been looking on the NHS website for months thinking I would like to change to be a maternity care assistant for post natal care.... but now an advert has actually come out and it's for a MCA/receptionist in antenatal. now it's a reality that I could apply though I've got all scared and doubtful!

I am bored in my current role as PA. I've been in the company for over 10 years and don't want to be there. BUT if I want to work from home and do a school pick up I can... if it's not busy then I can do a bit of home admin on the side and no one really bats an eyelid. It's kind of easy, albeit soulless!

My impression of NhS is that I'm going to be ran completely ragged, it's going to be really stressful, high work demands etc and to get the same ish pay I'm doing more hours from 15 to 23. BUT I do want some job satisfaction, and I love maternity care, and I have so much admiration for doctors and nurses that I think it will be wonderful to work alongside them... and I love the idea of learning clinical skills and playing mini nurse myself taking blood pressure etc. But the stress and hours and lack of flexibility panics me whether im doing the right thing.

Do I apply and hope that the job satisfaction of being in a more personal centred environment scratches my itch of having a more caring role even though there is admin still involved - or do you warn me against the horrors of NHS work demands??!

I guess it depends massively on what dept you are working in. I'm currently a band 2 admin in the lab and have no stress or long hours in my job and they have generally been flexible if I need to leave early etc. I think band 2 jobs in particular wouldn't be particularly stressful. I'm about to start a band 3 admin job soon so we shall see, it does look to be busier as they've been without an administrator for a while so I shall be organising...but it's still very much a set hours job and they're all apparently out the door by 5 30pm at the latest. I don't have kids so don't have that stress but they've always been really flexible with those that I work with who do 🙂

"I have so much admiration for doctors and nurses that I think it will be wonderful to work alongside them... and I love the idea of learning clinical skills and playing mini nurse myself taking blood pressure etc."
This all sounds great and it's good that you see yourself learning new skills...but make sure the current role is suitable for you and that there is the possibility of learning new things. I left the NHS as the department I worked in didn't seem to want band 2 staff to progress and learning new skills was a battle! Also remember that the doctors and nurses are not like they are on TV - some are really good and encourage progression and some just see you as totally replaceable and treat anyone below a band 4 like crap. You end up as a number not a person.
Good luck with whatever you decide...sometimes a change is a good idea to make your goals clearer.

Yes it's band 2, on the antenatal ward and is a combined receptionist/MCA position so they have said that it involves doing obs as well as booking in appointments etc.

That's good you have experienced some flexibility @jiskoot but I'm sorry to hear you didn't have as good as experience @prettypinkflamingo. I suppose if I was to be in a position to get an interview perhaps thats areas to explore in terms of development possibilities.

I suppose it's just scary the thought of applying for something new after so many years. You hear so much on the news about the mayhem of NHS and people trying to get out that it feels strange me wanting to get in!!