Banding question for NHS workers

[Rosynose]

Hello, can anyone tell me what the difference between a band 2 and 3 is? Looking at some jobs to ask some questions about my banding but can’t really see the difference, is it whether you work with less guidance? Thanks.

Have you looked at the person spec rather than the job description?

Oh yeah I have, I’m looking to see why my banding is a 2 with lots of responsibility and working on my own so I’m trying to find the main points that differentiates a 2 and a 3.

For a union meeting.

Oh I see. I was thinking you were thinking about applying for them.

Wouldn’t you just be on the band for the job you applied for though?

Njs jobs tend to get advertised as a set band, so you don't normally work up through the bands as you gain experience etc. you would need to be offered a band 3 position to move up to a band 3 x

Yeah I agree but as time has gone on I have been given a bigger workload and left to work on my own, I’m also struggling with severe burn out symptoms and a few colleagues have suggested that my role is not what was advertised banding wise. I just wonder also has anyone else been through this?

Sorry I am a bit rambly, I’m actually off today with stress symptoms, racing heart and panic attacks.

If there is additional responsibility then you would need your job to be reassessed and see if it would come out as a band 3.
The banding covers such a wide variety of jobs.
Or you need whoever is giving you the work to allocate it to someone else.
I'm also not sure if the job is rebanded if it would be readvertised??

It can vary in different trusts too, I started as a band 2 phlebomist/MLA, got the same job in a different trust at band 3.
Hope you feel better soon

The RCN has a document (PDF) available on line "NHS job evaluation reviews: what to do if you think your pay band is wrong". This should be useful for you. I'm sure there is other guidance on line about this.
Are you in a union? This the sort of thing they should be able to help with. Some Trusts have information about this on their local intranet.

Yes I thought if it needs revaluating then I might have to leave as crazy it sounds I went for a band 2 job for a reason but it’s at least a 4, I am training other staff above me and left on my own.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

If I go for a band 3 is it just that you are lone working more with no guidance?

@RebeccaManderley thank you, I was trying to find something like that.

Can you try and get hold of some band 3 & 4 job specs?

It will vary from department to department.

The other thing you can do is dig out your job spec and make a list of all the things you do that aren't on the job spec.

@hidingfromthemouse yes that’s what I think the union are going to say. Thanks that’s a good idea.

Band 2 is hca . Band 3 is hca but (in our trust) has diploma/Nvq level 3 in health and social care.
Most hca band 2 work on the wards. Band 3 are normally community, icu, radiology and maternity - yet again in our trust.
Band 3 can also be ward clerks and admin

A lot of nhs jobs recently as well seem to be banding depending on experience.
Tbh when I was a band 2 hca, I did basic care work - washing, dressing etc this was 17 years ago when you weren't expected to do anything else.
Did my nvq and changed roles to band 3.
Worked on icu band 3 did catheters and cannulation, bloods, assisted with minor procedure, wound care etc
Now a band 4 nursing associate and I do everything I did as a hca as well as medications .

Well just read the national profiles and the closest match of my daily tasks is a band 4.

What do you do for a job? What's your role?
I'm intrigued now

It’s a bit outing to say as it’s very specific title. I can’t believe they ever banded it as a 2 after finding out more.

NHS Admin here. I am band 4 medical secretary. Expected to work on my own initiative but with specific jobs that I need to do ie first contact with patients on phone, sorting out whatever that is about, sorting out any clinic changes (happens very often and at the drop of a hat with my consultant), typing clinic letters, making sure all tests have been requested, done and reported. There's more but that's the basics.

Band 3 is a support secretary who technically should be able to cover a band 4 when required but tend to be used more for overspill typing. In a decent trust these employees would automatically move into a band 4 as and when available. Not ours though!

Band 2 work in the typing pool, do typing and have no responsibility for phones, clinics etc.

Hope that helps

Are you doing a lot more than is specified in your JD? If so, you need to ask your manager to re-write your JD based on what you actually do and send it to a panel to be reassessed. This happens all the time, I had my job re-banded last year. Have you discussed it with your manager and do they agree with you?

Yes it’s been brought up with manager, they have ignored me.

Thank you that helps @tass1960