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Original poster

What's it like to work in the NHS?

53 replies

LightSpeeds · 14/02/2022 20:40

I currently work in the third sector and, after over a decade, am seriously considering a job change. My current job is administrative/client-focused.

I'm looking at jobs in the NHS and there are some really interesting admin roles that I seem (mostly) qualified to do. So apart from nursing and doctoring, what's it like working in the NHS? Has anyone ever been a ward clerk?

OP posts:
metersmart · 25/02/2022 22:00

@Wavypurple

I genuinely cannot discourage you from working from the NHS enough.

Just imagine everything is on fire and lots of screaming but you’re sat at your desk trying to work.

No respect for staff whatsoever. Patronising, inexperienced managers. No break or a five minute one if you think you might pass out. It does vary trust to trust, I’m in the north.

Couldn't of said it better myself. Everything around you is going up in flames but you have to sit and smile while carrying on with a shit ton of work. Gives me the shivers knowing I'm back in the office on Monday doing all this!
MyHaloSlipped · 25/02/2022 22:01

I was a ward clerk. To be honest I hated it. It was repetitive and boring. However the ward teams, doctors and ward Sister were amazing to work with. You haven't seen team work until you have seen a general surgical ward pull together for their patients. I am now a medical secretary and have been doing that job for over 10 years and I absolutely love it. Best move I ever made. You do need to find a dept/area that you find interesting and also depends on what type of admin role you want.

metersmart · 25/02/2022 22:02

@ExtraCreamy

I've got an interview for an NHS admin job on Monday! It's just at a small local hospital so it probably won't be as frantic, but if I eventually moved to the big hospital that would probably change!
I thought this when I started working at a surgery. I work admin side. Everything falls back on the admin staff. There's many nights I can't sleep because I'm thinking if I did all my work or wake up remembering something that I was suppose to do.
Flossieskeeper · 25/02/2022 22:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thenightsky · 25/02/2022 22:07

Ward Clerks are amazing. They know all that stuff about benefit claims etc. I'm an ex-nurse turned medical secretary. I sat for staff side on the Agenda for Change job matching panels and I'm proud to say I got the Ward Clerks up from a band 2 to a Band 3. They fucking deserve every penny.

rach2713 · 25/02/2022 22:16

Im looking into working for the nhs. Im a carer at thw moment but really want the challenge the no 2 days are the same meeting so many different people amd.all the experience you could get..

LightsoftheNorth · 25/02/2022 22:23

One thing to be aware of if you are thinking of applying for NHS admin roles is that they are very popular. I've recruited lots of administrators, and often had to close the advert early, after a couple of days, as we'd already had 50+ applicants.

If you do decide to go ahead, apply quickly and make sure that your application demonstrates that you meet all the essential criteria, and as many of the desirable criteria as possible. The first sift of candidates will almost always look at this before anything else.

Sorry for jumping ahead a bit here, but getting to the interview stage can be really difficult if you aren't aware of this. All the best.

In terms of the work, every department in every trust or organisation is different, so I don't think it's possible to say what it's like to work in the NHS.

Octomore · 25/02/2022 22:29

@Wavypurple

I genuinely cannot discourage you from working from the NHS enough.

Just imagine everything is on fire and lots of screaming but you’re sat at your desk trying to work.

No respect for staff whatsoever. Patronising, inexperienced managers. No break or a five minute one if you think you might pass out. It does vary trust to trust, I’m in the north.

100% this. I'm working my notice and will never work in the NHS again.

(I have 10+ hrs NHS experience in various organisations and it has seriously deteriorated in the last few years.)

Woahthehorsey · 25/02/2022 22:46

Fucking shit.

Desperately trying to get out.

Octomore · 25/02/2022 22:57

^ 10+ years experience obviously! Not hrs

Tanfastic · 25/02/2022 23:13

I work in admin in the community and if you think that will be easier than in a hospital you've got to be kidding. It's the hardest admin job I've ever done, money isn't great, we get half an hour lunch a day and that's if you are really lucky. It's frantic. If your colleagues are off you are expected to work twice as hard, no temps are drafted in to help!

On the plus side I find it very rewarding, I love our patients, have great supportive management and work in a great team with very down to earth senior medics and consultants. I do think I'm quite lucky though.

desperatehousewife21 · 26/02/2022 11:09

I feel quite lucky to have even been offered an interview for my admin role now! Altho is lucky the right word ? Grin I’m still going to give it my all and see what happens

desperatehousewife21 · 04/03/2022 16:52

Just thought I’d jump back on to say I got offered the job today, if anyone cares Grin

ClarasZoo · 04/03/2022 17:10

Well that’s great - congratulations. Interesting how some people love a job and others don’t like it but you want to do this and that is the best attitude for an enjoyable job so I am sure you will make it a success!

thenightsky · 04/03/2022 19:47

Well done and good luck! Grin

desperatehousewife21 · 04/03/2022 19:56

Thank you!

I’m looking forward to a change of nothing else

desperatehousewife21 · 04/03/2022 19:57

If*

Makemytea · 04/03/2022 20:25

I work as a clerk in a community setting. It’s very hard work, but less stressful then on the wards. However, as a previous poster has said , the pay is not good (last decent pay rise was in 2010) but annual leave and pension are good. I find it very satisfying and worthwhile.

Greeceisthebest · 04/03/2022 20:43

I work in NHS admin for a big trust (not hospital) and bloody love it! The pay and perks are better than equivalent in private sector (my pension will pay out 3x as much) so don’t just look at salary.

It’s an amazing place to work, everyone I’ve met is lovely.

It’s facing challenges on all fronts and change is hard in the face of these challenges. But it’s an impressive system, seeing it from the inside.

I truly believe the NHS will be unrecognisable in a few years... due to genomics, population health and place based system approaches. I think a lot of staff are so grounded in firefighting they can’t appreciate these massive benefits which are down the line. Everyone is distracted by talk of privatisation, which simply isn’t true. Where I work the NHS are winning back the private contracts (G4, Virgin etc) and the ICSs which become operational in July mean even more opportunity for local NHS/ VCS orgs

Basically what I’m saying is, it’s a super exciting time to join the NHS as it’s undergoing the biggest transformation since it’s inception and there will be loads of opportunities to develop and move around.

Greeceisthebest · 04/03/2022 20:46

Well done on the job!

Another perk is all the training available. Much more than I was ever in several private companies and decent quality in my experience.

Greeceisthebest · 04/03/2022 20:49

Just leaving this video here as I found it helpful explaining the bigger picture re: NHS organisation and transformation

www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/how-does-nhs-in-england-work

fluffyegg · 05/03/2022 06:16

Ward clerk here !
In all honesty it's shit if I could leave I would but the hours suit so can't.
It might just be where i work but the management are vile , my boss is a horrible unprofessional bully . they don't care about us we are just another number and replaceable.
If you work hard , come in extra to help out and don't be off sick all the time there is no thanks for it or appreciation. Loads of staff off sick constantly and lazy when they are in and we are always having to pick up their work with no thanks or financial incentive.
There's a hierarchy too, as in I'm just a lowly band 2 so some of them ( bands 5,6,7,8..) don't speak to me (not even hello) unless they want something of course!
It's pathetic we are all human beings at the end of the day!
That said, there is a handful of lovely staff who do appreciate us and say thank you ...but not many!

desperatehousewife21 · 06/03/2022 10:35

@Greeceisthebest it’s great to hear a positive story and if you love the job it really makes life a lot better! This is what I’m hoping with my move into the nhs Smile

@fluffyegg that’s exactly how I feel in my current job now though. Private insurance company and we’re just a number, a body to answer the phone. No thanks etc and working from home it’s completely isolating. I’ll be a lowly band 2 as well so know my place Grin

GinIronic · 06/03/2022 10:59

Run. Far. Away. Underpaid. Short staffed. Condescending managers. Being screamed at. One charmer shoved everything off my desk because I didn’t know the answer to her question. Awful. Awful. Awful.

Tranquilitybaby · 09/03/2022 22:22

@desperatehousewife21

Just thought I’d jump back on to say I got offered the job today, if anyone cares Grin
I was offered the same role yesterday too but reading this comments, I’m wondering if I’ve made a mistake accepting it verbally now. What sort of ward will you be working on? Post natal for me which I’m hoping may be slightly less frantic than on some more general wards. Wishful thinking maybe