Stay or Apply for New Job?

[crimsonlake]

I have been in my current part time role for over three years now. I work in the caring services as a well being coordinator dealing with learning difficulties and memory loss. I consider myself good at what I do but it has taken a lot of time to establish myself owing to working across several services, so it has not been an easy ride.
I am now very comfortable where I am, get on with everyone and know the job inside out.
I can work flexibly and owing to the part time nature enjoy three days a week off. One thing that irks me is that bank holidays are included in my annual leave, so that is not great. Compared to other similar jobs the hourly rate is much better than most.
I commute to work so that takes at least £100 of my pay in petrol, although thankfully I have no parking charges.
I have seen a very similar job advertised in the NHS in the local hospital some ten minutes walking distance from my house and am tempted to apply.
The conundrum I am having is that the hourly rate is less and the post is for full time working hours.
Is it madness to consider leaving for a job that pays less and to work more? Although due to the fact there is more hours available my take home pay would be higher.
I should add that I am nearly 62 so possibly I am wasting my time and would not be considered. However I envisage I will have to work to state pension age and beyond.
Part of me would like a new challenge, the other part of me thinks I should sit it out in this current role which suits me well now and hang on with it until retirement. Although looking back this current role has been enough of a long challenge and I am really not sure if I want to go back to being that new person on the job.
TIA for any thoughts please.

Advice from a fellow 60 year young ! I lost my long term job at the end of lockdown 1 ( which I used to moan about! ) the hours were great Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, every week, didn’t know when I was well off. I have had 3 jobs since, can’t settle, and I’m sick of being the new person, I just want to settle down work with nice people, part time hours until I’m 67!
I have just left a full time job, after 6 months it did prove to be too much, but was split days off.
NHS can’t be obviously ageist, but it does go on , as in anywhere!
I would stay where you are , the grass may be greener, but harder to mow!

I've recently gone from 22 to 26 hours a week and honestly hate the difference that makes to me. It sounds like nothing, but because those hours are fixed it has a big impact on my life. I would think very carefully about being fixed on full time if you enjoy flexibility just now.

A ten minute walk to work would be very tempting though...

Furcoatandnoknickerz thanks for your response.
Yes, sometimes it is better the devil you know I agree and I do appreciate part time hours as it allows me flexibility to catch up with things. Although to be honest this role feels like part time pay for full time hours in the sense there is too much to do for one person.
Obviously one major concern is jumping ship and then hating a new job and being left with nothing....
There is an extremely laborious application form to complete, hence why I do not even want to make a start on that if I am so undecided.

ScaffoldingEndlessly, yes just trotting up to work is very appealing.
My commute is roughly 30 mins on a good day, but I hate the journey and being stuck in traffic.
I do enjoy the flexibility, but I would like to earn more and feel that I should. I currently live alone, both children have flown the nest and luckily I own my own modest home. However like millions of others I have to be very careful with money especially with only one income coming in.