Flexible working after maternity - please help!!

[User33333]

Help needed please!

I work in the NHS and I was started a new job and found out I was pregnant. the new job was in a brand new department and team within the NHS and as such, we had very little work to do during my time prior to my maternity leave (approx 6/7 months). I am aware that the 2 colleagues who I immediately worked with have left their roles and as such, I do not know any other team member apart from my manager.

i want to apply for part time working (was working full time) but I am unsure what to write on my application given the limitations stated above. I am unsure how my caseload can be effectively managed within the team given that 1. I didn’t have a caseload and had barely any work to do prior to my maternity leave and 2. I don’t know the team members?! I have no idea how changing to part time would affect the company?! Please help!! 😭

I'd ring your mama get and talk to her about what might work before putting things down on paper.

OP whilst @Violettaa was being unnecessarily sarcastic there was actually some practical advice in her response.

You will be entitled to KIT days, use at least a couple of these these days to attend work and get an idea of work levels now, how the team is working etc. talk to colleagues about what everyone is doing.

Then talk to your manager, big organisations like NHS are used to these conversations, and find out their views. It may be Fridays are a day they really need resource or the need resource in the afternoons.

This will then give you the relevant information to make your request.

I was trying to give a practical suggestion....

Actually I think @Violettaa had a typo there. Probably meant manager.

Can’t get my head round a job where you have very little work for 6/7 months

It was a new department and team which wasn’t established. There was funding for the 3 new roles but not the actual service so we had to wait for the service to get up and running.. which only just started to happen prior to my maternity leave

Thank you! I will ping my manager an email for some advice/suggestions. I’ve been stuck trying to write this application for weeks! X

sounds like good advice! I will speak with my manager to see what they can suggest and maybe have a catch up on how the service is running etc! So difficult seeing as I had very little experience in seeing the service running prior to my maternity leave.