DICT8 Plus (new November 2022)

[Whitestar55]

Hi, Here we go again, anyone else set up a new thread yet? Hope to find everyone 🙂

Can you imagine going to the office in a Onesie? I noticed at work in the NHS none-patient facing office you could get away with black demin jeans, but not blue denim.

Sorry I went a bit dyslexic with the word denim/demin there 😂I need a holiday!

@Frazzledbynature - your workmen charge very cheap rates! You are very lucky. When I get cold I put a thick woolly cardigan over my knees that keeps my legs warm.

@Whitestar55 - not sure if things have changed but in the local hospitals were I worked (2 most recently) even if you were allowed to wear your own clothes it was quite strict - one was black skirt and white blouse (or a grey suit for supervisors) and another was navy blue skirt with a blue and white striped blouse and blue cardi. We were never allowed jeans of any colour.

I worked at a major teaching hospital in London and there they would do spot checks twice a year no warning and measure your skirt/dress length on the way into work so it was not too short it had to just rest on the knee. Also jeans were banned as so many people took to wearing black jeans and also spaghetti strap T shirts as is the 90s and 2000s everyone was coming to work in short denim skirts and strappy tops in the summer. Also flips flops were banned. One day I had a pair of tailored trousers from M&S on that were what is known as dress denim and she was not happy but I won the case when I showed her it was part of the "Office work" section in M&S. Also leggings were banned and there were so many Nurse Practitioners wearing them with smock tops it did look scruffy, so I agreed with that one. A colleague of mine was told as well not to wear a long linen shirt again as she had leggings on (this was the catalyst for the legging ban) as the linen shirt had ruched up when she sat down and when she got up to walk around the department needless to say it was "up her arse". I don't blame them being strict as there is always the member of staff who will just dress too casually. I liked being suited and booted as they say felt I was ready to work Needless to say at home I like being in my jeans and joggers etc but I very rarely work in my pyjamas just doesn't work for me. I also worked for a private GP in Pimlico who would not let me wear trousers and this was in 1991 !!. It was a long term temp position so I was happy to oblige but I found that very sexist and old fashioned.

@Gally123 i don’t think they would get away with forcing you to wear a skirt these days

We were working in a typing pool, got frowned on if you left your seat, especially if you went off the floor, unless it was an unpaid break. We hardly ever saw other staff, never mind patients, and we only had one phone in the office. It was like a factory, and apart from my colleagues who were fine, I hated it. It was so different from the days of being a band 4 med sec where you could plan your own workload and go wherever you needed to without question.

I worked for a consultant in Harley Street back in the 80s who didn't like me wearing trousers, albeit smart tailored ones. Got very frosty looks on the rare occasion I did, although nothing was actually said to me, but later when I left to have my daughter, my replacement wore only trousers and I was asked to have a word with her as the boss was not happy about it. I did refuse as she looked smart and even then, I thought it was old fashioned. He wouldn't get away with that now.

I don't know how I'm getting through today there is so much rubbish dictation by dictators I don't recognise. No wonder the NHS is underperforming when the communication is going downhill like this.

I got an email back from Accuro after sending them my CV. they have said the start rate with them is 45p per minute of dictation with a view of increasing after this. I haven’t worked for an online typing company before, just wondering if this is the “standard” rate or maybe it wouldn’t be worth my while? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks x

@EmilyJ23 yes it is normal for them, but they don’t put it up. No, it’s not the going rate, 45p is absolutely rubbish equating to well under minimum wage. Accuro themselves even say it equates to around £8 an hour, and that’s only if it’s good, clear dictation. Personally, I think I would be giving them a wide birth.

aw really? I got excited because I finally heard back from someone lol. I can’t physically go into work because of my health so need to try some typing from home before deciding if working from home would suit better in the long run Thanks for your advice x

Has anyone worked for Accuro? What is your experience with them? It’s so difficult to find out what it is actually like working for these companies! This form is great but as it’s only about dict8 I hope I’m not derailing too much

@Whitestar55 Same ere 😭...I ve added in leg warmers too , find them quite versatile, pull up over the knees, over the hands when the gloves gets a little in the way and also invested in some welly socks, I find they keep the warmth in along with the many additional socks ..

@EmilyJ23 Don't worry, the thread isn't exclusive to Dict8, we just use them in the title so we can all find each other when we reach the 1000 posts limit and have to set up a new thread. I've not worked for Accuro and if all they offer is 45p per minute I wouldn't want to. Hope you find something soon.

@EmilyJ23 I worked for them years ago but you will need your own transcription software to allow you to hear files. There are free ones but they don't always work the best and sometimes the transcription can be worse than what's on Dict8 if you can believe it. Was considering again until I got Tpro but glad I didn't. If you are really stuck I guess you could try. Not like you have to stay with if you aren't happy.

@EmilyJ23 I worked for Accuro for a couple of years about 13 years ago. Just looking through the paperwork that I still have back then the pay was 60p per minute of dictation. Work had to be requested each day via email (before 9.00 a.m) stating how many minutes work you wanted and work had to be returned by 9.00 a.m. the following day. Looking at the invoices for work I did (I think they might have been made up by Accuro as they listed dates, reference, claimant's name or clinic details, length of dictation and fee) the fees aren't consistent as dictation times from between 1.38 to 7.04 minutes (6 different tasks) were all paid at £4.20. This could, of course, be the dictators dictation (i.e. slow, hesitant, unclear or just leaving the tape to run with no dictation). It isn't (or wasn't) pick and choose like Dict8, more that you were sent specific files to type. This is the reason I prefer Dict8 and TPro as you can choose what you want to work on. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Thanks! I have tried TPro too and they have said they will be recruiting again soon, so I might just hold off and try them as I have heard they are good to work for?

Thanks so much for all that Information! I definitely would be able to chose the work and be able just to log on when I can rather than “shift work”. I have been in touch with Tpro and they said they will be recruiting soon so might just hold off and try them as I have heard they are good to work for?

If we all refused to work for the poverty pay they would have to raise it or have no income for their businesses. I reckon Tpro are paying even less for what we are producing by us for them by the way, so they can afford to be nice.

I would like to know what reply they gave to the poster who wrote to them about rates, very good letter I thought, thanks for that. (sorry can't see who while typing message). I did once suggest they raise their rates when they asked for suggestions. This was the response

'We do review the rate at least twice a year – unfortunately due to market place competition, an increase to this point has just not been possible.
We will, however, continue to review this.'

So yes, BS answer. Will like to see if yours is similarly worded.

Dear all

No response to my e-mail about increasing pay from 0.08/per line (rate paid at same rate for over 14 years [+ the cost of living crisis and extortionate heating costs]) and, hence; I would expect a 'round robin' email shortly to all those who work for Dict8.

@nomadchild Where I worked NHS there was a dress code of sort. Strappy tops were allowed - there was no air conditioning in a very small office for 9/10 admin staff (+8 consultants + co-ordinators in and out all day long) and the only two windows only opened one inch!!!. Jeans were not allowed. One member of staff did get pulled up for wearing a v/short denim skirt, high heels (4") and a strappy top though. Good on her, she didn't change her look (sat in office all day with legs under the desk!!!) They did not have any control for a disciplinary ... I applaud that woman ... it was Soooo bloody 'hot' and they refused to mend the air conditioning as it was too expensive at £350!!! We discussed in a joke about all of us turning up in swimsuits in solidarity!!!!!!! What would they do? sack all of us ... instant dismissal LOL

Oh yeah we were based immediately above theatres too so it was 'extreme heat'. One person was pulled up for @not wearing a bra ,,, Their response was that it was NOT in the dress code and if it was an issue then Male Nurses, Consultant, Managers etc should not be allowed to wear line shirts either, due to anyone being able to see their nipples. It did make me laugh (said person won that one too) LOL!!!! Such a great, hard-working person. No spots on her.

That should have said no males should wear white linen shirts !!!

@nomadchild : Thinking about it we were on the third floor with only one door in and out of of the office, no way to get out the windows and no fire escape either /// surely that is illegal? The photocopier was in our room too (creating more unbearable heat) ... what would have happened if there had been a fire?????!!

This is how I see it: Basically - we can't increase payments, give bonuses, or pay you for the currently unpaid messages for secretary in the note box, due to market place competition, even since we started up in ?2003?. Fortunately though we are able to continue our business because we are able to exploit 'freelance' transcribers and get you to take the impact of this market competition by paying you peanuts, and make you do some work for free as a perk for the clients at no cost to us, which you are having to work increasingly harder for now in terms of inflation, whereas we have to pay our employees at least minimum wage/going rate for their positions, and we keep trundling along nicely feeding our shareholders.