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Work

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Original poster

Feeling so down and low about work situation

41 replies

Winterworld · 10/04/2023 16:25

Can anyone offer any advice I'm really stuck at the bottom of a dark hole with work In the last two years I've changed jobs twice and each job has been more terrible.Terrible work culture, unpleasant people and pressurised work.This is all in the health service and I feel ill.I keep having dark thoughts wanting things to happen so I don't have to face these work environments any more.I am usually speaking pleasant,cheery disposition and positive but the work and cultures are just dragging me down.I keep being told all work places are like it but I just want happiness. Pleasant people to work with not these pressurised time bombs where I feel at any given moment I will lose my job.Help.

OP posts:

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 12/04/2023 08:23

One of my colleagues harmed 2 patients by gross negligence TWICE in three weeks, falsified clinical notes & it went to the HCPC.

They got promoted to deputy manager, the HCPC said there was no case to answer & they were still allowed to perform that operation. Mental.

Every Monday morning they’d just vanish, their clinic was crossed out in the diary and I’d have the office on the phone to me asking me where they were. How was I supposed to know? The manager was just so weak he never dealt with them.

Beaverbridge · 12/04/2023 08:31

Worst bullying culture ever NHS. Nothing gets done about it.

Original poster

Winterworld · 12/04/2023 18:50

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 12/04/2023 08:23

One of my colleagues harmed 2 patients by gross negligence TWICE in three weeks, falsified clinical notes & it went to the HCPC.

They got promoted to deputy manager, the HCPC said there was no case to answer & they were still allowed to perform that operation. Mental.

This is just appalling, not surprising but nevertheless appalling.

OP posts:

Original poster

Winterworld · 12/04/2023 18:52

Stichintime · 11/04/2023 15:33

I became ill after 4 years in public service position. It seemed so important at the time to keep going; it was my career. After collapsing at work and leaving in an ambulance I became self employed and have a new career, little stress, more money and a home/work balance.

Looking back I was literally falling apart.

Goodness.So very sorry to read your experience but pleased to read you've carved a new career out for yourself.

OP posts:

Original poster

Winterworld · 12/04/2023 18:58

RebeccaWho · 11/04/2023 20:21

I worked for the NHS years ago and left after 4 months. The team were unfriendly, unhelpful, cliquey and I know they were talking about me behind my back.

Ive since had a couple of other jobs since then and have to say they were not much better. It’s so difficult to change jobs as it is, without the constant worry if you will like it, fit in, they like you, etc.

I know my mental health has been affected by what I’ve gone through, just dreadful it is.

@RebeccaWho so sad that you left what should be a caring organisation after a few months.Their loss I'm sure.I do agree it is very difficult to start a new job.The upheaval of altered finances, new location, new people, new tasks to learn, new culture and then to enter a department or workforce where it is toxic and like this is damaging.Absolutely damaging.If we then keep leaving workplaces because of this short stints on our cv/application form it has the potential to be frowned upon by a future employer.What do you do?

OP posts:

emmylousings · 12/04/2023 19:18

I've heard about the bullying culture in NHS from friends working inside, and taught pre-nursing students about the Francis report etc, and often wonder why it's such a problem. Especially since it's well known that it impacts very negatively on patient care. Its funny how we have this reverence for the NHS, but it's a highly dysfunctional organisation.

underneaththeash · 12/04/2023 21:41

wishthiswasreallife · 10/04/2023 16:46

I worked in the nhs and lasted around 3 months. The people I worked with were horrible horrible people, I left crying every day, woke up crying dreading work it was the worst time of my life. They were horrible nasty cliquey people who Ignored me and said horrible things about me to each other and then when I left they said even worse. I looked for another job and got out of there asap! Life's to short to go through that every day and your mental heath is too precious xx

I hated working in the NHS too. No bullying, but very wasteful, implore apathy at times from the staff and so much incompetence.

I took our private medical insurance asap.

Mum463 · 12/04/2023 21:54

The NHS was the worst employer I ever had. The level of bullying was awful. From supposedly "caring" people. I've found local government a lot better. They actively try to retain staff by treating them well. They also offer free training and progress your career. It's not always easy. We have pressure of workload and funding pressures. But my colleagues are absolutely lovely.

DorritLittle · 12/04/2023 22:02

This sounds beyond awful. Come to local government. I have also only had lovely colleagues.

Original poster

Winterworld · 13/04/2023 07:25

Thanks @DorritLittle and @Mum463 , I may look at vacancies at our local councils. They always seem to be advertising. Busy workload and pressure I can cope with toxic work environments and nasty colleagues in the NHS I cannot! No wonder the NHS can't retain their staff.Even if the big chiefs are under pressure from above there is no excuse I feel.

OP posts:

Cleoforever · 15/04/2023 15:04

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Cleoforever · 15/04/2023 15:19

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Scorcher79 · 25/01/2024 21:34

I can relate completely. I'm also feeling very down and depressed since changing job. Take care of yourself OP. For what it's worth, I've booked a session with a counsellor and going to organise an appointment with my GP. Perhaps that's something you could do too to help yourself cope in the meantime? Work is often shit in my experience and designed to make people who struggle with their mental health anyway feel worse. We need all the support we can get and if we're not getting it at work, then we need to look elsewhere.

tryanotherone123 · 15/02/2024 23:07

WhatWouldHopperDo · 11/04/2023 13:18

Can I ask if all the people who
have experienced this are in a clinical setting?

I am non patient facing, non clinical and minimal clinicians in our organisation (commissioning). I’ve never experienced it or seen it. Is it a clinical thing? It sounds awful and I’m sorry for people who have been/are going through this.

Not only is it horrible for them but we can Ill afford to be losing good people from the NHS.

I work in commissioning, an ICB and before that CCG, and it's just like this and getting worse.

mollymaebae · 17/02/2024 05:48

Hi OP I totally sympathise with you. I am in a similar position to you, also in healthcare. I have been in my job for 12 months and it's not getting any better. Incredibly toxic colleagues,, who have been nothing but rude and indifferent to me since I started and an incredibly toxic senior manager who is verbally and physically abusive (ie nudging me hard). Despite multiple grievances being made against him by staff, nothing ever gets done. Grievances against colleagues, again nothing gets done.

I am horribly depressed, and have taken the last 2 days off sick. I actually now feel angry about it and have decided I am not going to put up with it anymore, so have started job hunting.

Don't be scared to start looking. You don't ever have to stay in a job these days where it is making you unhappy.

Motorina · 19/02/2024 09:50

Add me to the list of people bullied out of the NHS. I'm a clinician and I now work for a private company and, honestly, it feels like I'm waking up from a bad dream. With hindsight I wish I'd bought a constructive dismissal claim but at the time I was just too traumatised.

I'm sorry for everyone it's happened to.

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