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Stressing out about work and base change

2 replies

muddlingalongquitenicely · 26/08/2013 02:16

Apologies this could be a long post but I'm up at 2am again stressing over work and can't sleep.

Backstory
When I was first employed by the nhs in 2005 they knew I didn't drive and my original job didn't require it. A year in to this job our dept was merged with another and my job no longer existed. I was absorbed in to the team and given a different role. This was mostly office based for me unlike my colleagues who went out to different locations in the area.
When other members of the team moved on to new jobs I was asked to start going out to some locations these were mainly on bus routes or in walking distance.

Fast forward to this year in April the small locality team I worked with was told that our base was no longer viable (which I agree with as it was a big office with 3 out of the 4 desks hardly being used). We would therefore have the main headquarters as our new base, we went in to consultation phase and had 1:1s with the director and HR.
I had mine and they were sympathetic about not being able to drive and said I wouldn't need to be at the main headquarters any more than I usually go. I usually go once a month for a team meeting my husband takes me, this usually means he is in work later and we can't claim any travel expenses for it. Luckily he makes up the time over the week and its not an issue for him to do it once a month.
The plan was for my colleagues higher up than me to help me arrange different locations to work at in the locality and I would be able to use a hot desk at our old base when necessary.
After consultation we were told to clear everything out as we lost our desks/base with 3 days notice.

A few weeks a go I was having trouble sorting out locations and not getting any responses from my colleagues. So I asked my line manager for some help, after sorting out some where to work I had a call from them telling me that their solution is for me to work one day a week at headquarters.
They suggested my husband could bring me over once a week and I would be able to claim 27p relocation petrol allowance. Now the base is over 30 miles away and my husband works where we live so he would be doing the journey 4 times and would be in late for work. I have looked at public transport and by train its 1.5 hours and 3 different trains and a bus. No direct buses go there. I was told there is mini bus in the next town but I would be doing a 3 hour trip to get to the headquarters an 8 hour day and 3 hours to get home. I can't do any traveling in works time as its going to our new base.
There is also no one who lives in this town who goes to this place as most people either live in the next town or close to the headquarters.

I am also on a dmp and can't afford all the extra travelling costs (the bus is approx £18) as the only way I claim expenses is if my husband takes me and I'm sure they will only let me claim 2 journeys.
Thank you for reading this far can anyone help, I have my 1:1 with my line manager on Tuesday and I know this will all be brought up.

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muddlingalongquitenicely · 26/08/2013 02:19

Sorry I should point out the decision for me to go to headquarters was made by line manager and our director.

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chanie44 · 26/08/2013 17:06

If I have understood this correctly, your issue is you are hot desking but the arrangement doesn't seem to be working very well as nobody seems to want to help you find a desk.

My suggestions are

  1. contact the manager of each location and ask them, not your colleagues as they should have an overview of space. There could well be desks available that your colleagues haven't considered, or they could arrange for a desk to be put in the location.
  2. work a condensed week eg working 4 long days so you only have to find a desk for 4 days rather than 5.
  3. work from home as much as you can. You may need to juggle your work around a bit if you are dealing with patient confidentiality, but there could be particular tasks you could do from home.
  4. learn to drive (I would do this if were you, as whilst your managers are sympathetic now, it may not always be the case)
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