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What would you do?

3 replies

Supermum222 · 20/07/2014 18:16

Hi,

Hoping for a little advice on this one.
I work for the NHS 3 days a week (fixed days) and have done for the last 10 years. I was full time before having 2 children (have 18 years continuous service altogether). Anyway, my job is being centralised at another hospital and extended working days are being introduced (8-8). On top of this we do 2-3 nights of on-call a month (which will be a killer as I have to travel so far, so this could lead to numerous trips a night 50 miles each). Hence, I want out especially with all the payment changes for NHS staff. The move, extra hours, reduced pay, travel costs and increased on call is just too much. Hubby works crazy shifts all over the place and is unreliable for steady support on the childcare front. No family (all elderly or live away).
I decided a while back I would like to go into FE teaching and have secured a part time course, to start September, AND paid teaching hours on one of my days off (Weds). My days off are Weds and Fri.
Anyway, due to the move with the NHS job we have been told we will be working any day and can't have fixed days anymore. As I use a childminder this creates problems as I will have to pay for 5 days a week rather than 3 (as I am taking up a ft space). My manager has said I can put in a flexible working request but can't guarantee it will be accepted. The FE course/teaching is within school hours and term time so I don't need childcare anyway (it is local). If I end up working different days each week I will have to withdraw from the course and I don't want to do this. My plan is to do the 2 year course and leave the NHS once I get my PGCE. The course will cost me around £4K so I am reluctant to hand any money over in case I am forced to pull out. My manager knows nothing about this course.
We have no family support and my manager just expects me to get other childcare but no childminder can take me for different days each week due to contracts and number of children each day.
I am, of course, applying for flexible working (to have fixed days) and I will work the required weekends on top but I really need Wednesday's off. Should I tell my manager about this course? It is related to my profession (the initial teaching) although I plan to use it for other areas.
Other part timers are applying for flexible working although not fixed days as far as I am aware.
Even without doing the course I would need to leave the NHS job in the end due to this. No redundancy is being offered and I do feel like I am being forced out. He is a new manager from another hospital and his loyalties seem to be his staff where he is based.
What would you do?

OP posts:
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FabULouse · 20/07/2014 20:05

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missimperfect · 21/07/2014 14:08

I am not an employment expert but if they are changing the terms and conditions of your work to the extent that you describe - changing the hours, the location etc, then surely you do not have to accept that and would have to be offered redundancy or something? Can you get advice on that from the union? If you got redundancy could you afford to leave now?

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ThePinkOcelot · 21/07/2014 19:14

Are you in the union OP?! I know the NHS is making a lot of changes at the moment but those changes are ridiculous!

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