Two Ticks

Holeypockets

Hello,

I have recently applied for a job with the NHS.
It is a job I am more than capable of doing and I thought I submitted a bl00dy good application form. I gave examples of my experiences and my job knowledge and I have 17 years experience doing the same thing. I really did think I'd be in with a chance of an interview.

But then again - I am deaf.

I know discrimination is a dirty word and no employer or prospective employer would ever mention any disability as the reason for not progressing any application. However, in the real world it happens all the time.

My question is - the NHS advertise this two ticks system on their job adverts. I think this is supposed to mean all suitable applicants are guaranteed an interview.

Can anyone shed any light on this please? I guess it all comes down to what the NHS deem as suitable - i.e. anything but deaf perhaps??

somebody_else

In theory anyone who meets the criteria of the job spec is guaranteed an interview, and in theory anyone who can do the job with reasonable adjustments should be appointed.

The get-out, I'm afraid is the word 'reasonable'. It rather depends on what job you would be doing and what adjustments would need to be made to enable you to do the work.

Sorry, that's not much help.

Holeypockets

Well as I lipread very well the only adjustment required would be a typetalk telephone which is in the most part funded by access-to-work. I think I am going to persue them and ask why I was never interviewed. I think their administration has lapsed on this occasion.

somebody_else

When was the closing date for applications, and on what date were they planning to hold the interviews?

I know from my own experience within the NHS that their recruitment process leaves a lot to be desired at times, so it could be that there's been a hitch and they haven't yet got around to setting an interview date. It'll certainly be worth contacting them.

Good luck.

allydowd

You can read about the "two ticks" scheme here on the government website:

Positive About Disabled People

Holeypockets

Closing date was 26/10 but this is the second job with the same dept in the NHS that I have been overlooked on.

Assuming that they are administratively behind schedule I will pre-empt them by asking for their two ticks policy. Do you think this will do any harm?

somebody_else

Holeypockets wrote: »

Closing date was 26/10 but this is the second job with the same dept in the NHS that I have been overlooked on.

Assuming that they are administratively behind schedule I will pre-empt them by asking for their two ticks policy. Do you think this will do any harm?

There is still time for them to contact you, but it wouldn't hurt to contact personnel and ask them about it. It may be that they give you a reason either a) why you appear to have been overlooked, bearing in mind their claim to be positive about people or b) what date the interviews are to be held.

From my experience, 9 nine days isn't a huge amount of time between closing date for applications and selecting interviewees.

There could be any number of reasons for the delay, so don't give up hope yet.

I'm now going to show woeful ignorance and ask a possibly stupid question - would you be able to speak directly to personnel or would you need to do it in writing? I have once received a phone call from a hearing impaired caller, and there was an operator relaying the conversation between us - to my shame I actually found it incredibly difficult to manage. Considering at that time I was working for Social Services it was, in hindsight, quite damning that we didn't have the facilities to take that type of call directly.

Holeypockets

I will make some tentative enquiries as to when the interviews are and if they have finished shortlisting. Once I know I haven't been included then I will enquire about the two ticks and see if they put two and two together. As a last step I will ask why I was not included.

With regard to telephone useage, I too find type talk a little unwieldy and do not use it much. In my job though anyone can take the message and I will respond. In 17 years of doing my job it has not been a problem.

Horace

Holeypockets - I would certainly ask them why you have been overlooked twice especially as they have the Positive about Disabled People symbol. I think they need a gentle reminder about their responsibilities.

Access to Work can fund a type talk phone and they can provide funding for a notetaker which is especially handy for any meetings that you go to.

Mind you I have heard that their recruitment pratices are rather lax:rolleyes:

Savvy_Sue

somebody_else wrote: »

I'm now going to show woeful ignorance and ask a possibly stupid question - would you be able to speak directly to personnel or would you need to do it in writing? I have once received a phone call from a hearing impaired caller, and there was an operator relaying the conversation between us - to my shame I actually found it incredibly difficult to manage. Considering at that time I was working for Social Services it was, in hindsight, quite damning that we didn't have the facilities to take that type of call directly.

But I thought the whole point about Type Talk was that you don't NEED any special facilities to take that kind of call? It is separate to the minicom system, and AFAIK individuals don't generally have both.

Holeypockets, it may be that even though you think you put in a good application, you didn't let them tick all the boxes on their shortlisting forms. In some places the shortlisters will have a grid: the requirements of the job are listed, and they will tick off for each applicant whether their form DEMONSTRATES that they meet that requirement. A crude example: "at least 5 GCSE passes at grade C or above including Maths and English or equivalent" - if you just list "13 subjects at O level" without giving grades or subjects or spelling out that you have Maths and English, they won't give you that tick.

Again, if it's clear the job involves extensive use of the phone they may not want to go down the typetalk route: it does, in my experience, take longer to deal with calls that way.

I don't know whether with the two ticks scheme there is the option to 'disclose' your disability confidentially, if that makes sense. I'm sure in some places I've worked the application form asked about disability on a part of the form which would not be seen by the selection panel. However you were still guaranteed an interview if you met the job criteria but had a disability - the selectors just wouldn't know what your disability was until later.

Definitely worth asking why you're not getting the interviews though. It may be that official policy hasn't filtered down to local level ...

jaxw17

Hi

Although you can be gauranteed an interview this is if you meet the criterea laid down on the job spec and job description. you will have to meet the essentials. You may feel that you do but is this clear from your application. It is surprising how many people don't do this on applications.

If it were me I would ring personnel and find out if I had been short listed and if Not I would ask for feed back. If they are saying that you don't meet the essential then I would suggest that you look again at the way that you are filling in the form. It helps to do them in checklist fashion then it is very clear how you meet them