NHS band 6 looking at a band 5 post - advise if you can

Miss_Moneysaver

Hi,


I work as a band 6 (at the top of the scale) with 19 years service in the NHS. I am part time. My job was moved last year and I have found the commute very stressful (and I travel more than once a day due to out of hours work). I spend at least 3 hours a day in the car and this is causing hassle with childcare and taking hundreds from my salary each month. I am dreading the clocks going back in October and the kids back at school. I get travel costs at the moment but only for a while longer. Once they stop it isn't worth it as it costing me £300-£400 a month just to work there.


I am on the verge of re-training. However, a job for a band 5 post has come up at my old hospital (similar area, just different discipline). I would be more than qualified for the role but they would have to train me up in that area. Previous staff went to them and were kept at the same pay (even though they had to re-train). One has left for a post elsewhere.


It is a full time post but if I am in my hometown (eldest at secondary, youngest goes to a childminder after school or DH picks her up if his shift allows) it would be easier to do and the extra money would be great (and help me achieve mortgage freedom faster). I have been PT for 10 years now and do feel ready to take on more hours.


I feel a bit miffed having to go for a trainee post when I have almost 20 years experience in the NHS (also worked as a band 7 cover for a while). There is NO chance of a role in my discipline at home due to service cutbacks and closure of departments. IF I got this job and pushed to be kept on my band 6 salary do you think they would go for it? I would be working as a band 6 anyway after training. They have done with others but I want to know where I would stand legally. Would there be comeback at a later date? I presume once trained the contracts of the others would be upgraded to band 6. If it isn't doable I may as well re-train in another profession entirely.


Anyone any experience of this?

tomtontom

You would be placed at the top point of band 5. They may offer you more but they don't have to.

milliemonster

I don't quite understand as you say the post is a band 5 position, yet then you say after training you would be working as a band 6, which is it?, if the post is a band 5 post, then regardless of your current level of experience and skills, they would put you at top of band 5 and not pay you a band 6 salary.

I feel your pain as I left the nhs as a band 7 and came back in over a year later as a bottom band 5 despite 20 years nhs experience, they just would not even entertain putting me on even a mid level increment, the nhs will pay you as little as they can get away with, they would only reband the job if the job profile warranted it, and with the current financial situation and nhs review ordering trusts to revisit their financial forecasts to save further this coming year, most trusts are looking at regrading staff downwards not upwards anyway.