My journey to a debt free life

Onebrokelady

milann said:

Aww sounds as if B was confused 

Yes she also has dementia so gets confused easily but she never strays too far from the front door so I don't know what she was doing last night 😟

Onebrokelady

foxgloves said:

I'm sending positive vibes across the country for your letter, @OBL. Definitely worth a try. I suspect, like you, that they won't budge, but if you don't ask, you'll never find out. Even if they say no this time, they may decide they're better off cutting their losses in a year or so when they are just getting token payments. 
Look forward to hearing how it goes. It's the sensible option for them really, I'd have thought, as they can't have what you haven't got & it will be costing them to keep you in the system too.
Good luck!!
F x

Thanks Foxgloves I'm quite sure they won't budge but it's worth a try. I am going to offer token payments if they say no which will help me for now and then maybe I will be able to increase payments at some point 🤷‍♀️

Onebrokelady

badmemory said:

Hopefully if that doesn't work you still have the prove it root to go.

Yes that's my next option to try 😊

Onebrokelady

Cherryfudge said:

I hope the letter does the trick: I'm sure there will be loads of support on these boards for you being self-managed.

How is B today? She does sound confused, but at least she seems happy to be mobile.

Thanks Cherry I'm feeling surprisingly calm about it now I've sent the letter. There's no gong back now so I will have to manage it myself 😊

B is confused a lot of the time. She got quite excited when we headed towards the river today until she realised we were heading for the train station then she got slower and slower 😀 

Onebrokelady

I went to DD2s this afternoon and took B with me. I put my big girls pants on and caught the train by myself. I don't catch trains normally unless I'm with someone because I get too anxious but it's an easy one to get so I thought I would give it a go. It only takes 9 minutes on the train whereas the bus takes an hour, but I have to pay £2.40 for the train whereas I use my buss pass on the bus which is already paid for. I posted my letter on my way there so it's on it's way 

We took Betty out for a walk around the local area while I was there and she loved it. I did notice her standing watching the washing gong round in the machine for a minute or two which she normally doesn't do 🤷‍♀️ We didn't get home until 10 pm so I'm just having a cup of tea then I'm going to bed. I'm working tomorrow so have to be up early 

Onebrokelady

Today was a doozy and I need to write it down because I can't get to sleep.
Band 2 HCAs are being rebanded to band 3s if they do clinical jobs such as taking bloods, ECGS nasogastric feeds etc. I am a band 2 who does all of this and I also have the actual qualifications to do these jobs. Ive been doing this since 2007 for less pay than band 3 colleagues because there was no job for me to go up to. 

Today one of the band 6s came to chat to me about it. She opened the chat by saying "0h you won't want the hassle of this now you are thinking of retiring and we will also expect you to take at least four patients on a shift working on the ward  and we will put you on the training pathway to gain more competencies. First off I don't need any more competencies because I have all the relevant training so I told her this and  she said oh we are always adding more . Then I said ok you're right I wouldn't want to take four patients on a shift on the ward but when I'm in clinics I am expected to carry out jobs that are meant to be done by a band 3 so does that means if I stay as a band 2 I won't be doing that and she said " oh you will be able to carry on doing that while you are in clinic" so I then said but surely I wouldn't be allowed because according to you I need more training and as a band 2 these jobs wouldn't be part of my job role. So she is going to speak to the management about it. The woman I work with is a band 3 but never has to work on the ward and take patients 🤷‍♀️
She also mentioned the fact that I want to return to my job after retiring and said the manager who is dealing with it told her they aren't offering 15 hour contracts anymore because they want everyone to do long days so she told the manager that I haven't done long days for a long time because of my health so it looks like they might refuse to take me  back on because I can't do long days. I have been doing 8 hour shifts for a long time now and have been working in outpatients covering the clinics doing jobs that are above my banding without being paid for it and now they treat me like this. 

I handed in my retire and return form today as I am just completely deflated that after 31 years in this trust and 20 years as a HCA they just disregard all that work. They are happy for me to do the job but not pay me properly for it and I've done it all these years without complaining and they just dont give a damn.

 I left today feeling so sad and demoralised I just don't know what to think. I have decided that I will go ahead with my retirement plans and if they dont re employ me I will just have to find a part time job somewhere else. There are hundreds of part time cleaning jobs around that would pay me the same and I wouldn't have the stress of working for the NHS.
They are expecting me to say I will carry on as band 2 but do band 3 jobs because I'm desperate to keep my job but they can think again. If they are not re banding me then I'm not doing the jobs. I am officially done with it all I haven't got the energy to fight with them about it. I have roughly 6 months until the retire and return is sorted so I will need to start looking  at jobs around October time

Cherryfudge

That's terrible, so unfair. Would there be a case that they are discriminating against you if they won't offer shorter hours to accommodate your health?

foxgloves

Oh that is so unfair, @OBL. I absolutely understand you feeling so let down & angry. Are you a trade union member? Could you talk to the union about it? It doesn't seem right at all that you are expected to perform Band 3 tasks yet remain on Band 2. Surely a union would back you on that?
F

enthusiasticsaver

That is awful treatment by your healthcare trust or is it the management directly above you? I can understand you being furious at that. Good that you have put in your retirement form though and sure you will find something. What about agency nursing for a day or two a week after retirement or is that worse? 

Humdinger1

@Onebrokelady what a flaming liberty!!! Totally agree with @foxgloves re union help.  They need a damn good thrashing; I'm sure there's a posse of us here ready to set off with torches lit to confront Dracula in his castle...even if (as reasonable, law- abiding citizens) that translates into cheering you on here and hanging on breathlessly for every update. Onwards and upwards love Humdinger xx