NHS Overtime hours / pay

rayjay01

I'm looking to change careers into the NHS, a position in my local mental health unit.

It's listed as full time hours of 37.5 per week, but in my current job I tend to do up to 60 / 70 hours per week. However, I don't get overtime pay in my current job, so all of these hours are paid at standard rate.

I should point out that I do these hours out of choice, I like to be active and earning money as much as possible.

Does anyone have experience working in the NHS? Is overtime often available? I've read that managers avoid authorizing overtime where-ever possible, is this true?

Would my eagerness for extra hours be detrimental to my application?

Thanks in advance!

Nicechap_2

rayjay01 wrote: »

I'm looking to change careers into the NHS, a position in my local mental health unit.

It's listed as full time hours of 37.5 per week, but in my current job I tend to do up to 60 / 70 hours per week. However, I don't get overtime pay in my current job, so all of these hours are paid at standard rate.

I should point out that I do these hours out of choice, I like to be active and earning money as much as possible.

Does anyone have experience working in the NHS? Is overtime often available? I've read that managers avoid authorizing overtime where-ever possible, is this true?

Would my eagerness for extra hours be detrimental to my application?

Thanks in advance!

The NHS is an enormous organisation. Overtime is a way of life in some parts (e.g. nursing) and completely unavailable in others (e.g. admin). There is a high turnover and burn out rate in many parts - including front line mental health provision. Before you start thinking about the overtime opportunities, it might be a better idea to see if you could shadow someone for the day in the type of role you are after and ask them what its like locally.

That said, there are some strange anomalies, in central London as a mental health nurse you could earn 145% of the agreed pay rate for working a 7 day cover rota. Overtime is paid at 150%, so when you take tax & NI into account, you do overtime for less take home money than your standard hours. I have heard of some trusts paying overtime bonuses to get staff to work when there are significant shortages.

keithdc

Nicechap wrote: »

The NHS is an enormous organisation. Overtime is a way of life in some parts (e.g. nursing) and completely unavailable in others (e.g. admin). There is a high turnover and burn out rate in many parts - including front line mental health provision. Before you start thinking about the overtime opportunities, it might be a better idea to see if you could shadow someone for the day in the type of role you are after and ask them what its like locally.

That said, there are some strange anomalies, in central London as a mental health nurse you could earn 145% of the agreed pay rate for working a 7 day cover rota. Overtime is paid at 150%, so when you take tax & NI into account, you do overtime for less take home money than your standard hours. I have heard of some trusts paying overtime bonuses to get staff to work when there are significant shortages.

This all depends what you mean by overtime.

Overtime is rare.... as under NHS terms and conditions, overtime is paid at time and a half. Most people that work 'overtime' simply get time back in leiu.

What is common is bank work... this will typically be a different role in a different area. This will be a separate contract (zero-hours). This is usually paid at a standard rate for a particular band, but some specialist work may attract incentives. Clinical bank work is very common and easy to get. Admin bank work is tricky if you work M-F, as most bank work will be only available in these hours.

Manxman_in_exile

What are your qualifications for the advertised job?


In the MH trust I used to work for we had a blanket policy that no-one could exceed the average 48 hours per week under the EU WTD.


Would you want somebody caring for you who had just worked ten hours per day for every day of the week?

rayjay01

keithdc wrote: »

This all depends what you mean by overtime.

Overtime is rare.... as under NHS terms and conditions, overtime is paid at time and a half. Most people that work 'overtime' simply get time back in leiu.

What is common is bank work... this will typically be a different role in a different area. This will be a separate contract (zero-hours). This is usually paid at a standard rate for a particular band, but some specialist work may attract incentives. Clinical bank work is very common and easy to get. Admin bank work is tricky if you work M-F, as most bank work will be only available in these hours.

Thanks for your response.

keithdc wrote: »

This all depends what you mean by overtime.

Overtime being anything over my contracted 37.5 hours?

Would it be discussed with me prior to accepting any overtime whether I would like it in leiu, or as paid? or is this decided after any such overtime is carried out?

Are you able to negotiate your contracted hours to increase those at all?

rayjay01

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

What are your qualifications for the advertised job?


In the MH trust I used to work for we had a blanket policy that no-one could exceed the average 48 hours per week under the EU WTD.


Would you want somebody caring for you who had just worked ten hours per day for every day of the week?

The position appears to be an entry level role as a "Healthcare Assistant". It says there are a lot of opportunities to learn and progress which is very appealing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm under no illusions that work such as this will be easy. My current job (in which I do between 60/70 hours pw) is extremely stressful and high pressured, so I'm well aware of my limits. I strangely thrive in high pressured and stressful environments, which is why I would like to pursue something more challenging and hopefully do some good at the same time.

I fully appreciate that you are dealing with people lives, and you should be at your best at all times. However, aren't you allowed to opt out of the 48 WTD?

Is this a blanket rule that all NHS staff have to adhere to, or can you opt out?

I should point out that I don't have children, I don't have much of a social life (out of choice) so I do invest most of my life into any work I take on. I enjoy earning money and working hard.