*sigh* this may take a while

Drawingaline

Moneyfordreams said:

Have you thought about a covid test ? our workplace test us with minor symptoms.(Northern ED) loads have been positive. I hope you feel better soon 

I believe that the original poster was tested for antibodies and has already had covid earlier this year.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Moneyfordreams said:

Have you thought about a covid test ? our workplace test us with minor symptoms.(Northern ED) loads have been positive. I hope you feel better soon 

Yeah, I did get made to have one by work, which was a bit annoying as I didn't have any Covid symptoms and the test was unpleasant.  Results were negative, as expected, but I guess it's good they're being careful.
As DAL says, I had Covid earlier in the year and still have antibodies.  Not that that stops you getting it again anyway.

Drawingaline said

I believe that the original poster was tested for antibodies and has already had covid earlier this year.

I did indeed.  Interestingly, I felt 10 times worse with the common head cold I've just had, than I did with Covid

Moneyfordreams

Yeah I remembered that, greats its negative. 
I had a 2nd antibody test last week and I am still positive, likely after cough and cold in Feb. 
I felt trapped by my NHS pension around 10 years ago. Thankfully nursing has given me several routes. Have you looked at the ACP by health education england? They are clinical roles though, Masters degrees with support for AHPs. There are radiographers/physios/paramedics/social worker/OTs/pharmacists on the local course. Shame you don't see AHPs diversify much in the wider hospital setting. Maybe you could be a trailblazer    

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Thanks, I just had a look at the website.  I'm a band 7 and already classed as an advanced practitioner, there's nowhere else for me to go in the NHS other than radiology management, which is unappealing.  I don't feel overly trapped by the pension... much as the % looks good, I've only ever been part time and it's averaged over your career.  My projected pension in £ terms is pretty rubbish!  I'd have to work full time for the next 25 years to make it decent and I hate my job too much to think about doing more than my current 0.6 role.  I really need an out... if the kids were older, I'd happily work FT in a job I loved, but currently childcare would make that prohibitive and part time suits the family dynamic more.  I do feel very trapped and restless though.
Nursing, physiotherapy and dietetics are all definitely more flexible with more long term options, radiography is so specific, people struggle to place you outside of a hospital 

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Very chilled weekend, which was needed.  Back to work tomorrow and am feeling a bit ugh about it.  We've now been told no annual leave until at least Christmas as they're predicting a busy period with an increase in Covid cases again, so my HT week off is gone, very annoyed.  I've got 6 weeks of AL to take by the end of March, when do they expect us to take it?  Grrr

mark55man

if its any consolation, I don't have any leave left until xmas - but that was because I had most of February off, all planned before the pandemic.  Which was nice, but lucky as we are normally looking to staycation in the summer.

You have to be careful about whether you feel trapped in your particular job, or whether you feel trapped because you have to work at a certain income level.  There is some satisfaction in crying all the way to the bank, but making sure that you have some other source of goodness is important - maybe in your case this is that you are only 0.6 so you have 4 days off for 3 days on.   Would you take a different job / pay cut so that you can earn the same but at 0.8 or full time. 

I know you have thought this through, the only thing I think you don't quite appreciate (I mean you appreciate it, but you don;t really appreciate it) is how good your pension is, even if part time - at your grade it will be mounting up nicely.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

I know, I'm a whinge bag, I should be grateful for having a secure job with decent(ish) salary/pension.  I just get bored of the high handed 'you will do 30% extra patients' and 'your holiday is cancelled', while the managers sit at home on their laptops.  Grrrr.
Had a nice day at work today, patients were all lovely and no stressful pathology.

savingholmes

Sorry you are finding it hard going. Keep looking at options hopefully you will know the right one when you spot it.

Drawingaline

ohdearhowdidthathappen said:

I know, I'm a whinge bag, I should be grateful for having a secure job with decent(ish) salary/pension.  I just get bored of the high handed 'you will do 30% extra patients' and 'your holiday is cancelled', while the managers sit at home on their laptops.  Grrrr.
Had a nice day at work today, patients were all lovely and no stressful pathology.

I think most people feel this about their jobs at some point. It's important to identify if is a bad run, or something more. I gave up a job I adored back in 2017, the workload had become ridiculous and childcare issues gave me a reason to leave. I still miss it, but the lack of stress I have now is worth it. I was only ever earning a low hourly rate, so going self employed on a slightly higher rate was ok. And while my job now isn't as fun or interesting, it's easy, much less stressful and works around our family. The lack of stability, sick pay and pension is a concern though.

Only you can decide on the best option, and what that is right now may not be the same in a few years. Lists of pros and cons, and can you come out of the nhs and then back in at a later date? 

The job I loved was in pharmacy, another very pressured environment where upper management expect miracles! 

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Thanks DAL.  Yes, easy to go in and out of NHS at same level.... if you're qualified and have a pulse, they'll employ you
My issue is, I need to earn £1K a month, so how to do that on a much lower hourly rate... am I willing to work more hours for the same money and does childcare make it even affordable?  Ho hum.  Glad you've found something that fits with your family