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Nhs Hospital ward workers?

Hiya!! I am a staff nurse on a very busy ward and am currently 16+4. I am working out the finances to whether or not i can survive on smp only for the last 3months of mat leave. which I hope I can, however my other worry is what with the shifts being 8 hr shifts of earlys lates and nights I havnt a clue what to put as a flexible working request!!? I think i want to drop to 30 hrs but have no idea what will suit us with childcare. Hubby works 8.30-18.30. For inspiration can anyone share with me what they do?
I normally dont even know what I am doing next week let alone when the time comes for me to be leaving baby!!!
The other thing is I dont want to never see my hubby as my immediate thought was to request weekend shifts when he has his days off but we are still newleyweds too and hate to be apart!! lol
plus my manager likes us to be quite flexable and may not authorise to only work certain days of the week.

anyone help? :\?

Replies

  • hi,only just noticed this post so sorry for the late reply.i work as a staff nurse on a mental health ward and i dropped to 30hours and in flexible working i submitted that i needed to work fixed shifts through the week due to childcare and it has worked really well for us. and put that i could not afford to work if i had to pay fulltime childcare costs just in case i was on shift,lo goes to nursery and even though it is a hospital nursery it charges the same and isnt flexible on times.my manager was very supportive,not all collegues were though.ultimately they need to consider your request and give good reason to why they say no.as much as managers hate flexible working policy the nhs is very agreeable than many jobs.hth and it gets sorted for you.xxx
  • hi i'm a staff nurse as well and work 12.5 hour shifts, i now do 2 x12.5 hour shifts a week fixed days, dh has my lo one day a week and she goes to nursery one day a week. Does anyone else do fixed days, as i knew a few people had come back of mat leave to fixed shifts and it makes it harder for them to say no if other people already do them, i had a meeting about 2 months before i went back to discuss it, hardest bit is working out how much you can afford to drop your hours
    xx
  • Thank you for replying
    I still have no idea. only that i think i want 30 hrs. I just have a feeling my boss wont be accommodating on the fixed shifts as so many other people have them. hmmm.... i have to meet up with her to hand the form in at some point so maybe she may offer me some advice, i can live in hope!! lol
    xx
  • hey caza,

    i work in a busy acute admissions ward (mental health) and we are currently going through re-deployment, my manager told me that the nhs has a child friendly policy and have to try to accomodate you as much as possible ... unless they have a very good reason why they cant...

    i am going to have to stay full time when i come back to work unfortunately as i cant afford to cut my hours image however i am going to ask for on long day (7.30-10pm) and 3 days off, im also going to ask for set days off, eg wed/thurs/fri so my hubby can take baby sat/sun ... we then only have to find babysitter for 2 days. as far as i am aware if the ward can accomodate this then they have to.

    hope this helps

    xx
  • hi lollibee, im not sure why i decided to check my post here after so long with no replies! i must have sensed you'd posted!! Thanks for your comments.
    I have submitted a flexible working request for 30hrs a week and have a meeting in a week or so regarding this. I have since been told i cannot request set days and that I would have to do shift work for any 7 days of the week so i am just hoping my 30 hrs gets granted generally. I have also heard a rumor long days are no longer being allowed either!! image wish me luck!!!
    If they dont grant me for good reasons I will have to involve my union i think!!
    Caz,
    25+1 xx
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