Comments on: Today/Yesterday

By: Helen

Helen — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 22:38:15 +0000

i guess i should be greatful uk provides the paid mat leave it does – just look at usa!!!! however still is too short!
I used to work a 3 day week, and wish i was back at that, but know a lot of consultants working a 4 day week who say it works, as can try and squeeze another afternoon or a late start. I do so hope they agree.
have also identified mercy bf run times if required – though chris would find it a real pain getting sb and bb in car and trekking in [ 10 miles]

anyway commiserations to you to, as it is an awful pit of stomach feeling. i have been cuddling BB all evening, and hate the thought of seeing so much less of her

By: Joanna

Joanna — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 22:04:25 +0000

I’m going back to work too, Helen, on 4th May although only p/t (14h per week) but really wish I didn’t have to. Fortunately can take Isabelle in with me some of the time. Even so, I have that feeling of dread…

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 10:10:02 +0000

Helen hre, well that bit isn’t clear actually, so I’m not querying it!
Also not clear is whether the maternity leave counts as working for an employer??
however
they would have great difficulty recruiting a jobshare for me so I’ve gone for compressed hours so that not a reason for rejection
they will have to ask some nursing shifts to change – and that is a reason for rejection if the nurses not happy
Also, i might have to quibble of EWTD

By: Chris (Portico)

Chris (Portico) — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 09:13:01 +0000

We call it ‘flexible working’. We have clear guidelines on response times to requests, e.g. a meeting must be convened with 28 days of receiving request. As Joyce said the onus is on the management proving it won’t work. With us you have to have worked for the University for 26 weeks before being allowed to make an application. Presumably in the NHS that can be in *any* hospital.

By: layla

layla — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 22:49:14 +0000

(((Helen))) … I hated it too

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 22:02:04 +0000

I’m sure that you will make the relevant person fully aware of the rules Helen …….:-)

By: Helen

Helen — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 21:33:01 +0000

well, i’ve put in an official request. However, my going part time would mean a change of clinic time, and therefore nurses working patterns. So a possibility that they could prove that it can’t be done. Any more, and there would have been probs with waiting lists etc. doctors are not on diff contracts, but differently applied! Also, i have to work with them for 30 years!!

Also I think the person who is supposed to be looking at it is on holiday, and is not overly aware of the rules, as only just taken on a management role.

Yeah, I just decided I hated that poem, as I felt it judged me, and all others like me as callous and uncaring – obviously a raw nerve!

have just sent an email with dti bit on it to the medical director – might help!.

By: jax

jax — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 21:17:41 +0000

I don’t think you are discarding a thing – any more than I would say a working father is. You haven’t got the attitude for it.

Would have thought that your position requesting part time working would be stronger following the recent legislation – forget what it’s called. Hope it goes well.

By: Joyce

Joyce — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 21:12:59 +0000

I don’t know if medics have different contracts from the rest of us mortals in the NHS ;-), but when I wanted to go part time, my CEO told me that he would LIKE to say no, as he could really do without part-time senior staff, but in fact the law put the onus on him to prove that it *couldn’t* be done, rather on me to prove that it could, and he didn’t believe it would be possible to win that one. So he agreed. I was told not to ask, just to inform, that from xx date, I would be reducing my hours to whatever. Which means I only have to discard my daughter on a part-time basis