Was working with an acute mental health community team for over a year. Went on 4 weeks leave back to UK, came back and had been moved teams. Not asked, no reason, no explanation. My substantive position is on the ward and the whole time I was there in community it was a covering position. However, there was a full time position that needed filling but it was never advertised, someone just “got” the job and transferred in and they moved me (if it was advertised I would have applied!). I’ve got no new contract, it’s all sneaky book fudging and below board (imho)

The new team I’m with is short staffed. I’ve taken on 40 clients that I don’t know, plus have to triage any one of 200 clients from the North team area, most of them I don’t know either. I hate it. It’s awful and risk is huge. I’m “case manager” for 40 people and when it goes tits up in mental health, senior management are keen to point fingers and blame. I’m not sleeping, worrying, and the past 6 weeks I’ve been there I’ve got home on a Friday night and bought a bottle of scotch each weekend just to calm myself down and block out the horrendous week. I know that’s not good on my own physical and mental health.

Last week an expression of interest came out which I’m keen on, but my new manager needs to sign off but she’s already said she doesn’t want me to apply for it (she can’t stop me though).

I want out. I know that as my substantive is on the ward and lacking any updated / new contract (yet) for the role I’m doing, I could just say sod it, and go back to the ward and shifts. But… I really want this new job at the new unit which opens in 5 weeks.

So… In my head I’m pissed off and stressed and thought about raising a grievance. However, I know how this might rile management who ultimately could say yes to my application.

One of my colleagues said “what if you DON’T get this role, what then?”. I don’t know. Really don’t. Ward. Shifts. I’m not sure.

Go for it. You’re clearly unhappy with your present situation. Is the new manager responsible for dumping all the extra responsibility/hassle/grief your way?

Yes. Raise the grievance. You’ve been treated badly and probably against the terms of the contract.

No new manager isn’t to blame. The team has been poorly staffed and we’re all under the pump. It’s only going to get worse as one of the senior social workers whispered to me that she’s applied for early retirement and historically what has happened is people have got the OK and cleared their desks and gone. I worry that even though I’m seconded in, if she shoots off, there would be little to no chance of me being officially able to go for that other job, they just wouldn’t let me go. My manager did say “you can’t apply for that, you’re not going” but she was taking the pee (I think!)

I think my only saving grace is that the only contract I have is back on the ward and if I don’t get this EOI I’m going for then they really cannot stop me going back to the ward, but it might be career suicide if I ever tried to apply to go back out to community roles.

I’m not a huge fan of waking up at 5am and instantly thinking about work, who I didn’t have time to catch up with yesterday and what potential dramas are in store. It wears you out!

That’s not good. Go through the official channels and see where you get. Good luck

all your manager has said is she dosent want you to go. You haven’t applied so your grievance is? That’s hardly grounds for a grievance.

Apply for the job. You seemed stressed and most of it maybe in your head.

Grievances or complaints needs facts, like I applied for the job and was unfairly turned down by my manager.

Look at this without emotion.

Did you miss the bit about going on holiday and coming back to a new team? Hard not to feel a bit emotive about that. I liked the clients I had, got on with their families. Spent a year building rapport and trust. Knew them and did my hardest to keep them well and out of hospital…

Sounds like the manager values your work and doesn’t want to lose an asset to their team.
Apply for the job. Explain to new manager how you feel…
Best of luck .

I wouldn’t raise a formal grievance but I would be having strong words with management over the move to a different team. What outcomes do you want?

Speak to your unions

Well I’m about to have a chat with my manager as I’ve just sent in my expression of interest for the new role. Rather she heard from me before other managers make her aware.

I want this new role. Not sure what my options are if I don’t get it. As much as I’m pissed about being moved and not offered permanency in my old team, I think raising a grievance might mark my card and be interpreted badly.

Well I’m about to have a chat with my manager as I’ve just sent in my expression of interest for the new role. Rather she heard from me before other managers make her aware.

If they are good plain speaking folks, something along the lines of I’ve been dropped in it here, while on holiday without even discussing it. It’s hell and I’m applying for this. I’d hope you wont be a dick about it.

I probably wouldn’t raise grievance but if manager isn’t supportive of the application to the new role then I would respond by querying them about what process was followed when you were previously moved teams with the permanent role filled without advert or offer to you as the covering staff.

I wouldn’t raise the grievance if you are hoping to secure the new role. Your approach of an informal chat with your existing manager is the right one IMO.

I think for non-NHS working folk it’s probably quite hard to understand your actual position; ie you’ve a secure job that you don’t do that is been done by someone else (on a temporary basis) and that you’d like to do a different job which is again different to the one you are actually doing.

And also that to apply for any job requires you to get the agreement of your Manager (although I can’t remember if that is your substantive Manager, or your current Manager).

I only managed 15 months in the NHS, and one of the reasons was its chaotic approach to HR – I had a team of folk who were a combination of perms, temp perms and temp temps doing a combination of jobs that had varying combinations of ‘money’ budgeting them…

OP tought times. Try and be as positive as you can about the new job, as frustrated as you are do not get sucked into complaining about the current situation. Its about showing you want the new job not hate the old.

Good luck

I wouldn’t raise a grievance at any place of work I was planning on staying in. If you’re jumping ship then go Full Bombers.

So had a chat with my current boss. Surprised I’d be applying to go to a brand new unit that cost 5.4 million dollars to build and estimated yearly budget of 1.7 million in partnership with Mind Australia. “it’ll be shit” her exact words! I beg to differ but hey… And she’s planning on leaving in December too (which I’m to keep shtum about. She hates it too!)

Feeling a bit more positive today. Fingers crossed they accept my eoi!

It’s not NHS BTW but govt health much the same in many ways. Top heavy, HR driven management with staff seen as assets not humans with feelings and conscience!

Although it was shit treatment I’m not sure you being blindsided is cause for grievance. It sounded like you were assigned to that role to cover on a temporary basis and during your leave the position was filled so your cover was no longer required? If so I can’t see any breach of contract issue, just crappy management/HR.

The correct process is to advertise the vacancy that needs filling, not give it out. My position was actually given to an OK so they filled 2 positions in one team, and moved me to another team without advertising the vacancies.

Shit management / HR f’real