short story,

mrs works in Mental Health (NHS), gets offered new job with new trust and accepts, hands in notice, then gets cold feet as enjoys current job, speaks to current manager, reassured and supported etc and decides to retract notice and stay, cut to 1 shift later and she’s been moved departments, she’s obviously upset by this as she wouldn’t have stayed if she knew this move was on the cards, and has told management this, but they’ve stated that its temp for 6 months, but would have to ask for a transfer back, it wouldn’t be automatic (from High Secure LD Services to High Secure Females, which is a job no one wants)

of course contract states employed by the trust can be moved yada yada, but it seems like a massive dick move that wasn’t on the spur of the moment and she’s been misled

i’ve told her to speak to the people at the job she accepted, or to speak to Union rep, but i guess this would just end up with her been fobbed off that its only for 6 months etc

thoughts?

Not a lot she can do really IMO / IME

The only way I can think of is to say its not a suitable post for some real reason such as lack of skills or training or that shift patterns are different or some other material reason. Another option would be to apply for redeployment under organisational change which is what I did in similar circumstances. I am not sure if this would count tho for that and its a tricky route to go down. Possibly also challenge the process by which she was chosen for the move. I assume an understaffed unit and no volunteers to move.

Speak to the union.

Is the vacancy at the other trust still available?

That’s shit but happen in NHS mental health a lot and probably elsewhere in NHS. Mrs JAMJ is experienced RMN who has been moved to sort out troublesome units/services with not much ability to refuse…

Any chance that once her notice was handed in they sounded someone out/offered her old post and dont want to go back on that now so all they had available was this new post until they can move her back yada yada? If they are just being Dicks then see if the other job is still available.

^^^ plus she applied for another job so so she’s already said she doesn’t want to stay – why would they want her back if she might leave in 6 months? If any of my staff were to hand in their notice then change their mind, I’d be wary of investing any more time or money in them and would be happy to move them on and have someone showing more commitment do the interesting notshit jobs. Unfortunately, the other job probably won’t want her now either as she’s shown lack of commitment and decision making so they probably think they’ve dodged a bullet. That may not be true but it’s perception that counts.