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Not getting a break at work

S

Savannahblue

Member
Messages
5
I am a type 1. I am a nurse. Due to staffing problems on a weekend I work 12.5 hour shifts without a break. I know this is not legal.
I am well aware of the risk the above action will have on my health.
I cannot work shorter shifts.
I work during the week and weekends as I am full time and no I cannot reduce my hours.
However complaining can also come with its own dangers and I do not say that lightly.
Who can I rely on outside of my employer to resolve this situation?.
 
Do you have a union???? (Sorry, I no longer live in the UK so don't know if this is could help you.)
Good luck.
 
This is differently illegal. Please contact ACAS and they will talk you through your legal options.
 
EllieM said:
Do you have a union???? (Sorry, I no longer live in the UK so don't know if this is could help you.)
Good luck.
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Union
Tipetoo said:
Your best bet is to get your relevant nurses union involved to help you.
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Are you in the RCN? I retired from nursing in 2016. I had health problems in my last few months before retirement and their rep helped me a huge amount. I had Occupational Health involved too they were very much on my side too. I remember vividly those non stop 13 hour shifts Hope it works out for you x
 
Savannahblue said:
Union?. No have no faith in them.
I will contact ACAS today.
Many thanks to you all for the advice.
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I agree with you. I have had cause to know that some local chapters of Nurses Unions is very compromised. I have had a few friends who have been betrayed by their local union reps. With dangerous staffing issues in hospitals staff are increasingly finding themselves in hot water. On one or two occasions, the Union reps have behaved disgracefully. Completely not trust worthy.
 
 
Again I have no faith in unions HR or occupational health based on previous experience of being told I could not check my blood sugar levels or have Lucozade with me in the clinical area and was told to do my tests in the kitchen. I had as a result a hypo where I became very agitated and was put on a disciplinary.
I do not trust them to be fair and unbiased.
 
That’s really sad, especially when nursing is supposed to be a ‘caring profession’
 
Your Local Union Rep is elected by the workers at your Hospital, if you and others find them compromised then Phone your Unions head or regional office and get a Full Time Union Official to represent you. Also find out when & where your Union Branch Meetings are held and get together Like minded people and attend and be prepared to ask Questions and demand Answers (You Can ask the Full Time Officer To Attend also
A.C.A.S is fine but remember your Employer will Have Legal Representation Your Union should provide one for you free of charge
 
I didn’t want to say it but yes I will. Stay away from Unison, they will take your money but always find a way to back stab you. I wish there was a union ombudsman. If you can then RCN are ok but Unite are the best. Good luck and remember start writing everything down.
 
Savannahblue said:
Union?. No have no faith in them.
I will contact ACAS today.
Many thanks to you all for the advice.
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I ditched the useless RCM in favour of UNISON and they are excellent.

You need to go to occupational health, they really will support you and they will need to assess your workplace needs for whatever course of action you take.

I really understand what you are going through, I took early retirement because I either killed or would have been killed working in the NHS, it was untenable.
 
...the other thing to do is play the system and get medicallly retired.
 
@Savannahblue - I am unsure what type of diabetes you have been diagnosed with, but I do note you are taking insulin. On those grounds Occ Health should be involved. They have a duty of care to ensure you are safe at work.

I know from helping a relative with a Disability Act matter a couple of years ago that the NHS (I won't say where) can be a bit fats and loose at times. Our relative found Unison to be pretty inert and somewhat nervous of rocking the bigger boat. Their nerves were not in the best interests of our relative.

Things started changing when we did Data Access Requests, to include all HR and Occ Health exchanges, and to insist on all interactions being in writing, with rationale as well as any decisions included.

It took a long time to sort out and our relative was in danger of going to a Final Warning stage, due to absences which should have been discounted, under the terms of reasonable adjustments.

If you want to explore how to go about a Data Subject Access request, efficiently, and to ensure you get what you want and need, then please feel free to message me. It's a bit of a process, but worth the fee

In the meantime, please start gathering together the Absence and Disciplinary Processes and go through each to ensure they are being followed. Those will be your guidelines and shape your actions, moving forward.

@wiflib , I'm sure you are aren't encouraging an NHS employee to build a case based on economies of the truth. Are you?
 

It wasn’t an encouragement, it was a suggestion, a suggestion based on her own health so hardly lies. Such a suggestion is not breaking any law as are none of all suggestions and advice here.
 
Me too! I retired at the first possible opportunity to grab my pension and run. It’s such a sorry state of affairs
 
Rachox said:
Me too! I retired at the first possible opportunity to grab my pension and run. It’s such a sorry state of affairs
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I miss practicing as a Midwife to my core, I still get upset about it as it wasn’t how my career was supposed to end but I now realise even more just how damaged I was now I’m not subjected to those working conditions every day.

The NHS has also lost a Midwife who saved them huge amounts of money every year.
 
I agree, I was loyal for 38ish years, no thanks for that dedication. I do miss the camaraderie amongst staff and the interaction with my patients, but I don’t miss the stress and red tape. I fear for the NHS’s future, especially now I’ve jumped the fence to the patient’s side.
 
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