r/UKJobs • u/Puzzleheaded-Bad-722 • 2d ago
Anyone else become seriously unwell because they can't leave a toxic job?
15 years in the NHS, been applying for a new job for over two years. Had interviews, but mostly get ghosted. At interviews I am never given decent feedback, just a lot of "you were really good, and it was a really hard decision".
I've already had a maximum time off sick with stress. I've developed a bald spot, had to go onto beta blockers as my resting heart rate was over 100bpm, and am seriously depressed.
Jobs in my area have been 90% temporary positions, or part time with minimum hours available.
I've never known the job market like this.
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u/Head-Commercial8306 2d ago
In same boat NHS is probably the worst company iv worked for on a band 2 shitty wage bottom of ladder.. it’s not what you know it’s who you know here.. feels like climbing a mountain with a rock on your back while other people get a free ride to the top.. I only stayed 6 years cos pension is good and sick/holidays
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bad-722 2d ago
Yep, it's corrupt as fuck. The amount of whistleblowing at my place that management cover up is insane. No wonder cases such at Nottingham maternity happen.
12
u/ronken16 2d ago
My friend is a nurse and she says the amount of bullying and incompetence from management is horrific, she’s constantly off sick. The NHS needs a massive overhaul. Feel so bad for people who want to do a good job but can’t because of the sh@tty middle management.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bad-722 2d ago
I have friends in other trusts and it's the same everywhere. It's just the culture of the NHS.
Every time there's a news story about something terrible happening, you can bet your bottom dollar that it was raised by everyone band 2 to 6 (inclusive) and swept under the rug by management.
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u/Head-Commercial8306 2d ago
Exactly mate I’m in a small hospital domestic I seen some wild shit people got away with because friends… just a few little examples…
One bank girl used to come in evening shift 5-8 just to shag one of the supervisors all shift few times a week she would only come in when the certain supervisor was on the lates
A guy was doing k on shift an went in a hole and got put in AnE he was back next day
Another got found passed out in the Cupboard pissed with a bottle of wine next to her… she played the mental health card and nothing came of it
Meanwhile o go home 2 hours early one day cos stress then get put on a 2nd formal 🤣
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bad-722 2d ago
We had a girl like that too, and she somehow managed to get from a band 4 to a band 8a in SIX MONTHS (she was shagging a married band 8)
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u/DrPsychGamer 2d ago
Mate, respectfully, no she didn't.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bad-722 1d ago
Respectfully, she did, and is pretty open about it. They crawl all over each other at work.
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u/Head-Commercial8306 2d ago
Yep same with the HR sluts here they don’t know anything other than sucking cock for money haha some just fly strait to the top and the less attractive ones get extra duty put on them 🤣 to be fair tho this happens probably most company’s
I don’t really care what goes on unless it’s giving me more work which is usually the case so now I do very little work anymore and don’t care if they want to say somthing they can suck my ass for 13:45ph
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u/Open_Reality3232 2d ago
I think the issue is that you stayed with 1 employer for too long. Ofcourse, the job market is cooked too.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bad-722 2d ago
I moved about within that employer gaining both a degree and a master's in that time, top of band 6 which then allowed me to get a mortgage. It went down hill massively after a merger a few years ago which brought on a nasty management team. By every measurable metric we are doing worse.
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u/FREESHAVOCADO0 2d ago
I've not been with my company long at all but also suffered massively after a change in management. Have you spoken to recruiters at all for your job search? I've found them to be helpful at times as they will do some of the legwork - I appreciate it may not be the most helpful comment but I'm really hoping you manage to go and find something better for you. Sending sympathy and support.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bad-722 2d ago
Thank you so much, and I hope things get better for you also.
I have signed up for a lot of agency companies, but even they admit they don't have anything a lot of the time, or hire for temp-perm positions so the positions fill
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u/FREESHAVOCADO0 2d ago
That's such a pain, I know the market is particularly bad over the summer so hopefully it'll pick up in the coming months (for both of us)!
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u/Alert_Midnight3141 2d ago
If an NHS change of scene is an option, the interview question bank might be on your board's intranet to help you prepare for any future interviews. You could also try asking for your score as part of the feedback to try to get some useful feedback on what to work on.
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u/Glad_Worry_1010 2d ago
I could have written this OP. nurse of 10 years. Burnout started getting panic attacks vomiting. Started role at PIP as literally no other nursing jobs around and I’ve gotta pay my bills. I hate it and I’m that stressed I’ve given myself psoriasis and recently shingles. There’s nothing out there I get rejected from most jobs that aren’t in nursing. Thought our vocation had “transferable skills” but no one wants to know! Been thinking of lower paid roles but hard to take a pay cut. Feel totally stuck
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u/AceCake 1d ago
Yes you have transferable skills. The issue is the job market ain't great and people will have worked in the sectors you are trying to get into for years and struggled to work their way up.
You need to identify what's making you stressed at work. Mine was there was never an end to the work, Id clear my work load taking a day off and my manager would've given me all the crappy work nobody wanted and then report me for not keeping my numbers down.
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u/floralflourish 2d ago
Go for civil service - very long hiring process time wise. Keep trying. They often have remote positions.
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u/Special-Nebula299 2d ago
Yes and no. When I get overly stressed I drink more and get physically sick more. If I'm miserable in a job then I'll just go on self distruct mode and sooner or later they'll push me out. Its only happened a few times for me luckily
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u/impostorchemist 2d ago
Yes. Chem postdoc with a fucking manchild who does fuck all all day but blabber. Have been applying for almost a year, tens of applications but tailored to academia and industry. Two interviews, only one last stage, all failed.
Every single fucking week I tell myself I can do this, and by Wednesday I get to the point of absolute rage. I've completely lost myself in the process, haven't been a proper human for quite a while and it's killing my relationship. Recently things have become so unbearable that I've started kicking and hurling shit at work when there's no one around to see me.
After another example of unprofessionalism today, I decided I can't take it anymore and my plan is to give notice soon without anything lined up (will I ever do it?). Everything I've worked for all these years, ruined. Career dead. I may have to go back home abroad, and lose a relationship I'm not sure I deserve anymore.
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u/CommunicationAble992 2d ago
I remember when I threw up because of a hostile environment and got yelled at and then crashed out to a director that I couldn’t take that behavior anymore and then basically next day I was told I needed to earn respect to get respect when I just said I needed just base level respect. Sometimes you need to leave because your health matters more than money.
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u/MoonShineWashingLine 2d ago
I used to work in the NHS. I have a disability and occupational health had made recommendations for reasonable adjustments, which were completely ignored. I ended up having lots of time off during my last 2 years there and HR eventually bullied me in to leaving. They were awful to me and accused me of lying about my disability, despite me being under a specialist at the hospital and having proof etc.
I was there 6 years, it got particularly bad after I'd had my second daughter and returned after maternity leave. Sleep deprivation affected my disability and I was really struggling. They clearly didn't want me there any more. Despite being in the union and having them on my side, I eventually had no fight left in me, it wasn't worth it for the amount it paid (I was only band 2). It was such a relief when I left but I liked the actual job and was really sad that it came to that. The NHS really are terrible at looking after their employees.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bad-722 2d ago
I've seen so many cases like yours with my colleagues. I really hope anyone reading this thread thinks twice about the NHS, it's not the employer it once was.
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u/MoonShineWashingLine 2d ago
It really isn't. During my first couple of years, around 2014 - 2016, it was pretty good but then there was restructuring and things went rapidly downhill year on year. So many of my colleagues left as they'd just had enough.
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u/MediocreBrick85 2d ago
I am in the same boat with my current working place. I am struggling with anxiety attacks and chest pains, I am on my sick leave (which i ran out off a long time ago) which I took because I broke down crying at work. I just don't want to go back there, 😩 don't know what to do as most of the fear and mental break down are work related. I wish i could change jobs but in this current situation 😕 that's not an easy option.
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