community nurse

healthcare assistant

trustee

registered nurse

speech therapist

Kent-Community-Health-Nhs-Foundation-Trust

I was interviewed & got a position for ‘bank community registered nurse’ I have  many years experience & was looking for flexibility and a change in my career direction, was told at interview there was plenty of work in the area I applied for.
It took 6 months to get through the recruitment process, with me chasing various depts. none of which communicated with each other. Trying to deal with the huge amount of bureaucracy when you have no designated help is a nightmare.  Eventually I managed to  complete everything, online training , getting a uniform ( took 2 months). I even went to the local team to introduce myself and was really keen to start, was told they would be in touch.  You book shifts through EOL and I eventually was able to log into that to see availability, to my dismay  there were no shifts available in the areas I had been recruited for.  I again made contact with the local team, they again said they would be  in touch, that never happened.  I have basically wasted all this time jumping through all the hoops the NHS created, with no work at the end.  As a highly qualified nurse with 30 years experience, coming from the private hospital sector, I am shocked at this process, it is no wonder the NHS is in such a mess when they treat people like this. It’s the patients that end up suffering when professionals  are treated like this. 

I loved my job and the patients, it was some of the staff that got me down. We work the hardest physically and are paid the least. We might not be nurses but we are always on the front line in care, we are seldom the ones who are thanked and rarely acknowledged by some of the senior staff.  We are the staff with the patients 24/7,we change beds,clean up bodily fluids, cleaning commodes on a loop. A lot of the staff nurses work really hard and work with us as a team. But there’s always some that make it hard work as they are not team workers or leaders. We have a lot of responsibility now it’s not as it used to be. There is a culture where I worked called, mixed ability putting the weak with the strong, this was a complete nightmare if your a good worker your constantly worn out by the end of the shift, while your colleague could go on for ever. There has been many management changes, within a short period of time, this not giving consistency. 
After all this said the job can be at times very rewarding.

Do not come to work for KCHT. It basically destroyed my working life and my reputation as a nurse.
I came to work for them full of enthusiasm and the management was awful, all over the place. They admitted they failed me.
Still, they sacked me when I was in my probation, basically because they contracted more staff then they should have.
The culture is very bad, not supportive people, bullying and harassment is present.They do not support new staff. You are put to work without local induction.
I think it is also where you work. I worked in the wards and never had complaints. I also worked a little with the District Nurses and they seem organised and helpful.
It is the outpatient the main problem. They have very confusing structure and far too many bosses. If you value your PIN - DO NOT COME HERE! I wish I had paid more attention to the bad reviews before joining this Trust.

I have recently left this Trust after starting in 1991!
Lack of structured support for new employees. Increase in senior positions whilst closing band 5/6 vacancies, doing away with admin whilst expecting nurses to pick up the work. Admin tasks take much longer for the nurses putting more stress at patient contact level. Some amazing Nurses, HCA's and remaining admin who feel they are not able to provide the quality care they want to due to the pressure of reaching 'TARGETS' Registration risk. Lack of leadership. Access to leadership course was refused. Seeing colleague's on a daily basis stressed about being able to visit the patients every day. Definitely a blame culture. Have been lucky to have found a new job with everything opposite to the above. Management needs looking at! 
😡

I have worked for KCHFT since 2014, and I have worked in the NHS since 2001. 
I can honestly say that they have been a very supportive trust. I have worked at two different locations at the trust, and they have both been highly supportive, flexible and allowed me to develop as a therapist. 
The trust is slightly driven by figures and how many patients you are seeing, but this is the general culture within the NHS at present. 
I have been allowed to attend CPD courses that met the needs of personal development. 

My managers have been nothing but supportive and friendly, through professional and personal life changes. 

I am only leaving the trust as there are not any roles allowing me to progress my career at present. If there had been the role I would have stayed.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Worked for them for 22 years - overlooked for younger staff once semi-retirement  taken - promised things that never happened - poor management.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Management promises that never happened - copious amount of admin required for each patient with little time to complete.  

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
They don't care about staff - they say they do but they don't.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Very busy, which is fine but there isn't enough time in tje working day for referrals etc so you end up doing them in your own time.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Being part of a dedicated team. 
Learning opportunities to add new skills.
Working on projects from initial concept through to completion.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Working from home throughout the pandemic.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Friendly, professional and supportive.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Working through my job list, averaging around 15 - 20 projects at a time. 
Speaking to colleagues, clients, printers and product suppliers to keep jobs on track and reach deadlines.

Awful trust to work for, big blame culture and bullying from management. No one listens to your views. If you express an opinion you will be bullied out. Directors and managers do not care about staff just saving their own backs.
Also discriminate against part time staff, I have seen staff dismissed because they work part time and if you dare to express an opinion different from a manager you will be  made to leave. Claim to want you to speak out and improve trust but if you do you will be blamed and disciplined or performance manageres. Do not work here it will destroy you.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Being able to work remotely . Paid expenses. Ability to arrange annual leave around duties and rostering 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Not being listened too and ignored 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Noisy when in the office. Too much admin and knowing that you not going to fit in 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Start from home, work throughout the morning, having a break, going through admin then out in the evening

Not been in this job long but can honestly say that most of the team are friendly, the new charge hand seems to have things under control, or at least is trying, he helps with any issues or queries Staff have, he will always try and accommodate the staffs needs - ie childcare, he isn’t our supervisor but we all choose to go to him for support and help as he deals with it there and then, he has also acknowledged our hard work which means a lot when the team is understaffed.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Community nurse 80 salaries reported	£36,710 per year
Healthcare assistant 50 salaries reported	£25,668 per year
Trustee 42 salaries reported	£36,501 per year
Registered nurse 32 salaries reported	£35,594 per year
Speech therapist 39 salaries reported	£44,059 per year

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