Considering whether i’m cut out for NHS work
TL;DR: working in the NHS for 4 years and moved jobs multiple times by choice. Love the career itself, but NHS working conditions (understaffing, pressure, complaints, targets, lack of support) are causing major stress and burnout.
Edit: I work in a clinical role as an allied health professional
I graduated 4 years ago. I have worked in the NHS since I graduated. I’ve moved jobs 4 times within this time, by choice.
It’s not that I don’t like my career path, but I don’t like how working for the NHS makes me feel.
The pressures are immense, we are under staffed and have no funding for more staff, because of waiting lists I am at the brunt of disappointment and complaints a lot of the time.
Service leads are not happy that we are not meeting targets and that we are not being efficient enough.
The same theme happens in every post I have done, I enjoy my career, but I don’t love working for the NHS.
When I have approached supervisors/management I usually get feedback that my expectations and standards are too high, and if I am to survive working in the NHS I need to lower my work ethic to match the NHS standards.
I have had a couple of sickness episodes in 12 months due to stress. I think I know i’m not cut out for NHS work but I would appreciate any outside perspectives or advice/guidance in how I could try to better manage. I have already been assessed by occupational health but it was felt even with reasonable adjustments it doesn’t remove the service and wider issues.