u/RelevantEducator1793

I have booked annual leave for 7 months from now and my request was rejected. We work in the same room and it took my manager 21 days to respond my request.

My manager told me that the request had to be rejected because another member of staff had requested the same dates earlier. He said it is usually first come first served and specifically said:

“Our policy rejects 2 people overlapping same days for annual leave.”

I totally understand the staffing issue but we are a team of 6. However I am not sure whether there is actually a policy that says two people cannot take annual leave on the same days. That is why I am asking to confirm whether such a policy exists.

And now the best part: my manager has also booked annual leave for next month which overlaps with the same person whose annual leave conflicts with my request 7 months from now.

Is this a normal NHS policy? And if such a policy exists does it apply to managers too? Or can managers have different rules?

I'm 41 years old and 170 cm tall. I'm male and my body type is "skinny fat" since I was young. My main problem is that I carry a lots of fat in my belly and boobs. I also have what looks like a significant amount of abdominal/visceral fat. My arms and legs are relatively skinny while my belly and chest carry most of my fat.

The chest fat has been there for as long as I can remember too. I have actually been checked by doctors (proper scans) twice in the past for gynecomastia and was told that it is not gynecomastia. It is fat tissue. I want to understand what I should actually do from zero to hero. I know that only going to the gym and doing my own workout its not gonna help a lot. 

My current workout is: 10 mins warm up. 45-50 biceps, triceps, chest, traps, shoulders. 30 mins running and walking fast and 10 mins last some abs, plank and mountain climb.

My diet: Around 90-120g protein, some fruits, as much clean food as i can like chicken and beef. I dont drink alchohol, i dont eat sugar (just now and then) and sometimes i eat outside. No snacks or sugars in the house at all. No sodas too

Can this actually be fixed through training and nutrition alone? I don't expect to become shredded overnight neither the magic pill or diet. I'm looking for a realistic long-term strategy to lose the fat while building enough muscle that I no longer look skinny fat.

κακομοιρη μην αλλαξεις καμια λεξη θα σε παρει ο διαλος

Apologies in advance for the big text.

This is my first NHS job and I'm clueless. I've been working 25 days as I'm working part time and I'm still in training. My colleagues keep telling me I'm doing great but my manager has been pushing me very hard from day one and now says my progression is slow. He's also referred me to Occupational Health. He knew about my health problems from the interview and still hired me. And he is the reason that my health condition got worse cause of the constant push even tho I'm doing great. In the referral he throws the blame on me of not progressing and he mentioned things like “slower pace of progression” “overall performance” and “service performance” because of this health problem which honestly worries me. He is pushing for an assessment because it is a national requirement ideally in the first 3 months but he didn't say ideally he said it's mandatory. I told 5 times I that I need more time but apparently he doesn't like it. Does this sound like normal management/support during probation or does it sound like he's already building a case against me? Should I speak to HR/his manager or just continue with OH and training? What would you do in my position? I accepted the OH letter in the first place to show that Im willing to corporate but as I keep seeing the referral it looks like he trapped me.

Apologies in advance for the big text.

This is my first NHS job and I'm clueless. I've been working 25 days as I'm working part time and I'm still in training. My colleagues keep telling me I'm doing great but my manager has been pushing me very hard from day one and now says my progression is slow. He's also referred me to Occupational Health. He knew about my health problems from the interview and still hired me. And he is the reason that my health condition got worse cause of the constant push even tho I'm doing great. In the referral he throws the blame on me of not progressing and he mentioned things like “slower pace of progression” “overall performance” and “service performance” because of this health problem which honestly worries me. He is pushing for an assessment because it is a national requirement ideally in the first 3 months but he didn't say ideally he said it's mandatory. I told 5 times I that I need more time but apparently he doesn't like it. Does this sound like normal management/support during probation or does it sound like he's already building a case against me? Should I speak to HR/his manager or just continue with OH and training? What would you do in my position? I accepted the OH letter in the first place to show that Im willing to corporate but as I keep seeing the referral it looks like he trapped me.

Hi all,

Apologies if this question has been asked before.

I am 40 years single male living in UK for 6 years. I am considering moving to either Norway or Switzerland and the language is the barrier. I'm from Europe so visas aren't an issue.

For someone who only speaks English initially which country is more English friendly when it comes to everyday life, finding work, working conditions, work-life balance, making friends and especially dating?

I plan to start learning the local language this year before I move but I would like to know where it's easier to get by as an English speaker at first.

I don't mind taking jobs like cleaning, gardening, warehouse work or anything else while I learn the language and settle in.

Thanks

Hi everyone,

I'm currently living in Maidenhead. I work part time and earn about £1200 per month and I also receive around £300+ from Universal Credit.

I'm thinking of transferring to the same part time job in London because there is an opportunity there. I would probably live in Zone 3. My main reason for moving is career progression and my plan is to find a full time job as soon as possible. The part time job would just help me get started for the first couple of months.

My questions are:

• Will my Universal Credit continue if I move from Maidenhead to London as long as I report my change of address and keep working?
• Does Universal Credit automatically transfer when you move to a different area?
• Is the amount likely to increase because I would be living in London or does the location make no difference?
• If I don't have enough money for a rental deposit can Universal Credit help with the deposit and repay it monthly?

Thanks.

PS, I am 40 years old single.

Hey guys! I’m really interested in becoming an Occupational Therapy Assistant but I wanted to ask a real question about the personal care part of the job. How often do OTAs actually have to bathe patients or clean up things like pee and poop? In a normal year how often does that happen? Is it an everyday thing, or pretty rare depending on where you work? I know this is just part of the job so please don't judge. Ιm just really not comfortable with those kinds of things. I could probably deal with it if it only happens once in a while but if it's a regular thing it might be a problem for me. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I am thinking of applying for a Band 3 Administrative Assistant (Community Services) role in London, and I was wondering what the job is actually like day to day.

For context I have 3.5 years of IT customer service experience although I have been away from that field for about a year. I am now working as a Healthcare Assistant in the NHS and have been in the role for around 1.5 months. I see this as an opportunity for early career progression. I also live in Northampton and would like to move to London (please do not mention the cost of living I am fully aware of it). I am not expecting much at this point, given how competitive NHS recruitment has become.

How busy is the role? Is it mostly emails and admin, or are you on the phone all day? I assume most of the phone calls are for booking appointments, speaking with different teams, and updating patients or service users is that about right? Overall how difficult or stressful would you say it is?

Hi everyone,

I am thinking of applying for a Band 3 Administrative Assistant (Community Services) role in London, and I was wondering what the job is actually like day to day.

For context I have 3.5 years of IT customer service experience although I have been away from that field for about a year. I am now working as a Healthcare Assistant in the NHS and have been in the role for around 1.5 months. I see this as an opportunity for early career progression. I also live in Northampton and would like to move to London (please do not mention the cost of living I am fully aware of it). I am not expecting much at this point, given how competitive NHS recruitment has become.

How busy is the role? Is it mostly emails and admin, or are you on the phone all day? I assume most of the phone calls are for booking appointments, speaking with different teams, and updating patients or service users is that about right? Overall how difficult or stressful would you say it is?

Hi everyone,

I am new to the NHS and I have been working part time for about a month. This is my first NHS job so I'm still within my probation period.

If I see another role within the same hospital that seems like a better fit and full time, is it generally considered acceptable to apply for it before I have completed my probation?

Has anyone done this? Is it viewed negatively by managers or is it fairly common within the NHS? 
Is this a reason for not passing the probation?

Thanks

Hi everyone,

I am new to the NHS and I have been working part time for about a month. This is my first NHS job so I'm still within my probation period.

If I see another role within the same hospital that seems like a better fit and full time, is it generally considered acceptable to apply for it before I have completed my probation?

Has anyone done this? Is it viewed negatively by managers or is it fairly common within the NHS? 
Is this a reason for not passing the probation?

Thanks

Hi everyone,
I’ve been working as a Newborn Hearing Screener for the past 7 months and I’m about to take my diploma exams.

In case I don’t pass what could happen apart from not being able to screen babies independently? Would it be considered a red flag for future roles or interviews if I don’t get the diploma?

I’m asking because I’m considering moving into a new role with better long term career progression.

Also how long did it take you before you take your exams? And on a scale of 1–10, how difficult did you find them?

Hi everyone,
I’ve been working as a Newborn Hearing Screener for the past 7 months and I’m about to take my diploma exams.

In case I don’t pass what could happen apart from not being able to screen babies independently? Would it be considered a red flag for future roles or interviews if I don’t get the diploma?

I’m asking because I’m considering moving into a new role with better long term career progression.

Also how long did it take you before you take your exams? And on a scale of 1–10, how difficult did you find them?

Hi everyone,

I work in NHS as a healthcare and I’m planning to relocate from the Midlands to London to a new role and I’m trying to understand how staff accommodation actually works in practice.

My priority is finding on site or very near site key worker accommodation in North, West and central London ideally linked to the hospital itself.

• Which hospitals currently offer on-site or nearby staff accommodation?
• Are rooms very hard to get?
• How long are waiting lists usually?
• Do you apply before accepting the job or after?
• Is hospital accommodation realistic for someone relocating, or should I look at external key worker housing instead?
• If hospital accommodation isn’t available what’s the best alternative?
• Which websites, housing associations or schemes should I be checking?

Basically if you were moving to London as an NHS worker and wanted to keep costs low what exact steps would you take?

Hi,

I'm thinking about moving to West or North London in about 7-8 months and I'd like to hear what people honestly think about living there right now.

I'm not really asking about salaries, rent prices or the luxury lifestyle. I live a very simple life. Most of my time would be spent going from home to work and back and on my days off I'd probably just visit central London to spend my time there.

My main concern is safety. The news everyday talks about knife crime, stabbings deaths in London and that's the one thing that worries me. I don't go clubbing, I don't stay out late at night and I generally keep to myself. I am a very friendly and quiet person.

For people who currently live in London: how safe does it actually feel on a day to day basis in 2026? Has crime become a serious problem for ordinary people, does the media make it seem worse than it is, are you guys afraid that something like a stabbing could happen to you?

Realistically if someone lives a quiet life, uses public transport and avoids trouble, is London still a reasonably safe place to live?

Thanks

Hi,

I live in the North and I started my first NHS job two weeks ago in a good role that I wanted. However today I found another role in the nearest city and it’s actually the role I want to build a career. I would apply anyways to this role after gaining 6-8 months of experience.

Would it be a good idea to apply now or should I stay in my current role for 6-8 months first and then start applying? I’m worried that applying so soon after starting might create a bad impression or put me on a blacklist with that hospital since it’s one of the hospitals I would like to work at in the future.

Would applying now make me look bad?