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Nurses told they must end home-working that began in pandemic

Nurse voices concern about work-life balance and productivity after managers give non-patient-facing staff two weeks’ notice they are needed back in the office
Woman works at laptop from kitchen table

Nurse voices concern about work-life balance and productivity after managers give non-patient-facing staff two weeks’ notice they are needed back in the office

Woman works at laptop from kitchen table
Picture: iStock

Nurses at an NHS trust have been given just two weeks’ notice that their home-working arrangements are to be scrapped.

Staff at Central and North West London (CNWL) NHS Foundation Trust were told they must primarily work in the office from today as bosses want to ‘see people in their place of work and ensure team effectiveness’.

Currently, full-time nurses in non-patient-facing roles and other office-based staff can spilt their week by working from home three out of five days.

The measures were implemented during the pandemic and have continued ever since. But on 16 January staff received an email from managers, including trust chief nurse Maria O’Brien, to inform them the arrangements were ending. Anybody who wishes to continue with hybrid working must request their circumstances are reviewed and arrangements approved by a manager.

‘Bad for productivity and work-life balance’

One nurse manager who wished to be anonymous told Nursing Standard the measures were misjudged and could harm staff’s productivity and work-life balance.

‘It was very quick. There was two weeks’ notice of quite a significant change in working practice. No build-up or consultation, they just told us we want you all back,’ the nurse said.

‘My understanding is that if you want to apply for flexible working then you have to justify your reason, such as childcare. There’s no guarantee.

‘Since it was introduced in the pandemic a lot of people have reported a better work-life balance and better productivity levels. The email that we received implied productivity had dropped but I think that’s a red herring. Staff have high workloads and are short-staffed.

‘I’m happy to put money on the fact that productivity will go down when everyone is put back in the office. An unhappy workforce is not a productive one. I surveyed my team and none of them wanted more hours in the office.’

‘Change is a response to patient need and will promote team building’

The trust said the changes were based on patient need and staff would still be considered for flexible working, if appropriate.

A spokesperson said it was committed to remaining a flexible and agile employer.

‘We have hundreds of new starters each month, some newly qualified, so team support – how they learn and build relationships – is important to their success.

‘For staff who want to adapt their working patterns, we have a process to consider them; responding to service demands and accommodating new and agile ways of working.’

From March 2021, the NHS Staff Council revised flexible working rules to give staff the right to apply to work flexibly from day one in their job in a bid to improve work-life balance.


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