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Clocks go back: nurses say pay us for extra hour on night shift

Nursing staff on shift when the clocks change in the UK, the moment that marks the end of British Summer Time, are likely to work the extra hour, effectively overtime, free. Many say this October shift is challenging because it can be difficult to get the timing of observations and medication doses right. Others mention the risk nurses face who drive home from work, exhausted by the longer night shift. It seems there is no official guidance to NHS employers about additional pay for the extra hour worked.
Nurse on duty at night, face unseen, checks the time on her fob watch. Many nurses on duty as the clocks go back are not paid for the extra hour

Nursing staff on duty when the clocks go back are likely to work an extra hour free on a challenging October shift and think they should be paid for it

Nurse on duty at night, face unseen, checks the time on her fob watch. Many nurses on duty as the clocks go back are not paid for the extra hour
Nurses on night shift when the clocks go back can find the extra hour exhausting – and many won’t be paid for it Picture: Tim Zoltie

The clocks go back this weekend, marking the end of British Summer Time and many night staff will be working the extra hour unpaid.

A Nursing Standard poll on Instagram found that 99% (808 of 819 respondents) thought they should be paid for the extra hour, which is effectively overtime. And 83% (452 of 544) said they would not be paid.

Nurses’ longer night shift when the clocks go back makes clinically important timings challenging

Nurses also highlighted some of the challenges they face when they are on shift as the clocks go back.

One nurse told us: ‘Nights are already long so that extra hour is torturous.’ Others said that in reality, the longer night turns a 12 or 13-hour shift into a 13 or 14-hour one. One person described the shift as ‘horrific’.

Some respondents discussed the challenge of timing observations and medication doses. Many mentioned extreme fatigue and exhaustion as a consequence of the longer night. Notably, some cited the danger faced by those driving home afterwards.

One nurse manager said she gave her team the extra time as a bonus break.

NHS nurses’ unsocial hours payments

According to NHS Employers, staff working shifts are paid for the hours of the shift. NHS staff working weekends and nights are entitled to unsocial hours payments, which is a percentage set according to pay band.

There does not appear to be official guidance for NHS organisations about paying staff for the extra hour. NHS Employers has been invited to comment.

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