A coalition of health unions is calling on NHS bosses to normalise flexible working as a primary solution to the service’s ongoing recruitment and retention crisis.
The Get Ahead on Flex pledge, which launched today (6 March), is designed to give staff greater autonomy over their schedules and locations. The initiative has garnered support from 18 trade unions representing the breadth of the NHS workforce.
The campaign aims to persuade employers to accelerate the adoption of versatile working patterns. This includes methods such as team-led rostering and any-hours contracts, which allow employees to define their preferred working hours from the very beginning of their employment.
Organisations that commit to the pledge will promise to feature flexible options in every job advertisement, establish targets to boost the approval rate of requests, and publish transparency data regarding staff applications. Additionally, they will provide training for managers to ensure they can effectively support employee choice.
Currently, all NHS staff are legally entitled to request flexible working from their first day on the job and can submit an unlimited number of requests without being required to justify these.
However, unions report that some employees are being coerced into accepting less attractive contracts in exchange for flexibility. It is common for employers to turn down requests from staff seeking to manage their own time, instead mandating adherence to inflexible shift cycles.
According to union leaders, obtaining necessary flexibility remains a significant hurdle for many, particularly those balancing childcare or other domestic responsibilities. They further noted that this inconsistent approach has resulted in a “postcode lottery” regarding staff options. The campaign highlighted instances where staff with caring duties were forced to exhaust their entire annual leave entitlement just to support family members.
Advocates for the change suggest that making flexible working the standard would help keep veteran staff in the service, noting that thousands of professionals currently resign every year citing poor work-life balance.
Get Ahead on Flex is also focused on equipping managers with the skills to process requests to the benefit of the workforce. It prompts leadership to proactively redesign roles and services to better accommodate the requirements of both patients and employees.
While the advantages of flexibility, including boosted performance and improved patient care, are acknowledged at a policy level, unions contend that financial constraints and systemic pressures often stall meaningful progress.
In England, a fresh standard for flexible working is slated for introduction in April as part of the government’s decade-long workforce strategy. Furthermore, the Employment Rights Act is set to introduce more stringent legal requirements for all UK employers by 2027.
Helga Pile, chair of the NHS unions and head of health at Unison, said: “The NHS has long talked about the importance of improving flexible-working options. However, old-fashioned attitudes and rigid one-size-fits-all shift patterns are still getting in the way.”
Leandre Archer, the campaign lead for NHS unions on flexible working and head of industrial relations at the Society of Radiographers, added: “Flexible working shouldn’t depend on which employer you work for or who your manager happens to be.
“NHS staff deserve fair, consistent access to flexibility so they can deliver the best possible care without sacrificing their own wellbeing.”
To date, the Milton Keynes University Hospital and Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trusts have officially committed to the pledge.
This article is based on a piece written for Personnel Today
