NHS shift pattens and breaks

[poppynurse]

We work a shift pattern that we voted on ourselves within our area of the NHS. We can do either short days or long days and of course nights.
The short days are 7.5 hours with a 15 minute 'concessionary' break (we voted against a 1/2 hour break in order to finish early, but we can opt out and take lunch if we want). The long days are 13.5 hours with 3 1/2 hour breaks (1 paid, 2 unpaid) and nights are 10.75 hours.

HR have now said we have got to look at changing the shifts because of the working time directive BUT we are all happy the way we are doing things. I do 3 long days a week because it suits me and I get 4 off.

Does anyone know if what we are doing is OK? I've looked at the WTD and it looks impractical for us, no way could we shorten our nights to 8 hours. And to get an 11 hour break between shifts would be complex....help....

[GlasweJen]

As far as I'm aware you can "opt-out" of the working time rules but you always have the right to opt back in again at any time. Recently they've been doing away with that and we'll all be working to working time directive by 2009. I guess you should try submitting a grievance as a group and pointing out that it's in the interest of the patients that shifts stay the lengths that they are?

[cal37]

You can opt-out of the WTD and that includes the night time workers.

[poppynurse]

but what happens in 2009 when everyone has to adopt the WTD? How do they do things on the continent?

[poppynurse]

bump

[GlasweJen]

I'm not entirely sure. There are occupations that are excepted from the WTD but nurses aren't in this category (junior doctors are), it may well work out that nurses will be excepted but I don't think anyone knows what the script will be.