Work related question - is this illegal???

I work for NHS Mental Health, there's 3 mental health wards where I work, 2 of them are closing down & will intergrated with the ward I work on. They're having to cut down staff as obviously all staff won't be needed on 1 ward. We've just found out all Staff Nurse jobs are safe & they'll be staying but they need to get rid of most of the Nursing Assistants. They'll be moved to a different location/unit. We were told to fill in an options form & if we wanted to we could include a letter regarding personal circumstances, we were told to make it clear what we wanted as an individual, which I did as I work permanent part time nights as I have a daughter so I need to stay where I am as it fits in with my family life.

However..we've now been told that all the NA's names from the 3 wards will be put into a hat, they'll pick out however many they need to stay & the rest will be moved!

Is this legal & ethical? Or will the NHS just get away with treating staff like crap as they always do!!

On one hand I agree that it appears fair but on the other hand I feel that length of service and people's personal circumstances should be taken into account.....if I get moved and have to work full time days (which is a 12 hr shift - 7am-8pm) then I'll have to give up my job....firstly I won't be able to take my daughter to school and fetch her, secondly I may not be able to get to the new place as my partner has to be in work for 8am so it just wouldn't work. I've been there for 10 years so I think this should be taken into account also. I'm so worried about this at the moment.

I think pulling names out of a hat is just a joke, it's ok for winning a prize but not when it's your job!

Unfortunately i think it is legal. It is morally unethical and i would agree that there are much better ways of doing it. You wouldn't pick job applicants for a new job out of a hat would you?

Unfortunately there isn't anything you can really do about it. If you get moved you can always try to see what your rights are and make a complaint. But making a complaint will spend years going through the system and will probably put you in a worst position.

Although this probably wouldn't work you could always try writing to your local MP, some of them are good.

Really do hope your name gets picked out the hat.

is a minor contraction.... but i dont see anything illegal in it... perhaps a bit immoral.

Change happens. The main thing is they treat everyone fair.
A lottery system does appear fair.

Unfortunately, what they are doing is perfectly legal. It seems like they wasted peoples time asking for personal circumstances if they weren't going to base their decision on them.

Sorry!

I don't know where you are, but, do you have a Union? What about "bumping " rights, and seniority? All of this could come into play, or it is just a popularity game.

It is certainly unethical!

However, you'll probably find that EVERYBODY made a case to stay! Hence the lottery.

working for the nhs can be rubbish can't it. they get away with stuff like this all the time because not enough people challenge it. firstly its definitely advisable to go to the c.a.b. seek advise from professionals and find out if your colleagues feel the same. i when to someone higher up the food chain and now my issue is 'under investigation'.they should not get away with it, good luck.

Well that sucks. Looks like they should go by seniority. I have never heard of an employer doing this. However, I don't see anything illegal about it. Also you say they treat staff like crap, find another job, where I am from a CNA can find a job anywhere. Good Luck

It doesn't sound fair but they will probably get away with it. Contact the National labor relations Board and ask this question

Life's a lottery Angel, in the end the man with the big stick wins
it ain't always fair, but its the way of the world.

As you know doing your job there is always someone worst off, good luck with the headgear shuffle
don't worry be happy.