NHS doesn't offer cycle to work scheme???

Noel PT

My girlfriend works for the NHS as a Radiographer, she recently asked her HR department about applying for the cycle to work scheme and was told that the NHS does not offer it.

Now I find this hard to believe considering its the National HEALTH Service. Is it just me?

So my question is. Is there anybody on the forum that works for the NHS that has managed to do the cycle to work scheme?

Or does anyone have suggestions, on who to discuss this with, to try and find a way to get the NHS to do the scheme.

Thanks

schminke

I bought my Specialized Allez with Swansea NHS Trust last year.They built shower rooms equipped with heated wire lockers as well :javascript:emoticon(':D')
Very HappyD

hoathy

They do do it.

I know several people who i work with who have ahd bikes through it (I work for the NHS). I have also several bikes on the scheme to people working for the NHS. You save 10.3% less than you would if you were working for a private company as the NHS cannot reclaim the VAT, I work as a radiographer (or soon to be radiographer, I'm a 3rd year student). Which hospital is this at? The person in HR probably doesn't know what they are talking about...

John

dirk_van_gently

Mate of mine just got a bike through the scheme with the NHS, clearly your HR dept doesn't know it's @rse from it's elbow.

Belv

Dirk Van Gently wrote:

doesn't know it's @rse from it's elbow.

which is particularly worrying of the NHS

Cunobelin

Different Trusts have different policies... and this will get worse as the Foundatin Trusts start to find their feet....

Ours has a tax free loan, but arranged with a local shop so there is a discount as well.

Slightly OT, but possibly of interest is the NHS cycle Group....

http://www.networks.nhs.uk/networks/page/368

secretsam

Cunobelin wrote:

Different Trusts have different policies... and this will get worse as the Foundatin Trusts start to find their feet....

Ours has a tax free loan, but arranged with a local shop so there is a discount as well.

Slightly OT, but possibly of interest is the NHS cycle Group....

http://www.networks.nhs.uk/networks/page/368

Are you in a Union?!?!? Try them for help

It's probably local policy. Plus if no-one's done it...

Noel PT

She's not in a Union. I'm talking about Whipps Cross University Hospital.

I get the whole Trust thing, I suppose that makes sense, but I will give that NHS Cycle Group a try and see what comes of it.

I am really suprised that the NHS are not putting more effort into it!

Thanks for the replys,

nwallace

I believe the Health Board I work for (Tayside) only do HP schemes on a sporadic basis I think the bike to work one has been open twice for short periods and took a fair amount of time to set up. Home computer ones occasionally pop-up as well.

These deduct before tax schemes never seem to me to be all that worthwhile (3 years to pay off a computer) might be different if I was on the 40% rate or didn't have savings though.

condorman

That's nothing - HMRC won't implement the scheme for it's own staff.

NorwegianBlue

I work in local government and it looked like we were going to get the scheme, then it fell through at the last minute because HR didn't want the tiny, tiny admin overhead. And this from a department that has managed to offload about 50% of their workload on other departments in the last two years.

Positron

Yep, unfortunately while the NHS is something like the third biggest employer in THE WORLD the scheme has to be set up locally. So some do, and some of us are stuck in fairly small organisations (Christie, Manchester) where the priority seems to be to build a multi-million pound multi-storey car parl, whopee!

p. (yes I am getting rather bitter about this as I've been trying for a couple of years, during which time one bike has litterally fallen apart while commuting...)

hoathy

Yeah, at Torbay there are like 5 undercover cycle racks for a District General Hospital, I overheard someone complaining "there were bikes left everywhere" the other day! Is it any wonder. Its moronic! there aren't any bike racks at all outside the MAIN entrance! cretins (this really annoys me, incase you couldn't tell...)

Noel PT

Well I am glad to hear its not just me.

:x

begbie

:x
Noel - I LIKE your avatar! (and I don't mean your saddle!)

With reference to the general apathy shown nationwide by the vast majority of ALL employers towards the cycle scheme, it really IS very frustrating.
The scheme is very very simple to understand (at least it is to ME!), BUT there are very very many pitfalls for the employer.
Unfortunately, though, there are too few employers who have the motivation to look into the scheme or even invite someone ( like cyclescheme.co.uk) to explain, advise & implement the scheme for them. (hence avoiding most of the pitfalls).
There IS a financial motivation for the employer, aswell as a proven increase in employee loyalty (not to mention increased health, wealth & happiness of the employees), but hey , the employer has to DO something to get this.

The biggest motivation factor for the employer, in my most humble opinion, is employee pressure. Enough requests, often enough, from enough employees for the emloyer to implement the scheme is the only way to go.
Yes, speak to the Unions, but they're only going to do something if enough members ask them, often enough.
Get a petition going. EVERY WEEK. EVERY DAY???
Email. EVERY DAY - to HR, PAYE, accounts. Directors. Line managers. Supervisors.

It's YOUR RIGHT as an employee to be able to use the benefits of the scheme. TELL your employer this. MAKE them look into the scheme.

First of all, UNDERSTAND how the scheme works. Read the blogs. Look at www.cyclescheme.co.uk. Read the FAQs on that site. Read it so you understand how it all works.
Email the link to the site to your employer.
Email the link to ALL of your work colleagues. to all of the workforce.
Ask your work colleagues to read the FAQs on that site & to understand how the scheme works.
Then get your colleagues to send the email to your HR, PAYE, line managers. unions. directors
Do this every week. EVERY DAY. - UNTIL your employer does something about it.

After all this is done, remember that the vast majority of employers are apathetic. As are most employees.
Most employers will do this scheme if they have adequate take up by the employees.
(10-12% of workforce is adequate)

Employees are NOT taking up the scheme because it's not fully explained to them. They do NOT fully understand it.
They fear it. "Where's the catch?". . . " a bike for half price? - too good to be true" . . . "not getting tied into the company for 12 months " . . . "what happens at the end of the year?" . . . and so on.

www.cyclescheme.co.uk

look at the site. fully. read the FAQs. Understand it ALL. Send it your work colleagues. line managers. bosses. supervisors. unions. send it every day. DEMAND a meeting with your supervisors/bosses/unions/HR/PAYE/directors. every day.

Be very very persistent. every day!

Good luck.

spring91

If a trust has a cycle2work scheme it will be because someone there with patience and influence managed to get it implemented rather than it being arranged nationally. There should be a Green Transport Plan and maybe an environment group, your girlfriend could try and find out who is involved in these and inquire if a cycle scheme has been considered in the past. The payroll department may be against the idea, thinking it will be a lot of extra work for them but it is relatively straightforward to implement and probably easier than the hundreds of mileage expense forms they process each month.

With bike to work week coming up in June it would be a good time to make contact with other cyclists in the trust as she is probably not alone in wanting a cycles scheme.

A quick google found - WFCC are assisting with the setting up of a Bike User Group at Whipps Cross Hospital. http://www.wfcycling.org.uk/page.asp?page=15

Noel PT

Some really good suggestions guys, thanks for that link Spring91. I'll give that Geoffery lad a ring.

fossyant

It's the same in Manchester, although it's coming to the two Universities and the NHS..... finally going to sign up....phew.....the issue is so called insurance as the bike is effectively 'leased' !

That's getting sorted though....

That said, there are an awful lot of 'large' NHS and related service employees....

Speshact

http://www.acttravelwise.org/news/1020 has the following press release, dated Feb 29th:

The first ever survey of cycling provision across the NHS has revealed that one in five Trusts do not provide even the minimum support to employees who cycle, as required by the 'Agenda for Change' staff contract.
The survey by Spokes, the NHS Cycling Network, concentrated on bicycle mileage, the expenses paid to staff who use their own bikes for business journeys. Under the Agenda for Change (AfC) terms and conditions of employment, NHS employers are required to reimburse staff a minimum of 6.2p per mile for work journeys by bicycle.

However, the survey revealed that 22 per cent of Trusts currently pay less than the AfC minimum or nothing at all - whereas another 22 per cent of Trusts pay more generous rates, sometimes up to 50p per mile. The remaining 56 per cent pay the bare minimum.

Bicycle mileage, which is commonly paid by private and public employers, is designed to compensate cyclists for wear and tear on their bicycles. Generous cycle mileage rates provide an incentive for staff to use bicycles rather than cars for business journeys.

The short paper 'A Free Ride' Results and Recommendations from the 2008 Spokes NHS Bicycle Mileage Survey, published today, includes a list of ten reasons why encouraging staff to make short business journeys by bicycle is beneficial to the employee, the employer and the community. The most pertinent reasons are that bike journeys are quicker, cheaper and healthier than equivalent journeys by car.

Mike Simpson, Co-ordinator of Spokes, said: "The results of this survey are both disappointing and encouraging. It is heartening to find that some Trusts provide excellent support for cyclists and clearly understand the financial, health and other benefits which can be gained from providing a generous cycle mileage rate."

However, it is also dispiriting to see how many Trusts have given no thought to encouraging their staff to use a cheap, fast, healthy alternative to the ubiquitous car. As Britain's biggest employer, the NHS has a responsibility to promote sustainable transport - and it clearly has a duty to promote employee health and public health.

Ends

For more information, contact Mike Simpson on 079444 03261 or mike.simpson@networks.nhs.uk

More Information: www.networks.nhs.uk/spokes

schminke

This site http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/ might be helpfull

Stormtrooper

schminke wrote:

I bought my Specialized Allez with Swansea NHS Trust last year.They built shower rooms equipped with heated wire lockers as well :javascript:emoticon(':D')
Very HappyD

Who did you contact in swansea nhs? As i have just started there and would like to enter into the scheme aswell.

schminke

Unlucky stormtrooper, it seems the scheme has been suspended, we were promised a second wave of purchases but this hasn't materialised.The travel plan co-ordinator at the time was Rhodri Davies who has since moved on to finance.( I think) Notification was required through HR so contact them for the current status of the scheme. Let me know how you get on.

wiffachip

gateshead council loves cycling, it has a bike week next week with all sorts of initiatives going on

but it hasn't signed up with the scheme, although it reckons it will be soon

lots of employees are putting off buying bikes, hoping it will be sooner rather than later

Stormtrooper

schminke wrote:

Unlucky stormtrooper, it seems the scheme has been suspended, we were promised a second wave of purchases but this hasn't materialised.The travel plan co-ordinator at the time was Rhodri Davies who has since moved on to finance.( I think) Notification was required through HR so contact them for the current status of the scheme. Let me know how you get on.

Contacted the fella in question and he said he would be haveing a catalouge in the next few weeks and there is a roadshow showing some of the bikes during the begining of july in the canteen.
Who supplied the bikes last year?

DA_BURB

It's up to individual trusts to go into a cycle to work scheme. I have just got mine (University Hopsital Birmingham) to set up a scheme with Cyclescheme. The Cyclescheme staff are very helpful but there is still a bit of work to do internally, which I di myself. Oddly enough, the bigger the organisation, the more admin involved internally and the harder it is to get these sort of schemes set up. A Bicycle User Group can help put pressure on management - and try and get a pro-bike director to push it!

DA_BURB

Another potentiallu helpful site: www.cyclefriendlyemployers.org.uk

robhowes

One of the issues with some of the C2W providers is that they are only interested in schemes to lots of employees. We can provide a scheme for a single employee if that's what's required. Maybe that will help.

Lots more info here: www.cycletoworknow.com which you can of course send to your HR dept.

Rob

schminke

Stormtrooper wrote:
Contacted the fella in question and he said he would be haveing a catalouge in the next few weeks and there is a roadshow showing some of the bikes during the begining of july in the canteen.
Who supplied the bikes last year http://www.wheelies.co.uk/

Miklos_Dora

Just wondering if anyone works for Plymouth PCT?

Have tried contacting them today about the cycle to work scheme and they were unable to help out at all. The 'person' who may be able to answer as to whether it is possible to do it or not is on leave until mid August.

iknowgungfu

I think Sheffield Teaching Trust maybe about to start this too (Radiographer here -one of a few it seems on these boards!).

Intersting about claiming milage back though! 6.2p a mile 7mile journey there and back. 14 x 6.2=86.8p

86.8p x 5=4.34

So one month would get me about £17ish. Not bad to be paid to keep fit though! I will kepp my eyes open for this (however, I am not on AfC contract so I guess I will have to miss out).

Downwardi

Is there anything about the NHS having to offer washroom facilities ?

A lot of Trusts have departments offsite and so only offer facilities in the Main Hospital sites