I have worked on both the clerical and clinical side of the NHS and I completely agree with the popular perception that the NHS is management heavy. I understand that steps are being taken to deal with this issue but improvement is slow. In my experience managers within the NHS like to make a lot of noise about how overworked they are when in reality they do very little. At one NHS office I worked in the women that worked there came and went as it suited them, spent most of their time gossiping and yet were paid ridiculous sums of money. Whilst all the nurses, midwives and doctors I know work far more hours than they should and constantly struggle to do their best whilst battling staff shortages. The NHS gets away with overworking and underpaying it's clerical staff because for most their job is vocation and something they do out of passion rather than money.

e bradley, birmingham,