Another one bites the dust (NHS IT Project)

[LondonManc]

Well yes, poor example but I am certainly not seeing enough teams of 30 leaving and blanket resignations to for that title to hold true. The maybe be 'contemplating'. Reality?

Full teams have walked elsewhere.

I certainly couldn't go inside IR35 and work in London without WFH at least 3 days a week on PS rates.

[MPwannadecentincome]

so the difference is work being given to them, is it? Hmmm...

Client to 3rd line support - the DBAs report a database won't open on the main server, no idea why, go get it back up.

Client to coder - we need an app to combine these datasets and present it graphically, using our usual coding standards.


Nope, can't see a difference myself.

Well the difference could be....

third line support - available at desk during strict times ready to respond to such a request

coder - ok will do that at a time and place of my choosing as long as I deliver to the requirements and standards given and within an agreed timescale

all depending on the actual working practises of course.

[sal]

Full teams have walked elsewhere.

I certainly couldn't go inside IR35 and work in London without WFH at least 3 days a week on PS rates.

The "problem" here is that in most cases out of 30 contractors team (in NHS of all places):

1) Some are already using Umbrella - so nothing changes for them
2) Some are local with minimal travel & accommodation expenses, so they might be happy to stay with some 20% rate increase
3) Some are perfectly aware that they are unemployable by anything but NHS and the like and will suck it up and stay

Chances of none of the above to be true are slim to none

[malvolio]

Would the third line support be obligated to take on or turn down work? Would they be able to claim they are not under SDC when they have to be available at certain times of the day and taking calls or tickets as they come?

Would a programmer, a DBA, a BA, a PM...?

Would a permie be subject to the same restrictions for the same reasons...?

I really don't see your point. There are no simple lines on one side of which you are in and the other you are out.

[LondonManc]

The "problem" here is that in most cases out of 30 contractors team (in NHS of all places):

1) Some are already using Umbrella - so nothing changes for them
2) Some are local with minimal travel & accommodation expenses, so they might be happy to stay with some 20% rate increase
3) Some are perfectly aware that they are unemployable by anything but NHS and the like and will suck it up and stay

Chances of none of the above to be true are slim to none

I don't doubt it. Hope they've got deep pockets come the retro-grab.

[SueEllen]

Would the third line support be obligated to take on or turn down work? Would they be able to claim they are not under SDC when they have to be available at certain times of the day and taking calls or tickets as they come?

It depends on the company.

I did 3rd line support briefly as a permie.

I could choose the hours I worked within reason - the employer had core hours you had to be there for. 1st and even 2nd line had to work shifts to cover 24 hours.

I had to fix things asap but the SLA I worked to wasn't clear. (I was moved because I worked too fast.)

I could either respond to a ticket with "This will be fixed in release xxx" and close it, OR refer the ticket to someone else e.g. if it was something I didn't deal with.

I didn't talk on the phone. I either found people in the building or emailed people.

[northernladuk]

I had to fix things asap but the SLA I worked to wasn't clear. (I was moved because I worked too fast.) .

I remember moving a lady off 3rd line once. She was utter crap. One of those people that got promoted just to move her on because sacking her was too difficult. Shook her hand, congratulated her telling her she worked too fast so was an ideal candidate for the new role.

Monday morning, no crap employee to deal with. Happy days.....

[SueEllen]

I remember moving a lady off 3rd line once. She was utter crap. One of those people that got promoted just to move her on because sacking her was too difficult. Shook her hand, congratulated her telling her she worked too fast so was an ideal candidate for the new role.

Monday morning, no crap employee to deal with. Happy days.....

I was only with that company for 4 months. I left because they had a big meeting to say they had funding for another 3 months...

That was the company that paid me extra holiday and didn't want it back, and then went in to administration while I was in my first contract.

Incidentally in my first contract they made 2 permies redundant.

[RonBW]

Part of the problem is that HMRC have given end clients little or no time to prepare for and implement these changes and very good reason to be nervous about getting it wrong.

Part of the problem is that HMT don't care - the budget for each department is fixed so if they have to increase rates then it's not a problem that HMT / HMRC have to deal with.

The moment this raises £1 in additional tax (regardless of the other costs elsewhere), this will be hailed as a success.

[DotasScandal]

This whole thing is designed to throw these types of contractors under a bus and rightly so

Welcome to CUK, where contractors revel in the misfortunes of other contractors at the hand of the HMRC....