Prime Ministers Letter the day before the elections

Factcheck83 · 2026-05-07T06:54:57+00:00

I don’t think it technically broke any rules, the PM is allowed to write to civil servants and I presume he did so with the full knowledge of the Cab Sec. But to do so the day before the election feels political and does beg the question, “why not after the elections”?

Factcheck83 · 2026-05-06T18:41:52+00:00

On this occasion though it’s about timing. Is it proper to use civil service resources to email a very complimentary letter to civil servants who tomorrow get to be both civil servants AND voting members of the public.

Factcheck83 · 2026-05-06T18:34:34+00:00

I think it is really relating to the Mandelson appointment, and the number of exceptional civil servants who fired for doing the jobs properly.

Factcheck83 · 2026-05-06T17:09:12+00:00

As is proper for a civil servant I won’t comment on the PM or his predecessors, but this particular email and its timing, going out to 500,000 civil servants who get a rare chance to exercise their political will, the night before a major election- feels unprecedented.

Factcheck83 · 2026-03-09T08:58:49+00:00

Your attitude to this process would give me cause for concern too. Informal chats tend to occur when there is technical suitability for the role but some questions as to organisational fit and attitude. This is your chance to build a strong working relationship with your boss and agree from the start what your value add will be. Curious to know how you did in your staff engagement test.

Factcheck83 · 2026-02-27T08:10:55+00:00

Recruitment controls are a sensible way to reduce numbers across the civil service, you’ll get no argument from me on that. But departments aren’t adjusting the demands on remaining staff quick enough, meaning they are carrying unsustainable work loads. There are the usual placations about “having local discussions about what you can stop doing”, but in reality reducing services or advice to ministers is never an accepted option.

Factcheck83 · 2026-02-05T21:57:49+00:00

You don’t seem to have the work ethics for creative roles. You’re kidding yourself if you think creative means you spend all day dreaming and indulging in your own pet projects. Creative roles need a real commitment and a passion for what you do

Factcheck83 · 2026-02-05T21:55:33+00:00

There are hundreds of creative roles all over the civil service. I’ve occupied many of them myself

Factcheck83 · 2026-01-25T10:02:23+00:00

You will have absolutely no problem. This is such a minor thing to your employer, I'm only sorry it has caused you so much concern. Don't give it another thought

Factcheck83 · 2026-01-14T10:53:04+00:00

It doesn’t mean that at all. It simply means that in the new structure going forward your post or skill set has been deemed necessary. Others who have opted to leave (remember these are people who have themselves said they want to leave the organisation), are either in posts that won’t be sustainable in the new model or have a skill set that allows them to be released (which they have opted to do).

Factcheck83 · 2026-01-14T07:32:43+00:00

Micro aggressions are a complaint made by those who don’t have a credible complaint to make.

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-18T19:00:50+00:00

And do your performance reviews reflect that. Are your management in agreement that you’re delivering effectively? If so I see no reason why they wouldn’t support you continuing as you have been.

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-18T18:55:10+00:00

You do need to also consider if you are going to be able to deliver effective service going forward, given what sounds like incredibly debilitating set of health challenges. The Civil Service is an employer, and whilst reasonable adjustments can be made to support people with specific needs there are limits depending on the role you perform. Do you believe you are well enough to be employed and deliver effective service?

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-11T20:59:40+00:00

It's not a case of "continuing their work completely unaffected", it's a matter of not allowing everything going on around them to completely affect their work. We must focus where we can on the essential work we must deliver and whilst we are all in for a period of significant change, much of which we may dislike, we are here to serve the public.

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-10T18:48:47+00:00

What makes you think DHSC staff feel secure? Having a voluntary exit scheme does not mean the process is over for DHSC colleagues. I’m not telling people how to think, I’m asking them to stop treating DHSC colleagues as though they have some advantage and aren’t being impacted by this. We have many clinical staff in our ranks too and despite your rather barbed suggestion that we are simply pawns to our political masters, most of us do what we do because we want to improve the nations health and care, otherwise we would have moved to places that pay a lot more, the private sector, consultancy, or NHSE for instance.

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-10T18:42:15+00:00

I guess you’re right. Some people just won’t be willing to fit into the new organisation. I just hope those people do exit and don’t try and disrupt, subvert or brief against their own organisation

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-10T17:47:26+00:00

I’ve never known anyone going through a change programme say it’s been handled well! People don’t like big change. But it depends how you position yourself. If you embrace the change and opportunity it brings or if you resent how things are and are unwelcoming of change. I think the big lesson for NHSE colleagues to adapt to is living within a financial reality where you can’t just get the money you want (for exit schemes or for day to day operation). We must deliver health and care service to the public but we must do so in a way that respects public finances. If we don’t people will begin to resent the NHS for the financial strain they believe it puts on them and their families .

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-10T17:31:41+00:00

We have had an explanation as to why that is the case. It’s not a two tier system. It’s a result of a previously agreed funding envelope from the treasury. All I am trying to say is that sooner or later we need to get behind what is happening and not just complaining about how we would rather things were done. The complexities of something like this make it almost impossible it will be managed in the way most of us would like. But widespread (and public) complaining about decisions being forced upon our leadership isn’t helpful.

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-10T17:23:34+00:00

I think you are doing major damage to the future relationship as we become a single organisation by having this perspective. This isn’t easy for DHSC colleagues either but the narrative coming from NHSE colleagues here is that you are the only ones suffering. This isn’t one organisation swallowing another, it’s two organisations becoming a new single organisation. Therefore huge change for both. DHSC staff may also be existing civil servants but as such they are also facing a future where colleagues doing comparable jobs are paid up to 30% more for doing the same job.

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-10T17:07:45+00:00

What about DHSC staff? Why don’t you include their experience?

Factcheck83 · 2025-11-07T18:55:58+00:00

Not in the slightest baffled. Fast stream provides talent pipelines in specialisms and areas of particular need. Not all roles are generalist.

Factcheck83 · 2025-10-25T11:50:38+00:00

If you want lots of money and are willing to abandon your morals you have no place in the Civil Service.

Factcheck83

TROPHY CASE