I am a paramedic on strike today. AMA

[ParamedicOnStrike]

Hi from the freezing cold picket line. Any questions related to the strike, the current state of the NHS or general paramedicing feel free to ask.

Disclaimer: obviously answers are based on my own opinions and experiences. They may not be the same for other paramedics/EMTs or in other trusts.

The strike was on Friday. I worked yesterday but I'm not on shift today. 😊

Derail away, I'm interested in this too!

@ParamedicOnStrike good 👍

@ParamedicOnStrike Hope you can ignore those who feel that the withdrawal of labour is some sort of immoral/criminal act. I'm glad that the supine attitudes that have existed since the Thatcher era are being challenged, it is about time. People have been scared and/or disinterested for too long and look where it's got us.

@SherbetDips www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk/

@ChungusBoi things are horrific in the police. I daren’t tell you how few officers are covering the major towns in my county. Big towns, with football tea, and air hub. Police leaving in droves, not helped by the PR exercise of Boris ‘Recruit 20000 new police officers’ - firstly, it’s REPLACING the 20000 we lost since 2010. Secondly they’re a HUGE training drain, and take a large amount of officers to mentor them starting out. Thirdly, if we don’t get our quota through to confirmation, we don’t get the money for any, so you can feel the pressure to ‘pass’ them.

We can’t recruit uniform to detectives in force because the caseload is horrific and they constantly feel like they’re failing victims. There’s 6 different entry routes but no resources to support that. The pension has been so eroded experienced officers are leaving and taking the hit. Every time one of these predators emerges morale dives even further, as it is we’re never popular but public opinion is at an all time low, no wonder.

Yes, we’d love to strike. Not for money, God knows we get too much enforced overtime and no time off to spend it! DH generally does 60 hour weeks, I’m luckier because I’m in a support function, only about 45 hours for me.

Most of us want to do a good job, and put baddies away. But for a plethora of reasons, we can’t.

Thank you for replying @Bunnyfuller I am sorry things are so difficult for you too. I suspected as much.

I can ignore opinions based on misinformation and media hype.

It is disheartening when someone has been given a factual and thought-out reply but chooses to ignore it in favour of a flippant comment.

Wow.

Just wow.

I had no idea things were this bad. For what it's worth I think you're all fabulous- I couldn't do your job for all the money in the world and I have had a great experience almost every time I work with police colleagues. Because you are my colleagues, and you always will be 👮🏻‍♀️

What a brain dead response. You received a well measured and in depth (and far more polite than you deserved) reply from OP explaining why their were no additional deaths caused by the strikes, contrary to your initial little dig. Instead of either engaging or going away quietly, you've come straight back with this flippant nonsense.

If you don't understand the reasons for striking (not because paramedics fancy standing outside posting on Mumsnet) and you aren't interested in learning about them, it's very strange that you've actually managed to develop an opinion on it at all. How can you have reached a conclusion when you quite obviously don't have a clue what the issues are in public services and seemingly have no interest in finding out? Bizarre.

@Puppers Not really, it’s a difference of opinion. I don’t agree with striking and holding the general public to ransom. Im not brain dead thanks tho

@ParamedicOnStrike my opinions have nothing to do with media hype and misinformation. You’re not interested in my opinion so why would I take time to care about yours?

@SherbetDips you understand and yet all you can do is put forward false arguments about striking causing deaths and striking workers wanting to spend time on social media. Nobody is interested in your opinion because you haven't actually put forward any relevant points of discussion; you've just repeated right wing media tropes and misinformation.

I also didn't say you were brain dead but again, don't let facts get in the way of your "opinions" 👍

Hi there

I don't think I said anything about you personally did I?

If you look at my responses to other posters upthread, you'll see I do in fact respect other people's viewpoints and opinions, just as I respect any ofy collegeus decisions not to participate in the strikes.

You haven't given me much opinion to commebg on- you first said you hope no one dies due to the strike, and then told me to get off social media and back to work. I believe I answered both of your posts in a respectful manner- I explained that there have been no unnecessary deaths and that we have continued to provide cover, and I clarified that yesterday I was not on social media during work hours.

If you want to give me your opinion on the strikes, I will offer a counter-point, but I will respect your opinion nonetheless. Just as I hope you will respect mine.