NHS workers getting to the front of the queue

[Whatevah]

Queuing for B&Q yesterday, about a 30 min queue. Lovely weather so nice to be out in the sun.
As I was at the front of the queue someone came up, asked if NHS could go straight in, guy said yes, and in they went.
I think it’s bloomin’ cheeky to go to the front of a queue just because you work for the NHS. There, I’ve said it. I’d never do it and think people who do are taking the p. There are plenty of discounts, offers, special hours and general public adoration being directed at the NHS. And it is deserved. But I think it takes a certain person to saunter to the front of the queue, and think it’s highly unfair on others. Especially as so many are working still, and don’t get this ‘perk’.
It really annoyed me.

@teqcar oh yes the hundreds and hundreds of people with their leaky toilets and houses beyond disrepair that have been queuing up for their essential B&Q trip...

B&Q is not an essential shop, and I very much doubt most people aren’t shopping for paint for their living rooms or flowers for their garden.

I can’t get enjoyed about queue jumping, because they really shouldn’t be a queue to jump

*annoyed

NHS worker here and not front line. I haven’t used my badge to queue jump but have taken advantage of nhs hours at the supermarkets.

Please, when you are slating the “non” frontline staff, bear in mind that some of us are going into a hospital to work where we run the a high risk of catching covid 19 from our colleagues-the admin staff don’t isolate from the clinical staff who have been in contact with covid patients. We then have to go home to our families and hope we aren’t taking it home to them, that’s without running the risk of passing it to you in the queue for Tesco’s. One of my close nurse colleagues has recently tested positive, I work in the same office as her-I am admin, she does her admin two computers away from me-our office is 8ft x 12ft without a window. So yes the admin staff are as much at risk-but you wouldn’t know that if you hadn’t worked in that situation.

Fair point Josh. I think I had in mind staff who are currently working from home, or in the case of one woman my mother spoke to... a retired employee who had kept her badge so was using it to queue jump.

I'm a nurse, absolutely no way should we get priority. As you say, other people are also still working. I'm absolutely sick of the NHS worship. Especially as we've been really quiet for weeks now!

And I agree that B&Q shouldn't be open.

Reading these replies is making me feel quite unwell.
People's attitudes towards NHS admin staff is quite disgusting, actually. Did it ever occur to anyone that someone has to run the behind the scenes of hospitals? Yes, front line NHS workers are so important, but how do people actually think the clinics run without admin staff working sometimes 12 hour days on the paperwork that comes with emergency appointments?
So many high & mighty people on here, slating "NHS admin" jumping the queue. Which is rich coming from people who are furloughed and do have all the time in the world to queue!

Someone else said it right on here: just because you do not use your NHS badge to skip a queue does not mean someone else shouldn't use that privilege.

Of course you are being unreasonable. They are the ones going to work whilst most others are shopping at BnQ. They don't have spare time.

I am a nurse and if I am on my way home from a shift and there is a queue for Sainsbury’s to do my weekly shop I will show my badge to skip the queue but otherwise no. It’s so cheeky and I hate the whole queue staring and tutting!

This reminds me of my sister in law who is a physiotherapist on maternity leave since last year but uses her card for all the current benefits!

For something like that it's cheeky as fuck. For essential food it's acceptable .

But the fact the COVID deaths in NHS staff are in line with the general population when the NHS is the countries biggest employer shows that NHS staff are actually at no greater risk than the general population.

I do get a bit annoyed when people seem to think it's only NHS staff who are working longer hours in conditions they didn't anticipate. Not taking away from their roles and how hard it is at the moment, but many other people hardly see their families either- and every time someone bumps the queue that's them waiting more time too. I wonder how many go shopping instead of a partner to queue jump when that's surely more risky???

@Cookies47, our ward receptionist is the most important person on the ward. Nurses are easily replaceable, but if she's off on holiday. We've had it! She does stuff that we can't do. And always knows the answer to questions. We think she needs to live on the ward 24/7 and never be allowed holiday.

A family member is receptionist in a GP's surgery and I imagine she's the first to queue jump after reminding everyone of her keyworker status.

The nhS employs a hell of a lot of staff, so by the law of averages some of those people will be CFs, nasty people, criminals and, indeed, queue jumpers.

My next-door-neighbours are both hospital consultants. They are the most unpleasant pair you could imagine - boastful, self-satisfied, me first and they have had visitors into the bargain! Do I think every NHS employee is like them? Of course not. But unfortunately there will be horrid NHS staff, just as there are horrid workers anywhere.

@Cookies47 Its not about slating admin staff. The fact is, if you're not frontline, you're not as hard done by. And you're in no worse position than people with other jobs who work a 12hour shift as standard. There are a whole host of people who should be entitled to queue jump with your reasoning, yet ANYONE who works for the NHS has been given this privilege whilst many deserving people have not.

The reason for these slots was the publicity after a nurse working a 12 hour shift, found hardly any food left at a supermarket.

This was early in the lock down, and mostly the supply issues have gotten better.

However, the response by all of the supermarkets was to jump onto the compassionate capitalism bandwagon rather than addressing the supply chain, and how people shop.

Of course no one objects to the front line NHS staff having some sort of priority.

Unfortunately, some of the staff at supermarkets don't seem to be exercising much common sense.

My DH, who works 12 hour shifts in a very difficult front line role (not NHS) went to Sainsbury's last week and asked if could join the NHS worker slot showing his, 'essential worker,' letter on his phone, explaining that it was one of the only times he could shop, and was told that it was, 'only NHS.'

Think the whole priority shopping needs a rethink.

Im a frontline NHS working on a covid ward. yes its hard, yes my shifts are long but I have full PPE to do my job. I don't feel the risk of catching this virus is much higher than other key workers. yes nurses and doctors have died..so have bus drivers, school teachers, care workers, elderly, children. the major majority of covid deaths are general public not NHS staff. Im embarrassed with all this hero worshipping. Its horrible to see people die..im sure it was horrible for the police who had to deal with the two little kids who were stabbed in London..do they get to queue jump? What about care workers? my sister is in a care home and her residents are dying and shes trying her best to care for them with no medical training and hand sewn masks. Do they get to queue jump? the percentage of bus drivers who have died is higher than NHS deaths. Do they get to queue jump?
retail staff are at risk often with no protection at all, wheres their perks. I will never use my badge to queue jump. there could be others in the queue who are finished a 12 hour shift then going home to homeschool their children. We are all important one way or another

@overworked - you are truly gracious.

NHS staff although grateful for everything would much happier with better working conditions, safer staffing rather than all the freebies and queue jumping I'm sure. And I do agree other people also are valid of receiving things too.

This ^

Btw, receptionists are the first port of call when patients arrive at A&E/outpatient clinics so are classed as front line.
We take the patients details on arrival and provide them with follow up appointments/admission letters when they leave the dept. Twice the face to face interaction.

As a receptionist myself, I’ve been subject to patients sneezing/full of colds on arrival when they shouldn’t really be there/abuse when the clinic runs over, so very face to face and close up.

Staff who are working IN A HOSPITAL regardless of their role are putting themselves at risk. Admin staff can be on wards with Covid+ patients as I am. It is a very stressful place to be at the moment

And this, too ^

One of our admin managers passed away from COVID recently.

@ilovemydogandMrObama Thank you. Im not gracious im just tired of NHS worship. It was nice to begin with to be recognised in a positive way but myself and many of my collegues think it has gone too far.
Jumping queues, gifts and discounts when I am earning and many are not. So many peoples lives have been turned upside down and childrens education has been stopped to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed and I feel we should be thankful to you for that.
I am more worried for my baby sister than I am for myself. Care home workers everywhere deserve so much better and my sister is the true hero in my family. Far too many people are out risking their health and to put so much focus on one profession is just wrong.
We are all sons and daughters,mothers and fathers, friends and relatives. Every single loss of life is heart breaking from Nurses to post men, from care workers to public transport, emergency services to retail. This is a group effort from us all most of us are doing our bit.
I don't need perks, im not special im an everyday normal girl doing the job I trained for

@Overworkedandstressed I disagree u do sound gracious. And u are special and brave...And so is ur sister and every other key worker. Enjoy the perks u have been given for the most part they are deserved

I have used he NHS times to go shopping (in the first few weeks) but would never queue jump but I don’t do 12 hour shifts

I’m not front line but I am working with those that have covid. Sufficient PPE well we don’t have gowns which I would feel safer if we did and with ds going to school we are more at a risk.