Should NHS staff go ahead in queues?

[JustOneLastThing]

I have only done it once, and got some evil looks from the others queuing. It was my only day off and was knackered and needed some essentials so thought 'just this once'-might not do it again!
It sort of felt like all the clapping in the world and rainbows doesn't mean much in the real world, but I might be a bit more careful about waving my lanyard around in the future (and yes, i'm frontline ward NHS staff working on covid wards fwiw).
Any thoughts from others very welcome.

Yes I do, dh is asthmatic and I work a full time week so I'm the only one who should go. I go to the front to get my shopping done before work, we have fridges or freezers at work, then I can spend time with my children at the wknd.
I used online shopping for ten years, now I can't get a slot because everyone suddenly wants one so yes i jump the queue so my days off are protected and I can catch up with Google classroom etc.

Yes and no.
MIL is a part time nurse, I don't think she should skip the queue as she has most days off.
But if you're doing back to back shifts then yes, I couldn't think of a worse way for you to spend your day off than in a queue.

I have only been able to join in the clapping once or twice because I’m putting my baby to bed at that time, but I’d happily let you or anyone else in the NhS go in front of me any time.

Ooh I've never had access to extra stock for being NHS. In Sainsbury's it's there or it's not.

For flour, it's not. Even first thing in the morning. So you can't blame us for having first pick. It wasn't there in the first place.

Hell yes! Jump the queue. Doesn’t bother me in the slightest I hope there are more ways you can be given little privileges. It’s a silent nod to your superior status in society at this time.

You don't have a Blue Light card then? You should get one

Definitely get one! I just got 20% off at charlotte tilbury

Yes, I have heard about stock being held back, not on shelves, excluded for the public, and reserved for NHS.

This is really really wrong on so many levels.

Yes, I think they should be able to if they need too. Your situation being the perfect example.

Will there be some piss-takers? Of course, there always are but common sense tells me most NHS workers will use this advantage sensibly.

I work in admin for the NHS.

I refuse to take advantage of any of the 'perks' or offers for NHS staff.
I am working from home and in no way am I putting myself at risk so would feel such a fraud if I did.

However, some of my admin colleagues who are in the same boat as me are taking advantage of everything going. I have told them it's wrong and the perks should be for front line staff only.

Yes I do think they should be able to jump the queue. Imagine working a night shift on your feet all day and then having to queue up for shopping.

I suppose the thing is there are an awful lot of NHS employees, and a great many of them have never been near a Covid patient. I would happily wave any front line worker ahead in the queue, but unless they wear "Covid Contact" t-shirts, we're not to know if they're an exhausted ICU nurse or a resting at home audiologist receptionist or, indeed, a consultant on maternity leave or an ambulance driver off sick with a dodgy knee.

Yes I see no issue at all with that .Would many people saying YABU like to swap places with you and put themselves on the front line of danger every sodding day then? We have been out each week to clap our Carers each Thursday night ,and for one of our Neighbours who is front line NHS as well.Hurt my ankle and was lying down in pain last night ,felt guilty I couldnt join DD and DH!

Yes.

I have / will never stand on my doorstep clapping, that strikes me as virtue signalling.

So, instead of that minute or 10 of making myself feel good, I'd much rather smile and wave you passed me in a queue.

I'll trust not many will take advantage. It won't make much difference to my day and could make a huge difference to yours.

Imagine working a night shift on your feet all day and then having to queue for shopping...

Lots and lots of key workers are in this situation.

The reason there has been a priority for NHS workers was after a nurse finished her shift and couldn't get much food. There was lots and lots of media coverage about this. This was in the very early days of lockdown, and an issue with the supply chain which mostly has calmed down.

I don't begrudge anyone who has worked a long shift, but think the reason for the priority has been resolved.

Unless you are trying to get flour.

Of course.

💐 for you op

Yes I do think they should be able to jump the queue. Imagine working a night shift on your feet all day and then having to queue up for shopping.

Lots of key workers will have worked a night shift on their feet, not just NHS. Care workers, retail staff etc.

I completely understand why they do it, I know I am fed up of spending my day off in a queue to buy fucking bread (and I have a health condition, go me), but I do think it’s a bit unfair, particularly when it’s non clinical or non frontline staff waltzing in front of a carer who doesn’t get any perks.

How do you distinguish between frontline covid 19 nurse or Doctor and a Secretary who has zero patient contact?.why should a non clinical NHS staff member go in front of a carer at a Nursing home? It should be all front line staff or none imo.

I'm NHS and haven't queue jumped. It feels wrong. I go shopping on my day off and have no need to jump to the front of the line. I can wait like everyone else.

The other day I went to my local Tesco express to put petrol in my car after work. I was the only person waiting outside with the security guard. A man came to join the queue wearing his NHS card on a lanyard and was immediately waved into the shop ahead of me. The security guard said to me 'he's very important, he is NHS'

I told him that I am also NHS but don't wear my badge round my neck to go to the petrol station. There was one person in front of that NHS worker (me). He could have waited an extra two minutes!

I’m NHS working part time from home at the moment.

Why should I jump a queue? But then I have a moral compass, some people don’t, they will flash their badge even if they are not frontline staff.

I’d be in favour of frontline staff jumping queues on the days they have to be in work, however it’s impossible to police that.

NHS shopping times are more than enough, thanks. Lots of other key workers don’t get that.

Wouldn’t bother me as long as they are not wearing their uniform as that’s disgusting ( community staff that have no choice excluded)

The problem is giving nhs workers priorities or perks in this way creates an arbitrary divide NHS worker=good & deserving, non-NHS worker=less worthy and deserving. This is obviously complete rubbish, for example no one would deny that a bus driver or care worker in a care home is any less ‘frontline’ or deserving of perks. Not to mention the hospital porters, cleaners, caterers etc who may not technically be employed by the NHS

Any as already mentioned above ‘NHS workers’ are massively diverse, how on earth do you decide which of them is ‘deserving’ of perks. It’s not just a black and white case of covid19 frontline nurse = deserving, medical secretary working from home = undeserving. Who gets to decide whether a clinical researcher, NHS middle manager, senior consultant on £100k+ are ‘deserving’!

Quite

all front line gets to go straight in at aldi- police/ fire/ nhs

i have used it but if i don't need to i don't, for example, if i'm on shift and have just been informed i'm being kept on, so need food i'll go to the front to quickly get food, or if i've worked my days off and i'm getting a shop in i my way home yes i will do it.

Also if i've has a horrific week / day at work (i work in child abuse and domestic violence) and literally just want to cry on my day off and can't deal with people i will also do this.

however i don't usually, but i have done and will do again if needed.

This is off topic a bit, but a lot of those offers are non-work related and require you to sign up with your NHS email to get them. In my work place using my email for non work purposes would be a serious bollocking offence. Is this allowed in the NHS?

I have no issue with the offers, just surprised an NHS site is promoting them when they require that. Different cultures I guess.

I wonder how many of those 🙄 were on their doorsteps on Thursday clapping and banging their saucepans, as visibly as possible, of course.

I’m both. I’m NHS, clapped with my kids, but don’t think we should be able to walk into shops