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.

But this takes the biscuit tin.

Not just through selection prior to acceptance onto training but at every step throughout training and in working life. Character is very important.

That was in response to those complaining that takeaway food is taken in to hospitals at night time and that staff can go to the front of a line if or when needed.

Yes hospitals do close to the Take when there is no senior clinician on the on call shift. Do you work on the clinical frontline? No, obviously not otherwise you would know this.

These kindnesses have been thought of to try to ameliorate the already existing poor conditions but definitely worsened conditions in acute clinical areas.
To complain about that while not being in it or knowing anything about it does take the biscuit and is genuinely pathetic and mean spirited. These people are exhausting themselves in a crisis to save lives, not having A/L or weekends off, sometimes living in a temporary place to hopefully avoid infecting their children and all you hear on Mumsnet is ' Why can't we have the same?'

Of course if has everything to do with character- clinical staff are carefully vetted and checked for their background and for their suitability.

Ha, ha , fucking ha. Explain all the medical professionals who have been convicted of sexual assault then? The nurses and Doctors who have neglected patients. Who have harmed them. Who have been convicted of drink driving? Even killed people. Then there are those who have "just" stolen, lied and cheated. Of course the majority aren't like that but this idea that staff are saintly is insane, I spent years working for medical professionals. They are no different to anyone else. They are human, flaws and all.

Go read the continuing list of professionals who have been struck off the GMC. You'll find it enlightening.

That's a sweeping statement indeed. You want to be full of hatred for the NHS - carrry on. People are so entitled that nothing surprises me anymore on Mumsnet.

A sweeping statement? You're the one suggesting that they're all Saints without flaw. That's nonsense and harmful to the public who use the NHS and to the NHS staff themselves.

I don't hate the NHS at all but the staff are as human as anyone, and that means they are not perfect. Not angels or demons. There are a lot of amazing medical professionals out there. There are also bad ones, and there are many who have good intentions and care about their patients but who make mistakes as we all do. Acknowledging that doesn't mean that I hate them. Treating them as untouchable gods doesn't help anyone.

Not gods just under immense pressure and workload and doing their best? Is that really so hard to understand? Does delivered food on shift deprive others of it? No. If they use their discretion whether they feel the need to quickly get food in a shop post shift is that selfish if it keeps them working healthily ? No.

I'm not talking about them skipping the queues now. I'm talking about your ridiculous statements about them not taking advantage just because they work in a "service and vocational profession." And whittering on about their characters when their choice of career tells you next to nothing about that, regardless of checks.

There's no need to be so rude.

I really want to say you started it, but we're not in the school playground so I won't.

Actually that's not true as I said it's incredibly hard to get into medical school and nursing training and to continue to progress in training. The grades are not the issue- they are a given. The character and judgement testing and interviewing are the most stringent part. Throughout working life professionalism and behaviour are also continuously monitored.
That's the reality. If you don't like it, that doesn't change the facts.

Absolutely not. I'm a nurse and won't do it. Everyone else's time is as valuable as mine.

We are not the only people working.

I’m NHS (doctor) and I haven’t jumped the lines, not felt the need to as young and fit and no kids at home etc etc and where I work I still get enough time off luckily. But I don’t disagree with people doing it either. If you’ve never had to call someone up to tell them their relative has died then I’m sorry but you probably don’t understand how horrendous working in the NHS can be at times.

I do the odd covid ward day but most patients I see don’t have covid. For those who are just working on covid wards day in and day out I have so much respect for how they are coping with the emotional burden. Sometimes after a 13 hour day they might not want to queue, I think it’s understandable.

Was in Tesco a couple of weeks ago, NHS worker shows badge jumps to the front, goes in buys a packets of fags and walks out talking loudly on the phone about how they are not at work as self isolating - that really fucked me off!

Nope, they are not the only ones still working or putting themselves at risk, so I don't understand the special treatment!!

The woman across the road from me works in the hospital but isn't front line, she keeps going on about how great it is to skip queues - despite the fact she only works three bloody days per week and her husband is home all the time!

She has also started to post to her Instagram pictures of all the freebies being given out to NHS staff, the other day was a massive gift bag from Holland & Barrett, which she then promptly sold bits she didn't want on Facebook 🤬

I doubt a hospital will close down if the staff can't skip queues on their day off... Mind blown seriously. Wanting fairness for all key workers who work long shifts regardless if they work with covid or not isn't being moaning Minnie's either.
Personally I don't have to queue as I am a senior manager in a supermarket so can get my shopping after my shift but I have seen staff from the depot who are working 14 hour days and nights to cover for isolating colleagues queue they are heavy lifting the whole of their shifts so are exhausted too. They also have children they want to feed and see along with other key workers

Please do not think twice about it.

I think you deserve far more than just going to the front of the queue when you are exhausted from working on a Covid Ward.

I am so grateful that you and all the medical staff are risking their lives to save our lives.

After working 12 hour shifts in PPE you need to get home, rest and eat good food to keep well

Actually I think you should have your food personally delivered

I am a frontline nurse working on a covid ward and I can tell you some shifts are hard some are not. We have ppe which protects us which most professions don't have. We are very privileged compared to most key workers. Hero worshipping has gone to far..We have people fighting our corner believing we are working on horrendous conditions..We are not.
Care home workers are the real hero's in this pandemic and the quicker people realise this and let us nurses just get on with our jobs the better.
And no I don't queue jump in not a celebrity and flashing a badge is the equivalent of Do You Know Who I Am.
Don't believe everything you hear from nhs a lot of wards are empty it is not a war zone

This is really nonsensical to ask for opinions. It doesn't matter what people think. Shops have added priority NHS queuing, and if you want to use it do so. It's the shop's policy, they implemented it ...just like they've added certain shopping hours or 10% off food shops at co-op. There are loads of businesses that have added offers for NHS staff at this time.

If you’ve never had to call someone up to tell them their relative has died then I’m sorry but you probably don’t understand how horrendous working in the NHS can be at times

The vast majority of nhs workers don’t deliver death messages. In fact In our a+ e we’d never “Call someone up” to tell them a relative has died, that job would fall on a police officer to deliver personally. I was speaking to one officer recently who’d transferred from road policing as scraping up bodies from the road just got too much.

It’s a small thing but as you’ve used the example there are other professions who do these horrendous jobs - police and care workers.

I am not saying the nhs don’t do a great job. I am not saying it isn’t a horrendous job at times. I am saying the nhs don’t have the monopoly and there are others that deserve praise and the odd free meal. Care workers in particular who are on minimum wage and most of the time all they can do is help people to die and do their best to stop it spreading through their residents.

What overworked said. Spot on.

Has anyone said it’s only nhs workers that should get the early slot shopping hours (some shops allow other keyworkers to), the odd discountor be able to go to the front of a queue (that I’m sure is discretionary rather than company policy)

If you feel so strongly why not take it up with Sainsbury’s, Tesco’s and so on

Do you never allow someone you feel is in need more in front of you when at the till ? Or use the excuse well it’s bit a rule so I don’t

I'm actually getting embarrassed being a nurse. Do people actually realise how many people the nhs are failing right now.
Wards are empty all we are really focussing on is covid patients and even then they are left at home until they can barely breathe so as not to overwhelm us. We are coping by allowing others to suffer. Nothing to celebrate in my opinion.
My sister works in a care home pulling double shifts and crying herself to sleep at night. Where is her hand puts and can she skip queues. No because she isn't nhs. Maybe she should record herself crying and stick it on social media like I've seen some colleagues of mine do.
I know people mean well but nhs isn't as horrendous as some staff with their woe is me attitude suggests
It's my job and I'll keep on doing it until this is over then I'm leaving nursing for good because in all honesty this pandemic has shown a lot of entitled nhs staff. Exaggerating for sympathy. I love my job but this new grabby way nurses have turned is not a bit of me but we all get tarred with the same brush.

@overworkedandstressed Your honesty is amazing. Please don't give up nursing if you love it you might regret it.