NHS night shift workers

[deflatedbirthday]

I'm looking to find out what, if any provisions, other Trusts offer for those on night shifts or whether what we have is the norm.

All of our cafes shut at 6pm and the shop shuts at 8pm in the week (earlier at weekends). There are several overpriced vending machines selling only confectionery, and one sandwich vending machine that's almost always empty and only takes change.

Essentially if you don't take food in you're snookered. Unless you pay for an expensive takeaway.

Work frequently send out wellbeing emails with articles about night shift wellbeing etc but seem not to provide any provisions to help. Day shift staff benefit from discounted canteen meals and coffees. On nights we only have access to expensive (and awful) vending machine coffee or bring your own.

Does your Trust provide any service for night staff?

I’m a community nurse who works OOH, so permanent nights 8-8.
We get a 30 minute break. If we can get back to the office we have it there, otherwise it’s in a lay-by somewhere.
We have a hot water boiler, fridge and microwave in the office. I just bring some sandwiches and keep them in the car as you never know if you’re going to get back to the office to heat food up or not. It’s not ideal.

When I started my training you could get a hot meal and a hot pudding, now it’s nothing.

DH's does, but only started quite recently. The staff canteen is open overnight, not very much choice but better than it was when nothing was open! There are also some microwave vending machine type things, sounds gross but when he's forgotten dinner or been extra hungry he's enjoyed them enough.

Our staff canteen opens for a few hours from midnight but the food is crap. Otherwise is vending machines . Rubbish really. A nearly universal situation

I’ve just finished 3 10 hour night shifts in a psychiatric hospital. In terms of amenities, we have practically nothing. Even the staff room is kept so cold that it’s practically unusable-even though the wards are warm. As for food, if you don’t bring your own you’re screwed. We get an hours break, but honestly I think the cold staff room and lack of food is an attempt to get us back to the ward as quickly as possible. Lets them keep staffing low!

Well, patient sandwiches do go out of date at midnight? Nowhere to buy food. Our break room has vermin and is freezing at the moment (and it is kept clean) but breaks are difficult to manage anyway.

The community nursing at night conditions described above sound awful though.

I don't do night shifts, but do work at a hospital and sometimes have to be at work before before 6am. Costa Coffee is open 24/7 and sells M&S sandwiches and toasties as well as their own stuff. Monday to Friday Smiths is open till 10pm. There are some vending machines near the canteen selling ready meals which the machine heats up for you. Sounds like there are lots more options than in many places.