AIBU to think that the NHS is in safe hands when the staff have this attitude?

[Busybusybust]

From a midwife who is going through a fairly traumatic marriage break up

'Yes that's the trouble. I need him to look after the kids so I have to see him. I can't go off sick. We are so short staffed & me going off too will just cause mayhem & impact on our women & babies even more. sad'

Midwife - I salute you!

The midwife deserves to be saluted, but unfortunately the NHS isn't in her hands and it is far from safe.

The balls up that is going on with the NHS at the moment is something I find genuinely frightening.

So agree - I physically ache from my day today. Didn't have any time for my own boys when I eventually got home as I was too tired and hungry.

Me too. I am so tired.

Im so fed up also of having to do bank shifts to keep my head above water.

I love my job- love it. Wish the NHS appreciated me.

and the government are proposing a 58% hike in registration fees, more pension contributions, later retirement age, no pay rises, staff shortages, UNSAFE midwife/patient ratios...

...because people like your midwife and the women she looks after are worthless, are not millionaires or criminal crooked politicians and therefore are much less worthy than the very rich, important people that matter.

Free at point of access healthcare? What a ridiculously civilised notion.

Agree agree agree. £120 a year just to be allowed to do our jobs. What total fucking shit. Am furious about this. And yeah, I am also bloody knackered, and the problem is that the staff will work and work and work through sickness and exhaustion, more than the legal hours because you want to be loyal and not let your colleagues down, cos you know full well that going off sick will make their lives even harder. Then mistakes will happen, people will be hurt or die and who will be blamed? Those same nurse who have worked their arses off. Not the people Who hold the purse strings who have cut staff and cut staff and cut staff until it is impossible to do a job safely - AAAARGH!!!!

Sorry for the derail, it's been a long fucking shift.

What you see is a staff member trying to maintain the level of service expected by us the public and their management/doh.

What you don't see is the reasons why the decisions are taken and the pressures behind these decisions.

I've had a long long day too. And its a long long tunnel ahead sadly.

This stoic attitude is the rule rather than the exception from staff at the coalface in the NHS ime.

Yes, you do get the odd knobhead nurse, midwife, radiographer, etc.

But the majority are doing an excellent job within a working environment that values them very little.

I've said it all along, the only people putting patients at risk are David Cameron and Co. But yes, when the inevitable happens as a result of the never ending cuts it'll be the exhausted, poorly paid, over worked nurse who is blamed. Who then won't be supported by the RCN. Unlike the medics who (quite rightly) get backed all the way by the GMC.

Oh, and add £22 per month to the RCN in addition to our registration! Grrrr.

I love what I do and would just like to be able to do it safely and get a proper pension etc in return!

I love my job. But I hate the way it makes me feel sometimes. I hate how under supported I feel from management and my governing body and I hate how drained I feel after a 15 hour day away from my family.

I am about to send off my application for my return to practice course - not sure wether to do it or not

YANBU to think there are many very dedicated and hardworking staff within the NHS.

The passage quoted, though, could be interpreted as meaning that the writer of it would consider going off sick due to childcare issues if they weren't short staffed. I don't think that's particularly admirable.

Or am I misreading it?

Our GP's surgery has a notice up saying that they will not be going on strike (despite agreeing with the strikers) because they feel "honoured" to be doing the job they do