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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Fucking Jobsworth [word removed by MNHQ]

162 replies

FATEdestiny · 19/01/2016 11:49

Fucking, bastarding jobsworth [word removed by MNHQ] at ASDA pharmacy refused to sell me a large (6 treatment) bottle of nit treatment, but I could buy three smaller (2 treatment) bottles.

Just because they are twatfaced "computer-says-no", no common sense, jobsworth twonks.

DS6 scratchy head last night. I suspected bedtime stalling tactics said I'd check properly the following day. DS10 scrubbing his head with brush this morning - asked what's wrong he said his hair itches. DD11 then pipes up that her hair has been itching too.

Three school aged children plus 1 baby means not loads of time in the morning. Not time to go through hair with a fine toothed comb (literally). Quick flick thro their hair to check they are not riddled and reassuring them it is no reason to stay off school.

I said I'd get treatment today, check with a nit comb afterschool and treat then if needed. But oh no. I cannot buy nit treatment without first confirming I had actually physically seen a headlice that day.

I should have just fucking lied to the sourfaced jobsworth behind the counter.

Twat.

Actually the twats are those who use the nit treatment stuff as a preventative and encourage resistance to the active ingredients. If it wasn't for these twats then sensible but busy Mums like me could but big-family-sized nit treatment and have it in the cupboard ready for when it is needed. And be trusted to only use it when it is needed.

Twats the lot a ya!

OP posts:
MNHQ
BeccaMumsnet · 19/01/2016 13:05

Hi all - we've removed the word "moron" from the title and the OP.

We do consider it to be disablist, although we can see the OP didn't intend to use it in this way.

Thanks to those who reported.

Vaginaaa · 19/01/2016 13:06

Still missing the point that the pharmacy assistant doesn't make the rules and probably can't override them without risking her job in some way.

Much easier to complain about the poor sods that also have the follow the ridiculous rules with added abuse from customers thrown in than actually complain to people who could change it though :)

PrimalLass · 19/01/2016 13:09

Lice treatment does not work

It does.

fidel1ne · 19/01/2016 13:10

To be fair Vagina there is no reason to think OP gave the assistants any 'abuse'. She's just letting off steam here.

Vaginaaa · 19/01/2016 13:11

I didn't say she did. I said "customers".

fidel1ne · 19/01/2016 13:12

I know, I just wanted to clarify that she is distinct from that group AFAWK.

Pipbin · 19/01/2016 13:13

The pharmacy assistants who you are busy being so very rude about didn't make these rules. Nor did they force you to have 4 children.
Jobs worth is used as an insult but these people would quite possibly lose their jobs if they didn't follow the rules.
Yes the rules are stupid but it is not their fault.

Oh, and as someone who is infertile I really fucking hate the 'you don't have children, you don't understand'.

Original poster
FATEdestiny · 19/01/2016 13:15

NHS advice isn't to keep children off school. Truth is the classrooms would be half empty if they were. Headlice can be very difficult to spot and itching can take weeks to start (if it starts at all - the itching is caused by an allergic reaction to the lices' saliva and not everyone is allergic) so the reality is by the time they're detected in hair they've probably been present for some time anyway....

Indeed.

....Having said that, I couldn't in good conscience send children with headlice to school. So I'd be getting them out with the nitty gritty and then into school ASAP.

I nitty gritty every bathtime. We don't bath/shower the kids every night but they are checked at least 2 or 3 times a week. I have either missed these, or the children don't have headlice after all.

As mentioned, I didn't have time to adequately nit comb before school. I have half-heartedly (for me - maybe this would be other peoples full nit checking - but to be this would take hours and hours to do properly) and found no lice or eggs - so sent the children to school. But I feel a thorough checking is needed to be certain.

The children were at swimming club last night, this could be the cause of the itching (?), or something else. They may not have headlice. This evidently is the very reason I was refused nit treatment.

They were last nitcombed Sunday night. Swimming Monday night, today is Tuesday and they are itching.

**

Hmmmm. Have you heard yourselves?

Then report it, worra. Huh? To whom? The OP's local authority? The chair of governors?

Interesting post there, since you are talking to the Deputy Chair. I suppose I could have a quick chat with our Chair. Not exactly sure what anyone thinks she'd do? Confused

OP posts:
fidel1ne · 19/01/2016 13:16

Nor did they force you to have 4 children.

Woah. That isn't actually any better than 'you don't have children....' Pip

Vaginaaa · 19/01/2016 13:16

You didn't need to clarify it to me. I am reading the same thread you are :)

Original poster
FATEdestiny · 19/01/2016 13:16

although we can see the OP didn't intend to use it in this way.

Sorry Becca Blush. I didn't and thank you for removing it.

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 19/01/2016 13:18

Fate - I suspect that the ASDA employee was doing all she could to help you. It is not her fault that she was not allowed to sell you the 6-treatment bottle - she doesn't make the rules, and you do understand that she could be disciplined if she breaks the rules, don't you?

However, faced with a frazzled mum, who needed 6-treatments-worth of nit lotion, and banned by her company's rules from selling you the big bottle, she made sure she found a way for you to get what you needed - that is bloody good customer service, in my book!! Not a reason to rant about her.

If you want to rant about anyone, rant about whoever made the rules, and would discipline the member of staff if she broke them!

fidel1ne · 19/01/2016 13:19

I just thought you could be misinterpreted Vag Smile

Borninthe60s · 19/01/2016 13:21

Oh bless. Tea tree shampoo is really good deterrent as is conditioner as it makes hair slippy!

Vaginaaa · 19/01/2016 13:21

I'm sure I can explain my own posts if anyone had any confusion or misinterpreted it :)

fidel1ne · 19/01/2016 13:22

Okay V. Shout if you need more help x

Katenka · 19/01/2016 13:36

I challenge anyone here to say this is logical and makes perfect sense. It doesn't it cannot be dressed in any sensible way.

It doesn't make sense. But that doesn't make the staff a 'jobs worth'. The rule is stupid. But it's the rule and I wouldn't expect her to put her job at risk so it makes more sense to you.

Original poster
FATEdestiny · 19/01/2016 13:43

the pharmacy assistant doesn't make the rules and probably can't override them without risking her job in some way

And SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius who makes a similar point.

See I would question that. In a world where "computer says no" exists and no initiative is allowed, I can see that there would be no flexibility.

This pharmacy assistant went out of her way to show me how to bend the rules by advising me to buy multiple smaller bottles.

So evidentially she had enough initiative to understand what I was saying, understand why I wanted 6 treatments and find a way to make that happen. This would be no different whatsoever to her saying "I cannot sell the big bottle to you unless you have actually seen a live lice. So, did you say you had seen a live lice this morning? ".

It is still bending the rules. It is the same outcome. It is not getting her the sack because I would answer "Yes. I saw lice in my children's hair" (what I should have said in the first place and what I will always say in the future now I know) so she is within The Rules to sell to me.

Same end-result. But I would have not needed to express my exasperation (I was not abusive, but I did point out how silly the policy was to the assistant) and I get exactly what I asked for. So the best possible customer service.

OP posts:
StillStayingClassySanDiego · 19/01/2016 13:45

I challenge anyone here to say this is logical and makes perfect sense.

But your OP was about how useless you felt the staff were in not ignoring it and your anger at them not doing what was right for you.

timelytess · 19/01/2016 13:49

I have tried to use the pharmacy in Asda, three times. On each occasion the staff have been obstructive. I feel your pain, OP.

grannytomine · 19/01/2016 13:49

I don't understand how using nit treatment as a preventative causes resistance. If you use it and they have nits hopefully it kills them. If you use it and they don't have nits then the nits aren't there so how can it cause them to build up resistance?

Actually nit treatments aren't cheap, I don't think many people will be buying loads to use when kids don't have nits. Maybe I'm just tight.

EponasWildDaughter · 19/01/2016 13:54

Upthread - ''it kills them when you smother them in it''.

I thought this. I did a little experiment one night: i put a dollop of treatment onto a live nit on the side of the bath. It was still alive in the morning! Shock

From that day i didn't buy any more treatment and relied on conditioner nit combing my 3 DDs hair every other day at least weather i thought they had anything on there or not right through primary school. It worked. I never saw another nit on them.

CakeFail · 19/01/2016 13:59

But your OP was about how useless you felt the staff were in not ignoring it and your anger at them not doing what was right for you.

^^This. Your original, angry OP was directed specifically at a member of staff, not at the policy (which I agree sounds ridiculous). So for that YABU and a little bit aggressive.

WorraLiberty · 19/01/2016 14:00

Interesting post there, since you are talking to the Deputy Chair. I suppose I could have a quick chat with our Chair. Not exactly sure what anyone thinks she'd do?

Nor me really, apart from looking into a possible policy change? You know to bring your school's policy in line with most others, so that kids should be treated before being sent back to school?

It's pretty daft to allow parents to knowingly send their kids in, when they have lice.

FireCrotch · 19/01/2016 14:05

I don't use Asda pharmacy for anything now. Trying to buy thrush treatment last year was difficult. I didn't fancy talking through my yeasty woes in the company of a sniggering 18 year old trainee. Op if you have a Lloyds chemist near you they supply you with all the nitty paraphernalia you could want for free. They even lie and say they've seen a live louse. (They also do free vag related goodies if anyone cares. Not the cheap stuff either. They Canesten'd me up good. )