Discrimination against working people?

[Ceci03]

AIBU to think this is discrimination? Have just signed up with a dentist and was lucky to get accepted as an NHS patient. But the receptionist said evening, early morning, and Saturday appointments are only for private patients. Seems unfair. I work in a place where I have to take annual leave for dentist and doctor appointments. Seems unfair but AIBU. Seeing as fulltime workers pay tax which goes to fund the nhs right?

No it doesn't just affect the OP- point taken. There is certainly a wider issue. However in her particular case I find it hard to summon up much sympathy.

Another one agog at the hypocrisy...Do come back OP and explain how you are entitled to subsided NHS dentistry when you’ve lived abroad and avoided contributions for what sounds like most of your working life.

...and we all wonder why the NHS is on its knees with professionals burning out. It's because of people who don't pay into it but regard themselves as entitled to have the moon on a stick ahead of everyone else

Plus there's the free treatment for children (braces aren't cheap!), my family dentist was a pretty fancy private practitioner when I was a child (family friend), who I was very lucky to get to carry out work when I was young (NHS corrective only kicks in at a certain age) with an artificially high/misshapen pallet, secondary set of baby teeth (think the Simpsons British book of smiles 😳). He offset his (expensive) private fees to do free dentistry/corrective procedures on children with Downs Syndrome (before waiting for the NHS to kick in on age), as he stated beyond basic dentistry they were often over looked, and treatment was harder to implement on older kids due to soecific SEN needs when they actually qualified under NHS treatment. So nope I don't think having to book an appointment for 3hrs annual leave is the worst thing in life to contend with.

We must be lucky we can get evening and weekend appointments at our NHS dentist.

Dentistry has now been privatised, you have to understand that. I've gone private simply because it is shit if I don't. Last NHS dentist I went to, who i could actually get registered with, was horrific, so I gave up. I overheard my private lot talking to, they said you will only get on the list if you're a relative of an existing patient. Thanks Tory voters, you got what you wanted. Fuck you.

We get evening appointments at the GP too.

Just popped in to see if the cheeky fucker has been back but nooooo!

@adviceneededon I was going to post similar. My HA messes ppl about with appointments. I had similarin the past when i was working.

I dont currently work as am a full time carer. But the no shows for appointments would really piss me off when i was.

A neighbour who was a paramedic couldnt cope with this, it just goes on and on so ended his tenancy and moved in with a relative.

YABU - that is definitely discriminating against (many) working people.

Hi @NewYearNewWho

Another one agog at the hypocrisy...Do come back OP and explain how you are entitled to subsided NHS dentistry when you’ve lived abroad and avoided contributions for what sounds like most of your working life.

It's not contribution-based. It depends on immigration status.

@HelenaDove He gave up his SH accommodation due to not being in to meet workmen? I've lived in a council house for 19yrs, and worked full-time throughout. Yes, sometimes I have to suck it up and take annual leave for repairs, but I'm sure I wouldn't/couldn't move back to my mums and leave £4k+ of flooring/build in fittings, decoration, 2 dogs and a child that 'floats housing', just because the gas engineer missed me being at work 🙁. I've read many of your posts and tend to agree with a lot, but even fully paid up home owners have to be willing to fit in with service engineers free slots. Even if you're paying a premium you sometimes just have to expect it won't happen within the next 24hrs or more and crack on.

EIGHT no shows for a gas safety check.. He worked nights so needed to sleep. They would promise him he would be first call of the day. Then either be very late so there wasnt time to go to bed or not turn up at all.

There is an estate currently having to have monthly gas safety checks. I can link if you like.

This time last year they were demanding that tenants be home for

discussion of replacement doors. We will attend in the WEEK commencing the letter said Not even an all day call. An ALL WEEK call.

2 stock conditon surveys

property inspections.

new doors put on electric meter boxes It was endless.

Council or housing association? Because there is a marked difference.

Council tbf - but I think I'm 'old stock'? And I honestly couldn't tell you who I now pay my bills to? As definately ex neighbours went to HA sell off, but I was exempt as semi detached so they were unable to sell, but we've passed through 3 change of ownership (according to rent paying offices) since, so who knows? My point is that whilst it's obviously far from ideal. My house is still standing, I pay my rent, report repairs (and have the option to reschedule around work). Yes, there's not always the outcome (nor prompt response), that you'd expect/like. But tbf my mum lives in a mortgaged house and she's had pretty shitty work done too. Nobody should expect substandard work ie housing/dentistry (as is this thread), but you also can't expect a BUPA standard service when you only pay for 'AA roadside recovery and tow assistance' 😳

No way am I giving up my defined hours contract plus long service to take a flexi contract where they can get rid of me for no reason.

Precisely- so you could leave but you'd rather not because there are pros and cons in every situation

Precisely- so you could leave but you'd rather not because there are pros and cons in every situation

Are you for real? The pros here of staying in a "safe" job are protection from dismissal for no reason, the ability to pay bills, buy food etc. Leaving that security in order to save some annual leave is foolhardy. Many, many people cannot afford to take that risk. Would you leave your job with guaranteed hours and security from being dismissed with no protection and swap it for a zero hours job that you could be dismissed from for no reason? That isn't a choice, that is necessity for many people in this country. Many people don't have a choice. That's why we need employment laws that protect employees because many people are trapped in a job. They can't just leave.

If this doesn't apt to you then you are very privileged and should maybe try to empathise with the people who aren't in your position. It isn't a choice.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras I really don't understand you.

You don't have guaranteed hours. You've said that - you have a minimum hour contract so if your workplace wanted to they could suddenly stop giving you 35 hours a week and just give you your minimum hours instead. You're not in a particularly safe position.

The ridiculous thing is, if you're only contracted 8 hours for example, you could say "actually I'm only contracted 8 hours and this week I can only work those hours because I have other commitments". You're actually in a much more privileged position than you think.

And yes, your workplace could then refuse to give you more than your contracted hours moving forward, but you have that option if you need it.

If you choose to be a martyr that's on you.

GiveHerHellFromUs

I do have guaranteed hours. I've worked in my job for 20 years so am on an old contract. I work set hours and set days every week.

All new employees are now employed on zero hour Flexi contracts. They have to be available for up to full time work each week but are only guaranteed 7 hours.

I am not on that contract. I have protection due to my length of service and guaranteed days and hours. I state that in an earlier post

The ridiculous thing is, if you're only contracted 8 hours for example, you could say "actually I'm only contracted 8 hours and this week I can only work those hours because I have other commitments".

No they can't do this. The contract States that the days and hours they gave when they were employed are the days and hours that they must be available up to 24 hours beforehand. So.if someone said, on recruitment, that they could work any day then that's what they have to be free to work until 24 hours beforehand.

I say again, I am not employed on that contract.

If you think that people employed on this type of contract are lucky or privileged then I'm amazed.

Dentistry has now been privatised, you have to understand that. I've gone private simply because it is shit if I don't. Last NHS dentist I went to, who i could actually get registered with, was horrific, so I gave up. I overheard my private lot talking to, they said you will only get on the list if you're a relative of an existing patient. Thanks Tory voters, you got what you wanted. Fuck you.

Most dental practices have always been private businesses, just like most GP surgeries. It's been like that for many decades - in fact right back to before the NHS was even started.

My sister works in a dental practice and has done for all her working life - nearly 35 years. They "officially" went private 20 years ago (yes, when Blair/Labour were in power!), but it wasn't "properly" because they kept on their "NHS freebie" patients, i.e. those on benefits, children, OAPs etc. It was only the patients who paid (paid the subsidised NHS rates that it) who they forced to go private, so basically those working! Same waiting room, same dentist, etc. If that wasn't bad enough, if a "private" patient became pregnant, they'd put her back on the NHS list so she didn't have to pay for treatment.

Talk about having your cake and eating it. And just as a reminder, that was 20 years ago under Blair/Labour, so it's absolutely nothing to do with Tories today - it's been happening a lot longer than that.

I think if you don't want a contract with those terms you don't accept it. They seem like the most bizarre terms ever (I acknowledge now that you personally are not on this contract - I missed that bit earlier).

If you have 20 years of service there'd be a bit of give and take from the company and if you're not willing to ask for it you won't be offered it.
You're basing your stability on being there 20 years which is fine and I completely accept but they could still make you redundant tomorrow.
I understand what you're saying in terms of starting a new job where you don't have any real rights in those first two years but I don't think you can blame anyone else if you're not willing to change or ask for anything different.

Dependant on your disability you may well be entitled to time off for appointments and they may be discriminating against you if they don't allow it. Have you looked into that?

Sorry @Hearhoovesthinkzebras that post above was for you

Thanks Tory voters, you got what you wanted. Fuck you.

Why don’t people do the most basic fact checking before they post inflammatory shit like this? It was the labour government in 2006 who made the changes that took most of the dentists out of the NHS.

How offensive to call this discrimination. Discrimination isn't an allegation to be thrown around casually. Educate yourself on how lucky you are. There are some people who cannot physically even get into a dentist office.