To think Sainsbury’s haven’t really thought this through?

[ArgumentativeAardvaark]

Email from Sainsbury’s this morning about their efforts to keep stock on shelves and help the community during this crisis. All great. They have a dedicated hour three times a week for the elderly and vulnerable.

However they have now decided to extend access to that hour to frontline NHS staff. Staff who are going to be directly exposed to the virus every day, and who the media have told us will almost certainly get sick. Deliberately mixing with the elderly and vulnerable in an environment where people have to touch things.

Am I missing something here? Would they not be better to do a separate hour for NHS workers with a good clean afterwards?

And yes, I know that both if those groups are also free to shop at any other time they like, but it just seems strange to deliberately bring them together.

What do you people who are saying the elderly shouldn’t be out expect them to do if they literally have no one to buy groceries for them? My grandparents are under strict instructions to not go out and I will order online whatever is needed but some people have nobody and no access to an online order provision. It’s at least a step in the right direction for them.

I thought the same as you Op when I saw that email.

I think it would be better for NHS staff to have some sort of special access to the grocery companies websites and a certain amount of slots held back for them so that they can more easily book online deliveries.

Well hopefully NHS staff know how to wash their hands properly between patients and at the end of their shift - also they would know the importance of not wearing their uniforms when they go food shopping ?

I noticed this morning that Sainsburys had offered 8-9 Mon/Wed/Fri - our local Tesco is offering 9-10 Mon/Wed/Fri - thought they might have picked different days tbh, although the times are slightly different.

Not a great success at our local Tesco due to the number of people who went in earlier and grabbed stuff. Difficult for the shops to enforce it though. I hope it all settles down soon.

Why can’t the nhs staff have their food orders delivered to the hospitals?

Eh, really?

@LizzieSiddal
You do realise that hospitals have no capacity for storing staff shopping, it would be an infection control nightmare, and a lot of NHS staff don't have cars. Added to which, would you want to drag a load of shopping home on the bus at 9pm after a long, fraught shift??

Life you obviously didnt read my post properly.

Isaid food would be delivered to coincide with the ending of shifts, so the food wouldn't have to be taken into the hospital at all.

And for those without a car, food being delivered to the hospital car park area, for the staff to pick up and take home, would still be better than staff having to go to the supermarket and then drag a load of shopping home on the bus.

Well the alternative is that they have an NHS/Care workers special click and collect area at all the supermarkets, although I am not sure they could provide the service for any given number of staff members (given that such a large % of the working population work in those areas) - they'd be swamped.

And of course, not all NHS staff should need to use such services. Some will have partners who can access supermarkets.

@LizzieSiddal, and you clearly didn't read mine. The last thing staff want to do after a long, hectic, depressing shift is to drag a load of shopping home.

Added to which, what if the delivery driver is late/early? That's why delivery drivers are giving hourly windows to work in--they can't guarantee exact times. Also, ward HCPS rarely leave work on time and never know how late they will be.

The supermarkets need more allocated NHS hours (more than twice a week) or NHS click/collect, delivery slots.

HoxtonBabe Yes Ive noticed this too! Have gone to another nearby supermarket as no oven chips of any sort left in our local one ,but different supermarket stocked high with plenty of stuff! Thought it was because our local SB quite small(not extra) but my DF said same at mega SB nearby as well .

As far as I can see, there's no indication that Sainsbury's are reading the posts on their Twitter page saying what a dangerous idea this is.

Really stupid.

Looks like Sainsburys are practising a bit of social cleansing.

Agree totally. And another agreeing that there will be many who cannot get to a shop at those hours.

I appreciate that first thing was chosen for cleaning and stock reasons, but many could not manage that due to medication or pain etc that does not wear off until later in the morning.

Since Sainsburys have no email contact theses days the only way, other than queuing for hours on the phone (or being disconnected as they are too busy) is to Twatter at them, which I don't have and do people like my gran.

and NOR* do people like my gran.

why not utilise one of their vans to an old fashioned travelling shop in the car park at the hospotal - so workers can get milk, loo rolls and basics. OK not a full shop but these people do not generally walk alone they have family and friends for the rest

ATM unless you are a member of the RF, or have lots of willing friends /neighbours in a small village/lots of family nearby ,a lot of oldies are going to struggle with their food shop! Saying they shouldnt be out at all is not helping anyone who needs to go out for provisions ,and will frighten them.In a perfect world people would just pick up what they need .This is unprecedented and people will panic ,Whatever measures Supermarkets take ,they cant please everyone .For all the people in the NHS( you are doing a Sterling job BTW and Thank you) ,there is a young Mum with children worrying whether she can get enough for her family or people who live a long way out and cannot get to the shops early ,large families and so on .Every little helps as they say ,and if even one person is helped by a certain slot to go shopping its goes a long way in a crisis !

Markses are doing separate priority hours. Vulnerable twice a week and key workers, twice a week.

If Sainsbury's and the other supermarkets are serious about trying to help perhaps they could set up staff shops at hospitals.

That'll teach me to read further than the first page. Shot down in flames ☄

Over 70’s should be SI. Not going to the supermarket. Why isn’t this message getting through.

Perhaps because many have nobody to shop for them and they don’t want to starve to death?

As Shami Chakrabarti said the other night, on Newsnight. It’s all very well saying “go home, shut the door and self isolate but for anyone who’s NOT hoarded, they’re going to need to eat” and the Govt. needed to ensure people have basic foodstuff.

The elderly and vulnerable should not be shopping anyway. There are so many volunteers offering to help them. We need a lock down as people aren’t quite getting this. Until a relative of theirs dies. Then it’s too late

@PussyWillowPeach, I think online ordering has suffered a massive hit. People on here were saying they couldn’t get deliveries for 3/4 weeks