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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why is my NHS employed SIL 'working from home'?

266 replies

emptyfridge · 02/04/2020 13:55

Really confused as to why the government are taking on thousands of volunteers to support the NHS and we are constantly being told of the immense pressure staff are under when my perfectly capable SIL is working from home apparently catching up on paperwork?

OP posts:
ilovemydogandMrObama · 02/04/2020 13:58

Think it has to do with the role they are doing, and my understanding is that the volunteers will be more front line help?

CornishPorsche · 02/04/2020 14:00

What is her job? My next door neighbour is an administrator for a cardiac department - shes WFH as she has no need to be in the hospital when she can work remotely. Why put her at risk when she's available this way?

BraveLittleDragon · 02/04/2020 14:00

Because the Government have advised that everyone who can work from home should do so.

Simple really.

P0lka · 02/04/2020 14:01

I'm not your SIL or her line manager so I couldn't possibly say why she's wfh. Whether intentional or not this comes off bitchy and mean

LellyMcKelly · 02/04/2020 14:03

Because she still needs to work - making appointments, writing up consultant notes, ordering supplies, updating patient records, developing new policies, accounting, etc. etc. - but doesn’t need to do it at the hospital? Why would the hospital put their staff at risk when they don’t have to?

CaryStoppins · 02/04/2020 14:03

Because everyone who can work from home should be at the moment Confused Where have you been for the last couple of weeks??

formerbabe · 02/04/2020 14:04

Because her job still needs doing and it can be done from home...I'd imagine.

Sounds like you don't like her

Icare1234 · 02/04/2020 14:05

The back office work still needs to be done. The front line drs, nurses, cleaners, porters etc cant do it without backup. For example fielding calls from or to patients whose appointments have been cancelled or whose non Coronavirus issue has got worse.

foamrolling · 02/04/2020 14:06

Well what does she do? I know other nhs workers working from home - they work in admin and have no medical knowledge. Why would they be forced to work in an office if they don't need to be?

totallydevoidofideas · 02/04/2020 14:07

Ask her.

NotEverythingIsBlackandwhite · 02/04/2020 14:08

apparently catching up on paperwork?
Did SIL say she is catching up on paperwork? If it is apparent (as in quite clear) then why are you questioning it? You sound quite bitchy.

Apparently you don't believe or like her.

Chocolatear · 02/04/2020 14:08

I'm a nurse, in a child related community role.

Most of my team are working from home. I'm on a zero hours (bank) contract so not working at all. If a role is found for me I will do whatever is needed.

Flavarings · 02/04/2020 14:09

My DSis is a midwife, and WFH shes in the "most vulnerable" category so her work have swapped her from ward duties to being a booking/helpline midwife for the foreseeable.

AmelieTaylor · 02/04/2020 14:09

Because I think, even given how bad things are, they haven’t started gowning up admin staff to tend to patients just yet!

FFS.

weaselwords · 02/04/2020 14:09

Mental health services in my area have switched to phone and video calls and a lot of us are working from home.

Chemenger · 02/04/2020 14:10

Can't find any families walking past your house in groups of more than two, or people buying chocolate in the supermarket to moan about OP?

Everyone who CAN work from home SHOULD work from home, as has been said about a million times on every news medium. She is working so can't do any of the roles the volunteers are taking on.

Stompythedinosaur · 02/04/2020 14:10

I'm an NHS mental health nurse who's working from home much of the time. We have tech to deliver therapy via video link, also a large part of my role is child protection conferences etc which are all now held by Microsoft teams.

There's more to the NHS than inpatient wards.

I might be pulled back on to a ward at some point, and then o won't work from home, but the kids I look after can't easily just be left without mental health care.

OtherVoices · 02/04/2020 14:10

Because she's doing work related to her role.
Surely you can see that her department won't have just stopped/ closed down? She'll have a multitude of things to do in her own role.

whistler2020 · 02/04/2020 14:11

Maybe she has an underlying health condition that you aren't aware of or maybe she's in the early stages of pregnancy and has to wfh?

Ninkanink · 02/04/2020 14:11

You really don’t understand that? Really?

There are lots of roles in the NHS. Some of those are administrative and can be done just as easily from home. In which case they should be.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 02/04/2020 14:12

Obviously it's because she CAN? If she were a heart surgeon then I could understand your confusion but I'm going to take a guess and say she's probably admin

DefConOne · 02/04/2020 14:12

Maybe catching up on paperwork until her Trust can allocate her to a different role? We have had a request for A&C to redeploy if necessary but it’s taking a while to roll out.

Monsterjam · 02/04/2020 14:12

Would it not make more sense to ask her ? How are a bunch of strangers on MN going to explain it to you, or perhaps you were looking for people to slate her with

transformandriseup · 02/04/2020 14:13

I have a finance position in the NHS and was told yesterday to work from home to protect the medical staff who can't work from home

EmeraldShamrock · 02/04/2020 14:14

Ask her? She have a private underlying health condition. It really isn't any of your business.