NHS Discounts - Frontline Staff Only?

[UnderTheBus]

As you're probably aware, many retailers are offering NHS discounts and priority shopping. For example, 10% off at Coop, 20% at Iceland, free coffee at Starbucks and so on.

AIBU to think these discounts are for "frontline" staff who are actually exposed to the virus, such as doctors, nurses, hospital cleaners and porters? They aren't really intended for people who have an NHS badge but work, for example, in IT support, HR or admin, and are working safely from home.

The discounts are for whoever the company says they're for ....

And there were nhs discounts long before the corona virus btw.
It's just good marketing as the nhs is a huge employer

IT support, HR and admin staff all play a part in making things run as smoothly as possible for the frontline staff.

If HR didn't recruit IT staff the IT systems would fail and it would be chaos (possibly not the greatest example, because I know the NHS IT system is groaning under the strain, but you get my drift).

In a huge and complex organisation, everyone has a role in making things function, especially in challenging times.

These discounts have been available in many shops and restaurants for years, they are not a new phenomenon linked to Covid19.

For instance I used to get a discount in Nando's, Pret, Carluccios, Travel Lodge and for airport car parking when I worked for the NHS. There has been a dedicated website for years, NHSDiscounts.com.

One of the very few perks!

So you want NHS to issue 'covid front line worker' passes?

Yabu. Comoanies offer discounts to whoever they want to. They haven't qualified stipulations. Rightly so.

I mean was the clapping only for covid front line workers?

They're not just for NHS staff, but also carers, support workers, police, prison officers, fire service and armed forces.

It's just a marketing thing from companies. Same as the MOD discount in Nandos can be accessed just as easily by a cadet instructor as a soldier returning from a war zone- they have the same ID card.

Probably many of these companies already offered the 'blue light' discount already.

They apply technically to everyone, and are good marketing and publicity for the companies. But I agree with you on the 'giveaway' ones - if I haven't been working under extra stress or pressure, redeployed for Covid or helping out out of hours then I am not going to be taking any significant thank yous for frontline staff. However, I do value everyone who has been working to keep the world going, including at home.

The admin staff etc aren’t directly in contact with covid but they aren’t being shielded from it either. Gp surgeries (so including receptionists) are still operating and for a good while taking some strain away from 111 and hospitals. Patients still need to be seen and therefore there is a potential that these people are coming into contact with covid.
It staff will also be expected to go in if there is an IT issue in a hospital, so again, they are still potentially at risk.
Carers are definitely coming into contact with it, I’m not sure that any care homes have got away without a single case

NHS discount is usually part of the "Blue LightL discount for all emergency services and military personal doing any job. A lot of these discounts were in place previously but poorly advertised, only knew about them if you knew about them. Sure there are some new ones too.

Hands up - I'm not front line, and have been working from home for 12 weeks as I'm pregnant (now on mat leave). And yes the front line workers are the true heroes who are risking themselves more than anyone (though I do believe bin men, supermarket assistants etc should also be in receipt of this title and discounts at the moment) however it is a bit Short sighted to think that the "admin" staff aren't contributing. We've been doing risk assessments on doctors to protect them, we've been planning staff for wards to make the wards safe whilst also ensuring docs get tome off ward or on none covid wards, we've been ordering and supplying PPE. We've been a shoulder to cry on, been ensuring they are being oaid for the extra shifts being done, ensuring cover when colleagues are sick, created a new ward in the physios gym and sourced beds, staff and equipment to ensure we had enough space for the patients that were incoming. Like me, admin teams have been ringing patients explaining that clinics are cancelled and trying to comfort and reassure pissed off and scared people getting absolute abuse on the phone, we've been tracking cancer results and highlighting these to the very busy doctors to ensure no one is missed, admin have been typing up letters of patients that have been seen and posting discharge summaries on the same day. Cleaners have been cleaning every where multiple times a day, kitchen porters have been providing meals to patients and staff with a smile, porters have been moving beds around and equipment to make spaces safe.
Yeah - not front line heroes, no denying that, but all key workers are important and without the background stuff (of which only 10% of less is listed above) is necessary to enable the doctors to be on the front line and all are worthy and deserving of 20% (50p) off a Starbucks maybe?

Appreciate I'm biased in this, but people don't see the work that goes on behind the scenes.

And as I've said, I do think supermarket workers, teachers and bin men should be rewarded at the moment too. But by your argument should it only be the check out staff who get the measly discounts, what about the supermarket cleaners, back room packets, the delivery drivers, HR etc?

I don't mind all NHS workers getting it. I might other key workers not. Like Funeral Directors who are in contact with the virus.

I am NHS... in allied health, doing appointments by video at the moment. I agree with you OP. These discounts (not the normal Nandos 20% for all NHS staff, but the new ones put on specifically for the current situation) are not for the likes of me. I can't bring myself to use them, or to use the dedicated shopping times etc. These are for proper truly frontline staff who really deserve all the support they can get.

If I worked at tesco I would get 10% all the time and I would have also had a bonus throughout this time.

I am going to accept the odd offer now and again. I am not front line but I see a hell of a lot of patients and I am still massively susceptible to catching this virus.

We have had a pregnant admin staff come in every day during this as we are nhs she wasn't allowed to be furloughed. Let them have 10% at morrisons.

Honestly I wish I had as much time to get pissed off about tiny things.

.... and I include the likes of Ginfilledcats in my definition of frontline. Thank you for your work! Xx

Ok my OP seems to have been construed as "admin staff and others dont do anything useful and shouldnt be claiming any discounts" which is not what I intended.

My husband has just accepted a job in non frontline NHS and will be fully working from home. I was wondering if these discounts were intended for him and similar workers, or not, as we dont want to take the Mickey!

P.S. ginfilledcats I did include porters and cleaners in my original post

whilst I agree with you in theory, it is not policeable. I got very annoyed one day early on where MC D were still open and offering free drinks to NHS staff. I work on a clinical team but our base was moved to an admin building where we start the day and have lunch break. One afternoon I had to hold front door open for 3 admin staff who had driven several miles to neighbouring town to get 12 free milkshakes for their team. The pie frontline workers had no free time to be trotting off to collect milkshakes and it was then that i first thought that Covid it's affecting some NHS staff more than others. I will caveat that by saying that even for our admin staff, having to travel in and work daily whilst most of the world gets to stay safe and alert at home, still feels dangerous to those with any anxiety about Covid so maybe everyone who is having to go near a hospital building at this time deserves a boost.

Whilst I agree with you cleaners and porters are far more frontline than IT staff etc ,certainly in the Hospital i worked in The Domestic and Portering staff were not actually employed by the NHS they worked for an outside agency

I’m annoyed because I’m a frontline worker but not Nhs. Looking after dementia patients who tested positive for covid but I’m not entitled to any nhs discounts, meanwhile all the nhs office staff are

@Weekday28 also that’s awful for your pregnant coworker. Employers are saying pregnant frontline staff aren’t allowed to be furloughed but it’s actually not the case at all, ANYONE can be furloughed but my boss refused to furlough me too (also frontline and pregnant) I would tell her to contact maternity action over it

My closest friend is a senior nursing manager. In the hospital she works in, they turned 14 out of 15 wards into COVID wards and then 12 back to normal within the space of about two months. Can you even imagine the amount of work that went into that, across all departments? Do you think it didn’t involve admin, IT etc. working massively beyond their usual capacity?

They might not be on the wards in PPE, but make no mistake - they’re all making sure the NHS doesn’t collapse under the strain. If you’d begrudge those people a free coffee or a discount at Iceland just because they don’t fit your definition of ‘OMG our NHS heroes R amazing!!!!’, there’s something wrong with you.

I agree.I work for the nhs and can work from home. I haven't been taking advantage of the priority shopping for example although some of my colleagues have.

EE are offering free data until october for nhs staff so i have registered for that because my wifi is so patchy at home.

If you’d begrudge those people a free coffee or a discount at Iceland just because they don’t fit your definition of ‘OMG our NHS heroes R amazing!!!!’, there’s something wrong with you
Yes that's exactly what I said

The discounts are for NHS workers.

Most of the discounts have been around for years, others are a bit of good publicity really. If you want the discount take the discount

Lots of NHS staff are working indreibly hard behind the scenes, just because they arent frontline doesnt mean their job hasnt changed massively due to covid. The frontline drs/nurses wouldnt be able to do their jobs without the porters/cleaners/IT/admin/receptionists/ even god forbid management!

The thing is the discounts have mostly been going for years not just because of Covid. Lots of groups of people get discounts. Retail staff may get a % discount in the store they work in, students are eligible for loads of discounts, as are emergency services , army etc. When do you say they can't have their discounts? It's a marketing ploy in most cases anyway. Large numbers of people work in these areas so it's good promotion

Some of the early Covid discounts while generous never really reached the front line as we were in work and can't just leave a ward. However I wouldn't deny anyone them. The NHS would not run without Admin/bookings/IT. Most staff aren't on amazing wages and work hard. Ok not everyone may work hard but you get that at every workplace. We had come through one of the hardest winters in my 15 year career then Covid hit. While us ward staff were busy that sheer volume of patients also impacts everyone behind the scenes.

I've taken little advantage of any perks tbh I used the NHS/carers etc early Sunday slot but found it was very busy and I can find quieter times. I don't have a blue light card as I keep forgetting to order one. Which btw you pay a small amount for it's not free.