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.

What do you think would happen if the NHS didnt have good IT/admin/HR departments behind it?

What about the researchers working on developing COVID-19 drugs and vaccinations - but work for a University rather than an NHS Trust? Wouldn't it be nice if they were recognised in some way?

YABU and stingy if you think the discounts should be frontline only.

The NHS discount is for anyone who works in the NHS, regardless of role. Everyone’s job is important.

@WhateverHappenedToMe

What about the researchers working on developing COVID-19 drugs and vaccinations - but work for a University rather than an NHS Trust? Wouldn't it be nice if they were recognised in some way?

Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone was recognised in some way?

Honestly, whenever there’s discounts about there’s always someone going “well what about X”. Well, what about them? If you want them to have a discount start a petition or something, don’t jump on the back of an already established discount.

I also think that absolutely supermarket workers, carers etc are just as deserving, I think they have been included in some especially carers? Didn't some supermarkets give their staff bonuses at the start?

Carers are so under rated and underpaid it's disgraceful.

I’m frontline staff. I couldn’t do my job without IT support and the care coordinators. They are just as critical to ensuring good patient care as I am. The NHS needs staff like this to keep this show on the road.

My sister works in a London hospital. She visits wards as part of her job and wasn't provided with adequate PPE. She was told it was ok because initially Covid wards were blocked off. She became ill with it because she was sent onto wards with cases that were only later confirmed.
She was incredibly careful elsewhere in her life because her partner was shielding. She almost died but you keep moaning about her discounts...

@underthebus apologies re porters I missed that bit.

Congrats on your partners new job, I hope he enjoys it. He absolutely can use the discounts, and don't feel guilty. He will most likely be working more hours than contracted for less money than the equivalent job in the private sector and will be directly or indirectly supporting the front line staff. The NHS - like many orgs - is a huge complex system that relies on all its staff and therefore all are entitled to the small gestures of good will.

Again, these discounts are usually the same for all emergency services under the "blue light scheme" - which you actually have to pay a fiver to get the card and access to the discounts in the first place.

@whateverhappenedtome my friend works as a lab tech in a university and therefore gets student discount. But I don't disagree that they should have access to the same level as discounts as emergency services.

What are your thoughts on MOD discounts?
Do you think they should be cancelled for covid?

Frontline cannot do their job without everyone else doing theirs, so all the people you mention matter just as much.

That said, people should self police and not be arseholes. Just because we can get some perk or another doesn't mean we should.

@Iwalkinmyclothing that is more what I was getting at. Unfortunately my OP seems to have been read as meaning I think doctors and nurses are important and everyone else is expendable and not doing anything to warrant a discount. Which is not what I meant at all.

@underthebus don't worry you clarified your question in later post. It's a touchy subject for a lot of people, rightly so on both sides of the privilege

You can take the discount guilt free. As others have said NHS discounts have been around before covid.

Personally I wouldn't use nhs shopping hours or queue jumps because I think these are for frontline trying to fit the day to day tasks in while working long shifts and a goodwill gesture specifically related to covid.

No it's for all nHS workers.

@UnderTheBus please don't worry, you were very clear (and I'm sorry if my comment made you feel like I was sniping and saying you didn't recognise the value of non frontline staff, I didn't mean it to be like that at all).

Yes that's exactly what I said [hmm.]

Well that’s how it came across - to me and several others.

There have been several shops over the last few weeks that I have been in. They specifically state that the discount is for NHS staff only rather than all front line workers.
I work in a SEN school and through the lockdown we have provided childcare to children of front line NHS workers. Social distancing is not really an option with most of the children. And my pay scale is barely a living wage as I'm an LSA. I love my job but
It would have been nice to have some discounts. I asked in one or two shops as I have had to buy lots of pairs of extra trousers due to washing them immediately but was told no.

Care workers also have had it really rough.

It's been lovely for NHS workers to have it. Don't get me wrong as they really deserve it.

I agree. My friend who works 2 days a week in an office for the nhs has been loving the discounts. I work 5 days a week with the public and am not nhs. Can be annoying when she goes on about it but what can you do.

YABU

My mum is NHS, not frontline but her workload doubled overnight and she’s a carer for her brother as well. She’s used the priority shopping times to be able to carry on buying his food shopping for him without wasting time in queues

I totally agree the NHS deserves it, and I have NHS workers in my family: but to do nothing for others who have put their lives on the line is disheartening.

Those doing IT or HR in the NHS are no more important than those doing IT or HR in McDonalds imo.

Just give everyone the discount and access to priority shopping times regardless. That'll sort out the whataboutery.

They're for anyone in the NHS. There have been discounts for years.

The discounts are for all NHS workers. If you have NHS on your badge they are for you. I personally think they should be for home carers, supermarket workers, post people etc as well.

I'm certainly not going to begrudge the person who orders in my PPE (that role is currently done from home) a free coffee or 20% off their takeaway. They are doing a vital job, which allows me to do my vital job.