Should NHS staff go ahead in queues?

[Supermummy4]

I have only done a few times, and got some evil looks from the others queuing. I was knackered and needed some essentials and needed to pick my children up from school as I have hardly seen them so thought 'just this once, again'-might not do it again!
It sort of felt like all the clapping in the world and rainbows doesn't mean much in the real world, but I might be a bit more careful about waving my lanyard around in the future (and yes, i'm core ward NHS staff working on covid wards fwiw).
Any thoughts from others very welcome.

It has never been the case that everybody was off work. At peak 25% of the workforce was furloughed. That leaves 75% working

Not everyone was furloughed though, even if they weren't working. Public sector staff generally weren't put on furlough - they won't be included in the 25% yet large numbers weren't working because they couldn't.

The covid wards also were never full.....

Oh well, if they were never full it must have been a walk in the park for everyone.

Oh well, if they were never full it must have been a walk in the park for everyone.

Different hospitals were affected in different ways, due to demographics, locality etc.

Our local hospital trust has published the numbers of people treated in the hospital and the number of deaths. They're tiny compared to the number of beds available in all wards, number of patients usually treated who have been virtually ignored for the past 3 months etc., even some who had their cancer treatment stopped mid way through and still waiting for it to start again.

In our area, it's been a massive over-reaction. Rather than blanket lockdowns, they should have looked at the regions and imposed harsher lockdown on areas where it was running amok, and much lighter precautions in areas where it wasn't actually out in the community.

If you've worked a 23 hours shift and are on your way home then fine but I have a friend who is a part time admin assistant who still jumps the queue and that grates a little tbh...

FurbabyLife
Not anymore. I think the hero worshiping is coming to an end now. I’ve seen a huge increase in NHS/Care Workers wearing their uniforms in public. Everyone seems to want a pat on the back for doing their job. Are you really that thick that you don't realise some carers provide domicilary care (that's care in people's homes)? They not only provide personal care (assisting to the toilet/cleaning themselves after/washing/preparing food/shopping for them etc. Of course they wear their uniform for that because they are at work! Jesus christ the stupid is strong on this thread isn't it!

Are you really that thick that you don't realise some carers provide domicilary care (that's care in people's homes)? They not only provide personal care (assisting to the toilet/cleaning themselves after/washing/preparing food/shopping for them etc. Of course they wear their uniform for that because they are at work! Jesus christ the stupid is strong on this thread isn't it!

Our neighbour and her son both work in a GP surgery. They've NEVER worn uniform in all the years they've lived next door (they're both office/admin workers). I thought it was strange that they'd started wearing uniform back when Covid all kicked off, but thought that it was some new "infection control" precaution due to covid. After the first few weeks, they both appeared with Logo'd polo shirts (with the NHS logo and the GP practice logo) which I also thought was strange (NHS funds spending money on logo'd non clinical clothing). Now it makes sense.

@Alwaystalks500

I think nhs workers have been over glorified. There are many people working more difficult, dangerous jobs 365 days a year that don't get a 2nd look in.

NHS staff no doubt work hard but they enjoy relative safety. Their current status has been elevated more for positive propaganda than logic necessity.

Almost half the hospital staff where I work have tested positive for covid antibodies. In comparison to 5% of the U.K. population. I would hardly call that enjoying relative safety.

I haven’t jumped any queues and don’t see why there is any need to, the longest I’ve waited at the supermarket in recent weeks has been about 5 mins. I’m not sure where you all live to be witnessing all these uniformed staff queue jumping, I haven’t seen a single one, nor do I know any hospital staff who wear uniforms out of work. Have an inkling a lot of these posts are totally fabricated.

This is a repeat question that's been asked a few times if you look

I doubt it’s the NHS workers their uniform is very similar to a nurses and they do have a strict policy. I can’t imagine anybody wanting to take their uniform home with COVID let alone to wear it in the supermarket.

There was a thread on this topic not long ago complaining about uniforms. It will be most likely the community and home care assistants. They have to do the clients shopping and they are are expected to do grocery shopping etc. It’s none of anybody else’s business! There’s is NO changing facilities nor does a care assistant get paid to change their uniform in between clients

People working on the front line COVID wards and carers in the community and care workers fair enough. Not on days off though. My friend works 12 hours over two days in nhs admin, gets all the freebies, walks around with her badge like she’s doing a lap of honour around the supermarket. So wrong.

Kazzyhoward Why are you banging on about people working in a GP surgery after you have quoted my post specifically about domicillary care?! They're not even NHS!

No. Only about a third of NHS workers are front line, and only a relatively small proportion of those will have been dealing with COVID-19.

I don't think NHS workers are any more deserving than any other group, on the whole.

I haven't been clapping and haven't had a rainbow in my window either.

I’m in NHS. Can honestly say I have never used the que jump privilege. Doesn’t feel right to me. Also, all this ‘NHS heroes’ bollocks has been winding me up. I’m doing a job of looking after sick/poorly people, which I was fully aware of when I signed up. The generous pizza donations haven’t gone to waste though past few months

Covid wards were never full because they kept increasing capacity. The Royal London opened up two further FLOORS (not wards) to cope with capacity and they are in the Trust that managed the Nightingale.

Also bank nurses are not NHS, many other workers / people have the same stressors but in different situations.

YABU.

No, you chose to work in the NHS so do your job and accept the consequences.

@Victoria6386 what do you do for a living? Or perhaps what do you contribute to society? You obviously have a huge chip on your shoulder. Sort it out.

@Victoria6386

No, you chose to work in the NHS so do your job and accept the consequences.

I absolutely do accept the consequences for my choices. I know what i signed up for, you don't accidentally end up there or wake up one day and then realise it's a bit shit at times, you know well beforehand it can be challenging. However in the upcoming economic uncertainty, just like in previous recessionary times, I'm happy in the knowledge that I have a secure job that I enjoy very much and get paid relatively well for doing it. That's enough reward for me, I certainly don't need anyone clapping or painting rainbows.

I don't think they should. There are lots of people working long hours and in jobs where they're at higher risk and they get nothing in recognition. The queue could be full of people equally exhausted or needing to get back home as quick as possible why should someone get priority just because they're an NHS employee.

Starting to annoy me the amount of companies giving discounts etc to NHS staff while other key workers get absolutely nothing.

I’m sorry but I refuse to feel guilty because the shops let us nhs workers get in front of the queues. I only use my badge when the queue is really long I try to go before work etc but if I need something and there is a long queue I will show my badge . You can probably say I signed up for this but no I signed up to be an anaesthetist not to work in an infectious disease unit where I am 4 times more likely to die from covid -19 . Everyone is saying the wards are empty but in theatres for each case we still wear full PPE all day for a 12 hour shift. I start at 7:30 and some days don’t finish till 6pm . If I have any perks I will take it . If I were working from home, furloughed etc then I will be happy to queue. And the person who said their hospital was empty you don’t know what the fuss was all about then you should have come to my hospital in east London and when you see the mortuary extension maybe you will have an inkling of the horrors we faced and thank God you guys didn’t have to face that .

@purplelila2

And so the backlash starts, some people on this thread just can't hide their bitterness towards the NHS.

Covid wards were never full followed by stupid wee dots, what that's meant to mean, that it's all been a big over reaction, nurses have exaggerated what the work load is been, it's been a walk in the park? That so many nurses and health care workers have died for no reason? Have you been in every Covid ward in the UK, have you even worked in one? Do you even realise the NHS were constantly making capacity for Covid victims? What a stupid goady post.

@Sometimeswinning

Woah, that was quite a nasty post to a truthful one. Everyone that goes into the NHS is aware that they could be dealing with a terror attack, a bad flu season, a pandemic etc. These are all well documented things that have happened before and sadly will continue to happen.

My partner is a medic - he's been frontline with both Ebola and with Covid. He knows that he could have been in that position from the day he decided to be a doctor. There are many people who were probably less so aware that they'd be frontline for a pandemic and at a huge increased risk (particularly due to the surface contamination with Covid).

Our bin men have been working extended hours too- shouldn't they be given priority in ques etc too due to lack of time due to their long shifts?

@emodi I am in East London - I know that mortuaries have been extended in several hospitals, but the staff have dealt with the situation well and have had a lot of support from the communities around us.

I start at 7:30 and some days don’t finish till 6pm

You do realise that's the same for many, many other people at the moment don't you? It's not just the NHS that are working long hours. Why shouldn't everyone else working those hours, or longer, get priority in lines?

I don't think it would bother me but I guess now that we are over the madness of the initial period it does seem a little unnecessary.

There are very few issues with stock levels;
In my area at least queues are fine. I can't remember the last time I waited longer than 5 minutes.
Lots of non NHS workers will also have reasons to want to be in and out of a shop quickly.
We're all very familiar with the current situation now so it should mostly be possible to avoid having to go other than for your main weekly shop.

@TheSometimesTrainedDragon Calm down. I thought the comment was unnecessary and came from an angry place. I think your woah was a bit over the top.