To be outraged that prison officers get a 4k bonus for Covid overtime, while NHS staff have got nothing?

[PPEcompensatoryeyeliner]

www.lowdownnhs.info/news/covid-19-bonuses-for-prison-staff-what-about-care-workers/

I waa talking to a friend who works in a prison yesterday. They are receiving 4k bonuses for commiting to 9hrs a week overtime for 12 weeks. They are on the same pay scale as nurses.

I don't resent them bonuses, they a do hard and difficult job. But I know so many nurses who routinely do unpaid overtime to make sure things keep running and patients get care, and it's been repeatedly estimated that between 40-50% of nurses do 5hrs unpaid each week. I personally as a ward manager usually work at least an extra hour a day and have done for years, if I don't something is missed.

I think the government knew that NHS and care staff would work for free because we're needed to, and counted on this.

@EnthusiasmIsDisturbed anything above statutory is a benefit... 33 days annual leave is definitely a benefit, essentially getting paid for days off. Statutory is something like 21; so that’s a hell of a benefit.

I’m NHS and would say I had a lot of “benefits” but they’re more “treat staff well to retain” as oppose to the more straightforward profit share eque benefits that some private sector employees get (for obvious reasons).

@EnthusiasmIsDisturbed You got 41 days off a year, 6 mths full pay and 6 mths half if off sick in the private sector? I've genuinely never heard of that.

I am sure I will get flamed for this comment, but I do find it odd or perhaps old fashioned, that public service employees still seem to hang on to the concept of contracted hours, even when they are salaried.

Most professional jobs are salaried, inc. doctors, nurses, teachers, police, etc, and most full time contracts will state that your "normal" hours are say, 9-5, but you may have to work outside of these hours if required. Unless you are paid by the hour, you don't usually get o/t, unless there is a special compensation policy in place, or time off in lieu, or similar.

I really don’t think there are a lot of benefits the pension is what keeps many staff staying in the nhs but more as they will not get it elsewhere.

More the point do you really think people would support nhs staff getting a £4K bonus (even those that worked with covid patients) when there is resentment that they get the odd free coffee or pizza or free food from restaurants that wanted to provide free food to hospital staff

Can you imagine how hard that job is when you have hundreds of Inmates, locked in a small cell 23 hours a day, some unwell, some dangerous, some mentally unstable. It’s a damn sight riskier for these staff than a nurse on a ward in PPE with mainly law abiding patients.
They are probably not getting that much more than the normal pay they would get for the hours anyway.

enthusiasm pretty sure NHS have had things like free mobile phone data, free parking, money off at shops, priority shopping slots, money off food deliveries.
I have a friend who has worked from home the whole pandemic and still isn't visiting anyone at home. She's community health visitor. She's getting all those discounts.
Prison officers, police, refuse collectors etc are getting nothing.
Not all NHS are frontline dealing with covid patients.
NHS also have guaranteed employment which not everyone has.
I don't think NHS have too bad a deal tbh - unless you're in A&E or on covid ward.

Ooh i've just had an email announcing a 'summer incentive' in my trust (MH). £300 payment if you do over a certain amount of bank hours per week for 7 weeks. 5 hrs a week if you're substantive and already working 35 hrs or over, more hours if you usually work less.

I can't imagine mine will be the only trust in the country doing it so maybe NHS staff will get a bit extra.

As a teacher I've been in school couple of days a week & have been chuffed to get a free canteen lunch. I don't expect any other perks tbh - I get a salary.

@EnthusiasmIsDisturbed

It isn't a 4k bonus for prison staff, that includes the OT payment they'd be getting anyway. And they had to commit to a certain number of hrs a week OT every week for 4-14 weeks.

"It offers an extra £500 for operational prison staff on top of overtime pay for those who sign up for 4 weeks, giving a total additional payment of £1,292: for those willing to commit to 12 weeks of overtime averaging 9 hours a week (to be worked over 14 weeks) the bonus is £1750 and the total additional payment would be £4,126."

I got 30 days holiday (where did you get 41 days)

I get that now (29 days)

Sick same maternity much better (6 months full pay reduced for the following 6 months) benefits gym, reduced private health care scheme, pension scheme

And a generous bonus for all the extra hours I don’t expect to get that now but I don’t expect what all workers should get to be seen as a bonus (apart from maybe holidays)

I’m sure there will be some sort of bonus for nhs staff (really it’s a pay rise) and lets see how welcomed that is

Eric I’m in full support they are getting that it was described as a bonus by the op

It’s because it’s a male dominated profession. Also it was done as an incentive to stop sickness.
Prison service gives £4,000 bonus to staff.
NHS brings back car park charge to staff.
Go figure.
Maybe for one day all NHS staff should go on strike.

Nursing (and teaching etc) are seen as "caring" professions. They have been shot in the foot because of this narrative about selfless angels just wanting to make people better for the love of it.
I don't know how it's going to change. Now people are tired of clapping for the NHS and back to slagging it off.

Thank you so much to our prison officers. This job is so tough and I so wish it was paid better and the whole service had more investment. It's such a valuable job with such scope for really making a difference to the inmates and consequently society. I for one (nhs worker) am glad if they have been recognised for once.

We get paid for additional shifts, and a registered nurse will get around £14 an hour for this. When I say unpaid overtime I mean the average of hundreds of unpaid hours nurses do individually, by choice, to make sure care is delivered.

And that's exactly how it works for prison officers too. They don't click of exactly on time either. And they can be hours late (unpaid) if there's a lockdown. I volunteer in a prison and that situation is not unusual. I've been caught inside during a security lockdown, and it's a pain. Need to get home for your kids birthday party? Forget it.

They've committed to more than a day's extra work a week. Of course they need to be paid for it. Just as nurses are.

@EnthusiasmIsDisturbed 41 days includes BHs. That's what I get. I'm surprised you left the private sector if you had similar (or better) Ts and Cs. I'd be interested to know what private sector pays up to a year sick pay.

Yes it was misleading of the OP to say prison officers granted a 4k bonus when that isn't the case at all.

Yes they can get those discounts as all working front line/care work can get a blue light card

The discounts are marketing incentives I’ve never used them apart from discount on Just Eat not sure about the free mobile data never heard of that or the parking

At the trust my partner works at, they have been given an extra £5 an our hour on overtime, but that was before covid, because they were short staffed and was to encourage people to come in, my missus was raking it in

Because I changed career not everything is about money

My point isn’t what nhs are not getting its if they were getting a bonus it would not be supported even if only for staff that dealt with covid directly as people bitch about nhs staff getting free pizza or coffee

And that's exactly how it works for prison officers too. They don't click of exactly on time either.

And to repeat a point I made up thread... every other salaried employee in the country. No one just walks away at 5 oclock.

I'm actually surprised, and impressed, that there haven't been riots and I think prison officers deserve some recognition.

Me too. My volunteer work has been ceased during lockdown, but from what I've been hearing, the atmosphere in there our terrible. Residents are angry about being cooped up with hundreds of others and no fresh air, and no family visits (or access to the help that we provide). I'm actually astonished that secure facilities haven't blown up. Prison officers deserve every penny at the moment for keeping a lid on it all.

I think (hope) the government is simply beginning to reward people for their contribution and it just so happens the prison officers were first because there are fewer of them than nurses.

Its also worth noting that the work POs do is largely invisible (as we the public obviously don't see it) and they are chronically underpaid. The figure a PP posted of 30k is not what an average PO earns - from what I understand it's 17k to 21k. They absolutely, absolutely deserve a pay rise.

If you like Rick Astley he's doing a free concert in October

https://www.vogo.co.uk/nhs-discounts/

I don't begrudge NHS getting freebies - but I think prison staff deserve a reward too.

@EnthusiasmIsDisturbed

I linked to lots of discounts upthread. And if you're with EE, free unlimited data still available for NHS staff till October.

"They are on professional pay scales that rise with seniority and expertise"
Im currently mid point due to the changes in incremental increases apparently I wont reach the top of the scale until Im 63 currently 55! Frankly its not worth it I've resigned and only have 6 weeks to go thank God.
"They are not doctors."
This is very old fashioned view most doctors will tell you we make an really important and knowledgable contribution in all areas, from consultants down I'm frequently asked "Tiredwardsister what do you think we should hold do?" I regularly correct mistakes made by junior doctors including medication errors, or failure to follow nationally recognise protocol/guidelines in say a critical situation. And in fact my doctor colleagues often earn less an hour the I do.
I just want to add that I don't want to be clapped more than anything else I want the government to take every precaution to stop a second wave listen to the scientists advising them and for people to follow the guidelines (if you can understand what they are). Im also not expecting a bonus and I don't begrudge the prison officers theirs or anyone else for that matter but I'm tired of working 13 plus hours in a very high pressured fast moving environment without a break/drink, I tired of endless abuse from relatives, insufficient staff, poor resources, constantly moving goal posts and paying to park my bloody car every I go to work and very anti social hours.
I'm worn out its taking a toll on my physical health I've been driven to take my 30+ years of expertise in my area, and Im very good at my job to go off to do a less demanding job for less money.