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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

NHS consultant flies to Greek island despite quarantine

407 replies

kumquat365 · 04/09/2020 10:41

Name change for this. DH and I have a friend who is an NHS consultant at the top of the pay scale whose service is short-staffed and has spoken to us about the unnecessary deaths caused by lack of cover in his speciality.

He's a keen swimmer and cyclist and booked to go on an activity-style holiday with a friend. He's not married and has no family: this wasn't a family holiday. They were booked to go to an upmarket activity holiday centre on a Greek island that in the last few days has been put on the quarantine list by both Scotland and Wales. The flight was due to depart late yesterday afternoon. Our friend's mate, who is a medic based in England, decided not to risk it and dropped out. Our friend, who works in one of the countries that had declared a 14-day quarantine on return, went in the knowledge he'd have to quarantine on return.

AIBU to feel shocked and disappointed? He's complained so much about shortages of staff in his specialism and he's just taken a decision that will mean it's even worse.

OP posts:
2bazookas · 04/09/2020 13:29

You might want to read this

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1154216/nhs-crisis-GP-doctor-consultants-overtime-pension-plan-tax-rules-everydoctor

Would you work massive  overtime if it meant losing money? No. 

So, consultants who have worked huge numbers of extra hours are being  encouraged to take it as time off in lieu. If they need to  spend an extra two weeks isolating  at home afterwards,  better that, than  losing the money they've earned.
Star81 · 04/09/2020 13:29

Just because you pay tax with means you in effect pay NHS workers salaries does not give you the right to dictate when / where their holidays should be. He is entitled to annual leave and can use it as he wants, he doesn’t have to do what anyone else but himself wants to do. Presumably the quarantine is either unpaid leave or annual leave so ‘costs’ you nothing.

As for a holiday in Scotland. I assume you don’t live here. Our weather can be lovely but unpredictable this week alone outdoors pe at school has been cancelled twice due to torrential rain that would soak you to your skin. Not ideal for an outdoors holiday !

PamDemic · 04/09/2020 13:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 04/09/2020 13:31

'He's entitled to annual leave'

It's like cancel the cheque all over again.

He is entitled to annual leave, correct!

The op is saying he is being a cf to go knowing full well he would have to quarantine. Yes he is.

Kaktus · 04/09/2020 13:34

The op is saying he is being a cf to go knowing full well he would have to quarantine. Yes he is

In your opinion.

C8H10N4O2 · 04/09/2020 13:36

Oh goodie, another thread from a new name featuring a "scenario'" with a drip feed inviting people to support restrictions on movements of some groups of workers.

he had three weeks in Thailand over Christmas and New Year and has been sailing in the Med for at least a week this summer

Stellar drip feed. Does he eat babies as well?
By the by, specialist hospital appts at the moment are largely done by phone, Skype or Teams. If this guy is real you should know that.

(this is your cue to find a speciality that can only be done in person).

kumquat365 · 04/09/2020 13:40

Can we just get this straight? He's not been 'working on the front line', he's a consultant who would normally have a nine-to-five sort of job but has actually been working part-time for the last six months because of Covid-19. And while, yes, his area of specialism is one in which people, if not properly treated, can die, he is absolutely not burnt out by racing around deathbeds.

He set off for the airport at lunchtime yesterday after receiving the news of Scotland and Wales enforcing quarantine on anyone returning from certain areas. His mate. took the view that if Wales and Scotland had taken these measures, England might do the same and he, also a medic, took the decision to bail. My friend could have done the same. He has the freedom and the cash to to rebook somewhere else that doesn't have quarantine restrictions. But he decided to go even though he would have been aware that this could have serious knock-on effects.

OP posts:
C8H10N4O2 · 04/09/2020 13:41

And while, yes, his area of specialism is one in which people, if not properly treated, can die, he is absolutely not burnt out by racing around deathbeds

So like oncology? WHere nearly all appts are done online/by phone currently.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 04/09/2020 13:42

'Oh goodie, another thread from a new name featuring a "scenario'" with a drip feed inviting people to support restrictions on movements of some groups of workers.'

Goodie? Confused

Why bother posting if its all so very tedious.

There is a pandemic y'know and some people are choosing to to go away regardless of who has to pick up their slack while they have an extra 2 weeks off.

Hobnobswantshernameback · 04/09/2020 13:43

Had a call from DS's consultant yesterday
Thorough consultation
She could have been anywhere
If anything it was easier as I didn't have to take time off work
She could have been sat by the pool in magaluf or at her kitchen table
I was just thrilled to get the next step of his treatment planned
His care has been excellent both face to face and over the phone
and it hasn't cost me a penny
And yes I am a taxpayer
It doesn't give me the god given right to own my sons doctor

Hobnobswantshernameback · 04/09/2020 13:45
kumquat365 · 04/09/2020 13:46

Oh goodie, another thread from a new name featuring a "scenario'" with a drip feed inviting people to support restrictions on movements of some groups of workers.

Okay, I'm out of it. Drip feeding is only because of some of the extraordinary assumptions people have made about him being a burned-out frontline worker who hasn't had a holiday for ages.

OP posts:
pencilpot99 · 04/09/2020 13:47

Hang on a second... he's been working part-time for the last six months 'cos of COVID... so sounds like now is the perfect time for him to take some time off, no? What have I misunderstood?

Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd · 04/09/2020 13:49

He's not your friend. He's your husband's friend. And quite honestly, he might not even be that if this outing thread gets found out. I'd be questioning my own spouse if he took such an unhealthy interest in the personal life of one of my friends, personally, because you're starting to look unhinged and like you think you've got some weird type of ownership of him. It's fucked up. You sound obsessed with this man and his holidays and personal life.

I use a consultant who works privately on top of NHS job. I pay her to do this job. Don't really give a fuck what she does with her time outside that. You seriously think you own someone because you employ them?

Focus on your own life, get a life, a hobby other than scorning people you know on the internet instead of having the balls to say what you think to their face so they can choose whether or not to delete you from their lives because that's a shitty thing to do and reflects more on you than him.

Kaktus · 04/09/2020 13:49

Why did you post in AIBU when you are so firmly entrenched in your view that you are entirely reasonable?
I hope you don’t continue to pursue the friendship from now on, when it’s so obvious you dislike him.

SueEllenMishke · 04/09/2020 13:50

He's not been 'working on the front line', he's a consultant who would normally have a nine-to-five sort of job but has actually been working part-time for the last six months because of Covid-19.

So what??

I don't work 'on the frontline' but i've still been working and deserve A/L like everyone else. How I choose to spend my leave has nothing to do with my employer or busybody friends either.

My friend is on a Greek Island too. She works for the NHS too.....I've not judged her and i'm happy she's having a lovely time.

Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd · 04/09/2020 13:50

@kumquat365

Oh goodie, another thread from a new name featuring a "scenario'" with a drip feed inviting people to support restrictions on movements of some groups of workers.

Okay, I'm out of it. Drip feeding is only because of some of the extraordinary assumptions people have made about him being a burned-out frontline worker who hasn't had a holiday for ages.

Not like assuming you own a person because they work for the NHS Hmm.
singme · 04/09/2020 13:54

Doctors pay tax too! So he’s funding his own salary just as much as (or more than) other individuals.

I’m sure he would have taken into account what quarantine would mean for his service and may well have the leave to cover or be able to work remotely.

I’m a doctor and I didn’t think that we are exempt from quarantine after holidays, only when coming to the country to work after living abroad or extended stay abroad? I’m on mat leave but my doctor friend just cancelled her holiday because she would have to quarantine.

Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd · 04/09/2020 13:54

@AnneElliott

I don't think I'd have an issue with this, but I'm surprised at the MN response.

Recently the overall tone on these threads had been people are stupid and selfish to go abroad but since he's NHS it seems he gets a free pass!

It's certainly never been my opinion that it's stupid or selfish to go abroad Hmm but it's keeping a lot of xenophobic paranoid sanctimonious people warm at night, it seems. I'd prefer keeping warm under a Grecian sun myself to that.
Sunshineandsparkle · 04/09/2020 13:55

I didn’t realise you were the holiday police. Maybe update your Facebook status so that all of your friends and family can approve their holiday plans with you before they go. Seriously... mind your own business.

Pomegranatepompom · 04/09/2020 13:56

Well this thread didn’t go quite the way the op intended. I’m so pleased that the majority of people I know are not so judgemental and envious.

MiaowMix · 04/09/2020 13:57

So judgemental. If he's allowed to go and prepared to quarantine, why on earth would you care?
If he's not frontline he can work remotely, can't he?
What a laughable suggestion that he could have substituted a Greek sailing holiday for... a loch in Scotland 😂
Some of us actively like warm, dry weather, with actual sunshine.

justasking111 · 04/09/2020 14:00

@kumquat365

I'm amazed at the responses. He could have had a cycling/swimming holiday here. In fact the pair of them had been offered someone's nice holiday home on a Scottish loch as an alternative last week. I mentioned it wasn't a family holiday to indicate that he wasn't constrained by obligations to a partner or children.

He complains each time we see him of how patchy his service is, of having clinics cancelled because of lack of support staff and so on. His speciality is one where the likelihood of people dying and he recently told of us of three deaths which ought to have been preventable. But he's made a choice that will put him out of action for another fortnight.

He is seeing his patients DIE!! because of a patchy service that were preventable and you do not think he should have a holiday? Him staying home will not prevent this. I really do not know how consultants are coping with seeing people die because of hospital board decisions which are outside the control of the consultants.
thecatsatonthewall · 04/09/2020 14:00

He can go where he likes for his holidays, NHS staffing issues are not his concern, they have been brought about by the UK voting Tory.

These quarantine restrictions could equally be lifted v soon.

TBH you may as well argue that going off cycling is totally irresponsible and he could break his leg, so should stay at home reading and baking.

IntermittentParps · 04/09/2020 14:00

Against the grain but I think YANBU. Yes, he deserves and needs a holiday. But what makes me say YANBU is that he's being a hypocrite if he's complaining about shortages of staff and then going off and becoming a shortage himself.

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