I have worked in hospital but for the last 2 years i have been in a community post. Apart from the obvious differences between working in a hospital and the community (ie entering Covid patient's houses and later returning to my car with the same shoes, uniform... my DC will be getting into that car later on!), i am getting fed up with the fact that we drive our own car and have to go through significant more expenses than when i used to work in a hospital.
Yes we are paid a mileage, which is 56p per mile and we are deducted abut of tax after that. Nevertheless, that just covers the petrol and doesn't take into account if you are stuck in traffic or get lost trying to find an address . I had to take extra business cover in my insurance that was about 15-20 pounds extra a month. Then the decrease in value of the car, you cannot buy the car you like but the one thats more practical for your work and to carry equipment. the higher risk of having an accident... I park in good neighbourhoods, bad neighbourhoods, outskirts with bendy roads full of potholes... I had a flat tyre a few months ago, another car scratched my car while i was inside patient's home and now my car is making a weird noise and has a problem in the gearstick. 2 mechanics have advised me not to drive it. They dont have any slot free until the new year. I finally found somebody who would could try to fix it (as nobody knows what it is until they have a look inside) in 2 weeks.
My managers reply? why your insurance doesn't give you a courtesy car? You should rent a car! I am meant to work throughout Christmas so i dont know what to do.
They should give us a company car or an extra insurance policy to cover for a courtesy car should you need it. If i was to have a car accident at work, my car insurance would go up to the roof and nobody else would cover that cost.
Just venting... but maybe there is an issue with equality since non-travelling staff are having free parking and free bus transport since the beginning of the pandemic.