To think this maskless woman should not be working in a hospital?

[PeachyBottom]

Went for a blood test this morning. The area leading to where they are taken is very cramped with small cubicles running off there.

There was a phlebotomist working in the next cubicle to mine without a mask on. She was standing at the opening to my cubicle chatting loudly and laughing to the phlebotomist taking my sample so three of us in very enclosed quarters (no windows) and her breath everywhere.

I was shocked someone would be working in close quarters with lots of members of the public in a hospital without a mask. The ridiculousness of it made me quite angry actually!

AIBU to think that if this person couldn’t wear a mask in these circumstances, she shouldn’t be at work?

@wasthataburp

Obviously she has a legit reason and not to let her work would be discriminatory. None of your business I'm afraid

Actually it’s obvious (to those with any sense and those working in healthcare) that she doesn’t have a legit reason or she wouldn’t be working in a patient facing role. And absolutely the OP’s business as she was put at risk. For months I’ve had to wear a mask at all times if in an NHS building unless I’m in a well ventilated office with the door closed on my own. That is the guidance. Therefore if this person can’t wear a mask for a legitimate reason she would have been redeployed to a non-patient facing role where she could either work from home or be in a single occupied space - the latter is unlikely as masks are required in corridors, kitchens and toilets.

YANBU she should have a mask on.

@VinylDetective lots of people have been given alternative roles that’s nothing to do with their normal day job. That’s how it works at the moment. She could do an admin role or appointment booking role.

@VinylDetective she will do a different role at the same grade as has been explained earlier.

@Sweet666

If you're that scared then just stay at home... who cares if she isn't wearing a mask

Stupid comment Clearly a lot of people care.

@wasthataburp

Obviously she has a legit reason and not to let her work would be discriminatory. None of your business I'm afraid

Obviously she has a legit reason How do you know

The rest is just utter nonsense. Get your facts right before you post.

She’s a phlebotomist! How’s she going to take blood without seeing patients?

She’ll be redeployed to a different role - calling patients for vaccination, calling patients to get blood tests done before telephone clinic, admin that can be done either from home or from a non-patient facing environment, etc. Lots of staff have been redeployed - all of the ECV staff, for a start.

My goodness. I think I’d have to complain via pals
In my line of work there’s a zero tolerance policy. Every employee (even reception). must wear a mask at all times unless eating from the moment you’re on the premises until you’re outside at the end of the day

WAT?

I would assume she is exempt for a medical or disability related reason and therefore no she can’t just be “moved” somewhere else due to it.

She is trained to take blood, not mop the floors.

I would also assume she has regular testing.

And as for being “brash” - give your head a wobble OP. It is a requirement of the NHS to be of genteel nature - id say having a bit of brashness is probably exactly what someone who has to work with the gen pop day in day out needs. Because they have to deal with complaints like yours.

I would assume she is exempt for a medical or disability related reason and therefore no she can’t just be “moved” somewhere else due to it.

Why do people so confidently not just assume things that are just incorrect, but share their 'wisdom' with others?!

I would assume she is exempt for a medical or disability related reason and therefore no she can’t just be “moved” somewhere else due to it.

Then you would assume wrong. She absolutely would be moved somewhere else to do a different role if she had a medical reason or disability. All NHS staff have had personal Covid risk assessments, the NHS have an obligation to keep staff and patients safe and she would be moved for both her and the public’s protection. She would not have a choice in the matter and would be moved to another role.

There are two types of people on this thread -

Those making assumptions that the maskless lady was clearly exempt and therefore just doing her job and wondering why you are putting in a formal complaint about her

Those making assumptions that she wouldn’t have been able to be in her role if she was exempt and therefore must have just not been wearing her mask and the complaint is valid

In fact NO ONE knows do they. Therefore it’s a pointless argument between everyone.

We’re you unreasonable to make a complaint? Maybe not but why not just ask at the time - there’s usually a reception when checking in. Save everyone else the time of effort of arguing on here over baseless assumptions

Actually many of us do know as we are well aware of NHS policy so....

@Indecisive12

Well yeah an assumption can be wrong as much as it’s right. That’s why it’s an assumption based on limited info and not a stated fact.

So what you’re effectively saying is - she was choosing not to wear her mask and is in no way exempt. And therefore is in line for a major kick up the arse / warning / sacking.

You’d put money on it?

Or is it that no one bloody knows? And every single comment on here is an assumption because the only actual people who know if she was or wasn’t flouting the mask rules are those who work in that particular office.

My issue wasn't with your assumption that she's exempt, it's with your confident and absolutely wrong assertion that someone who is exempt wouldn't have to change roles.

@Hardbackwriter

Because an assumption is a guess without proof isn’t it.

So no I’m not sharing my wisdom of the NHS protocols.

I’m saying what I PERSONALLY would assume to be true if I walked in to have my bloods done and there was someone without a mask.

I would assume that they were exempt and I would assume that it makes it difficult to reposition their role.

I don’t generally assume people without masks are arseholes who don’t care about others. Especially if that person works in a role which is all about actually caring for others.

If OP knew it was a blatant flouting of the rules why not bloody well say it then.

Then come back and tell us that. Rather than I don’t know what happened because I didn’t mention it at the time but what does everyone think - based on no information.

@2020iscancelled yes I’d put money on it. If the woman does have a legitimate reason and her manager is aware and has made the decision to keep her on patient facing duties then the manager will cop the blame but this is doubtful. My risk assessment has been checked by my line manager and her line manager and I’ve had discussions about it checking all is correct before it’s been signed off and I have no medical conditions or risks whatsoever.

@2020iscancelled

There are two types of people on this thread -

Those making assumptions that the maskless lady was clearly exempt and therefore just doing her job and wondering why you are putting in a formal complaint about her

Those making assumptions that she wouldn’t have been able to be in her role if she was exempt and therefore must have just not been wearing her mask and the complaint is valid

In fact NO ONE knows do they. Therefore it’s a pointless argument between everyone.

We’re you unreasonable to make a complaint? Maybe not but why not just ask at the time - there’s usually a reception when checking in. Save everyone else the time of effort of arguing on here over baseless assumptions

Not assumption - based on policy which you clearly know nothing about.

@2020iscancelled

WAT?

I would assume she is exempt for a medical or disability related reason and therefore no she can’t just be “moved” somewhere else due to it.

She is trained to take blood, not mop the floors.

I would also assume she has regular testing.

And as for being “brash” - give your head a wobble OP. It is a requirement of the NHS to be of genteel nature - id say having a bit of brashness is probably exactly what someone who has to work with the gen pop day in day out needs. Because they have to deal with complaints like yours.

You can assume what you like - she should not be patient facing without a mask.

Agree YANBU to send in the complaint/question.

Being unable to wear a mask unfortunately means you can’t do certain jobs.

However she might have had a risk assessment e.g. maybe she has had covid recently, AND she has had two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, AND she is tested daily - that combination would make her less risky than someone without those factors who was in a mask.

I would be surprised though, since we’re all still supposed to act like we’ve got the virus regardless of risk mitigating factors.

Funny how PPs on here are screeching for her to be moved to a non patient role
Friend of mine works in an NHS hospital as a cleaner and is mask exempt and non patient facing. Ive mentioned her a couple of times on here and was told she shouldnt be working in the NHS at all. She has epilepsy. Wonder how many would volunteer to have their fingers bitten while trying to remove a mask from her mouth during a fit. I think any person who forces someone with conditions like this into a mask should be the first to volunteer for the task of removing it should a fit occur.

I would have said something, ask her to step back and respect your space re: social distancing

I get she MAY have some medical reason not to wear a mask but that does NOT trump your right to ask government/medical guidelines are followed so you don’t catch covid. Your health and well being is just as important as her health and well being.

The virus is NOT going to say to itself “hey, that lady has an exemption from wearing a mask, so let’s not infect her.”

@MercyBooth

Funny how PPs on here are screeching for her to be moved to a non patient role Friend of mine works in an NHS hospital as a cleaner and is mask exempt and non patient facing. Ive mentioned her a couple of times on here and was told she shouldnt be working in the NHS at all. She has epilepsy. Wonder how many would volunteer to have their fingers bitten while trying to remove a mask from her mouth during a fit. I think any person who forces someone with conditions like this into a mask should be the first to volunteer for the task of removing it should a fit occur.

Nobody would force her to wear a mask. She would re-deployed to a non patient facing role.

@MercyBooth I am not sure what point you are trying to make? In the OPs scenario, they came into the space to talk to them about him being at school. Children will be there for a plethora of reasons, no doubt some at least that have immune disorders or other things that make them vulnerable. No risk assessment at the moment would say that is okay, whereas the cleaner if they have had one and it's been deemed to be okay then great. But they're not the same.

@2020iscancelled, NHS policy is quite clear - staff cannot be in a patient-facing area without wearing a mask (and visor, apron and gloves if they are in contact with patients).

I am making no assumptions about why she isn’t wearing a mask - because it doesn’t matter why not. She shouldn’t be there, and OP is quite right to make a complaint.

The fault may lie with the phlebotomist who is flouting the PPE policy, or their manager who has not redeployed her, but either way she should not be there with no mask.