To disagree with NHS only petrol stations?

[pistachio20]

Some petrol stations around me have now said that they are only allowing in NHS staff to refuel - apparently checking ID.

I find this completely ridiculous and unfair - not only because the majority of NHS staff where I live can easily get public transport to work (most who I know don’t drive to work anyway, and get train/bus anyway due to lack of free parking!).

So many crucial jobs require people to drive, let alone people with caring responsibilities, mobility issues, etc.

AIBU to think that it’s unfair?

Just to add, our hospital has a policy for Doctors on call to be a certain mileage from the hospital. So they would always be able cycle in

I don’t know if this is common, but certainly in our hospital there shouldn’t be a shortage of Drs due to fuel shortage. A lot of Drs I know live within walking distance of the hospital.

I can’t comment about nurses or other support staff.

@Cupoftea53

NHS workers get special deals on electric cars if they drive to work!

Great - a discount on a £40K car is not going to help me afford an electric car (if this is even true). I buy second hand cars that cost less than £5k.

The resentment towards people who treat the sick, help the dying and save lives is sickening.

I’d prioritise delivery truck drivers getting fuel over everyone otherwise how are they going to deliver fuel and other goods, they can’t exactly take the bus

@pistachio20 you haven’t replied which companies are doing this? The only info on their websites is that some of the pumps are limiting it to £30 per customer.
I’d be interested to see their policy or is this just another excuse for a bit of NHS bashing?

Where is this actually happening OP? Which area of the country? I've seen various politicians spout on this subject but no fuel companies who have implemented anything beyond max quantity per purchase.

@user14597

In a scale of essentialness, anything involving saving lives pretty much trumps anything else.

Life saving operations can't go ahead if the backroom staff that no one ever sees (the people who clean and sort surgical instruments) can't get to work and do their job either.

Its an nhs bashing thread...bit like tjose single mum/ benefit basing/ corbyn bashing thread. Currently working for a private healthcare company but feel for nhs workers.

@Feilin

Buses and trains dont always run at the times we nhs staff need to be in work for so forgive us for needing to use cars . I'll raise it with our trust that perhaps they need to provide us with bicycles or at the very least horses . Maybe that would suit you better.

A free horse? That's it, I'm going back to working for the NHS as soon as that comes into force.

Anyhow, I quite like the idea of A&E being staffed 24/7, along with there being doctors, nurses and midwives available because they have been able to get into work, along with other emergency services. So this doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Yeah, it's weird. I looked for a discount on a shopping pass yesterday, unless you work in the NHS no chance.

But it's not like they're suddenly adored. There are these token gestures, but they're still working in a mess of an institution. If we really cared about the NHS we'd insist on an overhaul and more investment rather than applause on doorsteps and free doughnuts and pizzas.

It's weird people keep going on about how it's weird they're seen as heroes, when most NHS workers are treated like shit and with distain- who is doing all this so called worshipping?

@GatoradeMeBitch

Yeah, it's weird. I looked for a discount on a shopping pass yesterday, unless you work in the NHS no chance.

But it's not like they're suddenly adored. There are these token gestures, but they're still working in a mess of an institution. If we really cared about the NHS we'd insist on an overhaul and more investment rather than applause on doorsteps and free doughnuts and pizzas.

Or people just wouldn't vote for parties that underfund it. But important to note that the NHS isn't the only underfunded public service. Social care is on its knees. Police, fire services etc. Nothing will change until those at the top care.

I'd be presuming it might mean ambulances but should also include first line staff.

Or maybe folk could all just stop being idiots and causing a fuel crisis.

I'm working from home. I went to the supermarket today, the petrol station was open with no queue. I have 3 quarters of a tank though so I didn't bother.

I appreciate that lots of the folk filling up are just doing their normal fill up but it's the ones topping it by an extra fiver or tenner or who aren't really travelling much so have enough for another couple of weeks but getting it now instead.

@Wineiscooling

Community based nurse here, specialising in care of the dying. Half a tank left, usually do about 60 miles a day. Do I go on the priority list? I really hope those who have full tanks of petrol and no where essential to go don't have relatives who are dying at home and symptomatic with no district nurses, carers, GP or specialist teams available to visit as no petrol left. So yes, I do agree with NHS only petrol stations

An honourable profession. But what about: Police Special needs teachers Carers Supermarket workers Firefighters Duty lawyers Pharmacists Prison staff Dock workers and airport staff that allow cargo to arrive. Farmers Crop pickers Food production staff Etc

Steve who does the hospital vending machine admin has a nice NHS lanyard and can go about his day with a tank of petrol in 5 minutes but Joan who needs to take over the firefighting shift is in the 2 hour queue.

What about patients trying to get to NHS appointments? If they can't get there there won't be much point the staff being there..!

YABU only because you seem to think you get to decide who can take public transport.

Pure virtue signalling by patriotic yay-sayers; great propaganda for BoJo and his lot because we all have to stick together for the greater 'good' called Brexshit.

@FleasInMyKnees

How do buses get petrol, do they have their own petrol stations.

I think they have allocated places but that's not the only problem with them.

It's all very well OP saying NHS staff should get public transport. I wanted a bus on Saturday, 20 min ride into town. None around, they were held up by traffic queues for garages which, in turn, caused blockages on the roads .Didn't realise till a bus finally made it to my stop . So ten minutes of shopping took from 10am till 2pm , which is when I got home .

@Malin52. Steve's job was outsourced years ago. He won't have an NHS lanyard

As a nhs worker most of us do not expect any special treatment - I have queued this morning for 45 minutes for petrol as I’m an occupational therapist & without my car I cannot do visits to aid discharges from the hospital which equals no hospital beds! I’m not sure how you could manage who has an essential need for petrol within nhs or who doesn’t? it’s all a bit annoying this panic buying as it’s forcing the ones who don’t want to panic buy to panic buy!

Those that need to save lives and treat people in a hospital should be given priority absolutely, along with police and fire persons and care home workers.
Having doctors and nurses treating emergencies being able to get there is literally the highest priority - tell me one other job that would be more of a priority than that?

I hope none of you have heart attacks, strokes or accidents in the next few weeks...those unworthy NHS staff will have to deal with you.

@user14597

In a scale of essentialness, anything involving saving lives pretty much trumps anything else.

Exactly so unpaid carers. Police , fire brigade to name a few not just the NHS

I agree OP. That's ridiculous. The NHS are not the only ones who have critical jobs to do and need to get to work!

@user14597

"This would also sort out the problems with NHS office staff rushing to get the vaccines and boosters before the clinical staff have a chance."

Totally agree with this, a friend of mine is NHS staff, office based, so she's been able to WFH. She then went on mat leave last summer (for over a year). She got the vaccine early January before my mum, a nurse who was working in a dedicated covid unit. My mum isn't NHS, she had to wait a further month before she was called up. It really irritated me the NHS friend was shouting about having the vaccine like she was a hero, photo with her card all the rest of it. She was sat at home with her baby!!! She's back at work now and still WFH, no doubt she'll be shouting about having the booster anytime now!

You’ve completely forgotten about ambulances and support vehicles too.

So make them emergency vehicles only. The guy who lives over the back from me who has an admin role in the NHS (and kept having parties over lockdown all the while shaming people for not banging pots and pans) does not have a greater need for fuel than my next door neighbour who works for a privatised care provider and gives care to elderly and vulnerable people in their own homes.

It is virtue signalling and ignores what we were supposed to have learned from lockdown that there are a whole load of people who don’t work in the NHS who keep this country working.