Page 9 | To disagree with NHS only petrol stations?

pistachio20 · 2021-09-27T10:08:53+00:00

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?

kakeya97 · 27/09/2021 13:12

Absolutely. Nhs staff are fantastic and of course they need fuel but so many other important jobs to.

My partner is not a keyworker but he has an important job, one he needs to get to for us to survive (main earner).he would likely get the sack if he didn't go in. 8 miles away and too far to walk, live in a village with no public transport. But his work would expect him to find a way regardless. He only takes his car though to work and thankfully he has enough for now! I already have 3/4 tank which will last me a while. I didn't go out at the weekend as didn't want to waste it 😅

givemesteel · 27/09/2021 13:15

Not all NHS workers are front line. Recently there was a survey that said over 50% of NHS staff were non medical

Many essential workers are not NHS. Teachers, HGV drivers and other drivers, care workers, other front line emergency services. And so on.

Therefore an NHS badge shouldn't be the criteria.

This fuel crisis is being fanned by too many people being able to sit in queues to fill up tiny amounts of petrol.

Definitely introduce a minimum spend of £20 to avoid this.

Stormyequine · 27/09/2021 13:16

I don't think anyone is saying NHS workers shouldn't be prioritised to get fuel. but I am hoping police officers, fire fighters, refuse collectors, supermarket workers, HGV drivers, etc etc are also able to get to work, or the country will grind to even more of a halt than it is now.

Summerbubbles · 27/09/2021 13:17

I think it's time for the blanket NHS worship to stop, the general public are sick and tired of it. We all know it's vital for some staff to get into hospital etc but others could and have work from home. Many hospitals and doctors surgeries are on/near public transport routes, so for those not working unsociable hours can easily use that.

There are many people that "deserve" the fuel available.
We'll all be stuck if food supply is hit because manufacturing and distribution staff can't get to work, these places are not all accessible by public transport.

CovidIsADick · 27/09/2021 13:17

I agree with you OP. It’s ridiculous. I’m obviously not talking about ambulances etc. My DH is a gas engineer, he was meant to be installing a new boiler for an 85 year old client today. She has no heating or hot water. He had to cancel as he doesn’t have enough fuel to get to her and back. He can’t really take a boiler and all his tools on the bus. NHS workers are not the only essential workers in the country and a lot of them could use public transport.

EdgeOfTheSky · 27/09/2021 13:19

God, all this hoo ha because 1 garage somewhere has brought in their own policy.

If each sale was rationed to £30, or whatever level enables fuel supply to be maintained, then everyone could have what they need, when they need it, we would know that petrol stations would not run dry and hopefully everyone would come to their senses and get in with daily life.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 27/09/2021 13:21

plenty of nhs admin staff cannot work from home,
do you mind ringing the hospital and getting no answer?
no letters?
no appointments made.

Think about it before you slam the nhs admin

C8H10N4O2 · 27/09/2021 13:22

Still keen to hear if anyone other than the OP has seen this happening or where the OP has seen it.

I'm sure the OP didn't join just to start an argument over different groups of workers so would be good to know if its just one maverick garage or a policy decision.

Rhubarbsoup · 27/09/2021 13:24

@Summerbubbles

I think it's time for the blanket NHS worship to stop, the general public are sick and tired of it. We all know it's vital for some staff to get into hospital etc but others could and have work from home. Many hospitals and doctors surgeries are on/near public transport routes, so for those not working unsociable hours can easily use that.

There are many people that "deserve" the fuel available.
We'll all be stuck if food supply is hit because manufacturing and distribution staff can't get to work, these places are not all accessible by public transport.

Who is worshiping them? All I see is a load of bile to be honest.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 27/09/2021 13:24

there is a garage fairly near to me offering this, allegedly, but i am not taking the chance driving there just in case

Tibtom · 27/09/2021 13:25

@MrsLargeEmbodied

plenty of nhs admin staff cannot work from home, do you mind ringing the hospital and getting no answer? no letters? no appointments made.

Think about it before you slam the nhs admin

Some admin staff can't work from but all those tasks you list can be done from home.

TartanJumper · 27/09/2021 13:25

@MrsLargeEmbodied

plenty of nhs admin staff cannot work from home, do you mind ringing the hospital and getting no answer? no letters? no appointments made.

Think about it before you slam the nhs admin

I've not seen anybody "slamming" NHS admin. But if they work 9-5 in a setting on a public transport link, they should not be a priority for fuel over a lot of other people.

drpaddington · 27/09/2021 13:25

I agree. NHS staff are essential, of course they are. But as we discovered last year with the 'key worker' list, so are many many others! Surely it's obvious that we can't function as a country with just hospitals/ GP surgeries running and nothing else?

TartanJumper · 27/09/2021 13:27

@C8H10N4O2

Still keen to hear if anyone other than the OP has seen this happening or where the OP has seen it.

I'm sure the OP didn't join just to start an argument over different groups of workers so would be good to know if its just one maverick garage or a policy decision.

Iw as curious, so I googled. One garage in Birmingham offered a later evening service: www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/petrol-station-bosses-defend-staying-25078732

That's all I could find.

TartanJumper · 27/09/2021 13:29

@drpaddington

I agree. NHS staff are essential, of course they are. But as we discovered last year with the 'key worker' list, so are many many others! Surely it's obvious that we can't function as a country with just hospitals/ GP surgeries running and nothing else?

Quite apart from anything else, drivers need fuel to deliver oxygen and supplies to hospitals so they can run. Funeral homes need to be able to take bodies away (sad fact of life) Clinical waste needs to be collected.

Any breaks in the chain will lead to disaster.

MummyMummy01 · 27/09/2021 13:30

How about each petrol station has someone to check as you enter if you have less than 1/4 tank you can fill up if your over off you go. That would stop the false panickers who are just keeping topped up and allow everyone who needs it to get filled. It would stop all the queues instantly

ChrissyPlummer · 27/09/2021 13:32

@WormYourHonour

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

Of the NHS people, by your decree, can get buses, why can't everyone else?

I can’t get a bus/train to work as they don’t run early/late enough for my shifts. I’m not NHS and panicking how I’ll get to work if this continues.

YouTubeAddict · 27/09/2021 13:33

YABU. I was fuming at BP the other day though. They had these signs saying they were supporting the crisis by only allowing £45 per customer and no Gerry cans. They guy next to me filled up with £55 and a Gerry can! When DH told the staff they couldn’t care less. We only put in £45 btw as we were running on fumes.

Pottedpalm · 27/09/2021 13:35

@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.

Oh do trot off! Many ‘workers’ need to use cars, nhs or otherwise. There are only three buses a day where I live, and none of them would get me to school st the time I need to be there. It is too far to walk and positively dangerous to even try.

Morph2lcfc · 27/09/2021 13:35

I’m now back in the office after wfh for 18 months so am now filling up once a week instead of once a month when wfh. Lots of people have been required to return to offices since the isolation rules changed last month when they could in theory work from home but if your employer is insisting everyone back in office you can’t just say no. I’m wondering if this driver problem has been an issue for much longer but was masked due to sheer numbers working from home and using less petrol. Now people are back to buying what they were pre covid the system can’t cope

Motorina · 27/09/2021 13:36

Can I just say that most of us who work in the NHS who don’t need fuel (ie we can wfh) wouldn’t actually take advantage anyway. We’d want to leave it for those who absolutely need it.... because we see the consequences on services first hand.

This.

I'm NHS.

I'm on leave this week. This is my first week's leave this year that hasn't been cancelled due to staffing pressures. To say I have been looking forward to it is an understatement.

I spent the whole weekend trying - unsuccessfully - to get fuel. So I haven't been able to go on my planned and paid for holiday.

I could have used my NHS ID to queue jump. I haven't, because it's for my holiday, not for patient care.

So I'm sat at home crying instead. Probably an over-reaction, but it's the icing on a monumentally crap year.

Mostly, NHS staff aren't selfish. Mostly, NHS staff using their ID to get fuel will be doing so because they need it to care for the sick and the dying.

MoreHairyThanScary · 27/09/2021 13:37

I work for the nhs and agree there should be some differentiation.

I am a community nurse without fuel I can not see patients, my manager has spent far too much time this morning trying to establish what the situation is for our staff and what our business contingency looks like.

Thee are however those like our admin staff who are working from home who will not need fuel, they are equally important to the service but in this instance should not have special dispensation. I would hope that fire and rescue services, coastguard, police and home care workers should all also have access to fuel.

C8H10N4O2 · 27/09/2021 13:38

One garage in Birmingham offered a later evening service: www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/petrol-station-bosses-defend-staying-25078732

That's all I could find

So one garage offering a priority slot for NHS staff rather like the supermarkets did in lock down. That is a very long way from "only NHS staff get fuel".

Perhaps the OP will come back and tell us where it was.

Itsnotallaboutyoubaby · 27/09/2021 13:39

In my town there is one petrol station out of about 15 that is ‘NHS’ only at the moment apparently. Tesco’s petrol station.

I haven’t been to see so I don’t know how true it is but lots of NHS friends stating this online.

I refuse to fill my car up until the madness has ended… but I am lucky though that I had half a tank left and I just won’t be driving very far for the moment

FleasInMyKnees · 27/09/2021 13:39

We have started a car share scheme where I work and parents are trying to cut down on driving DC to school, some only live a 15min walk away.