Do the general public know how bad the conditions in the NHS are?

[Gakatsbsk]

Hello

Expecting to be roasted.

However, I’m an NHS staff nurse. Qualified almost 2 years. I’ve worked through the pandemic. I initially worked in England and now work in a different UK nation - which is better but only because England was so poor.

My union is about to start a consultative ballot for industrial action in light of the nhs pay offer. I have had two family ‘acquaintances’ (who do not work or have immediate family that work for the nhs) complain in one breath about delayed appointments, delayed A+E waiting times, cancelled surgeries etc but then in another tell me that nurses going on strike is disgusting, lucky to have a job, NHS more secure employment etc. These are of course English Tory voters who said this

For reference, I have never and will never cross a picket line and will be voting in favour of industrial action (whatever form that takes due to emergency cover staffing etc).

When I was a few weeks qualified as a nurse I was looking after double the safe ratio of patients in my speciality. Completely unsupported, me and my (equally junior) colleagues having to consult google for solutions to our patients problem, if a medical emergency occurred (in ICU there should always be medical cover - this isn’t the case) we had to pull a buzzer, put out a page and get on with it until a medic appeared. This has not improved post pandemic.

In my current workplace (same speciality area), different country we are the only part of the hospital that is safe staffed, because of this every single day nurses and HCAs are sent to general wards, A+E and different hospitals often to be the only RN on a ward for 30 patients. There is such a crisis of care home beds, and ward beds that patients are staying in critical Care for weeks waiting on a ward bed. On the wards patients aren’t able to be washed each day as there might only be 1-3 staff members for 30-40 patients, meds rounds take 4 hours and ultimately patients who are sick go unnoticed until they are peri arrest. Nurses from day shift often have to stay on to night shift as there is no night shift nurse available.

I have only had negatives from the general public - it’s our fault for having degrees and being too posh to wash, bring the matrons back, etc etc. our colleagues who trained in the 80s and 90s pre degree say it is the worst it has ever been for safety and staffing. Racism and xenophobia towards our brilliant overseas colleagues is rife when they keep the NHS clinging on by a shoestring.

Four and a half years ago I was a first year student nurse and times were hard for the NHS, it has only got worse and worse for my patients since then. For the sake of my patients I will take industrial action.

However, it is so concerning how anti union, anti public sector and pro Tory the English public seem to have become? The decisions and government of Westminster negatively affect every nhs patient and worker in the UK. Just look at the widespread abuse, disdain and disgust directed at the RMT workers recently. I fear the same or worse for NHS workers.

So, is this NHS worker wrong for not enjoying being told to be grateful to work for the NHS? Is there any future for the public sector of the UK?

I apologise if I seem to have generalised England but I am English and from a northern Tory heartland. An area completely brainwashed.

Op, I would 100% stand by you.

I too have the experience of night nurses waiting to hand over to day nurses… who don’t come because there is no one to come.

Of being relieved to see that we have enough staff for once (due to staff working their day off) only to be told it’s “my turn” to be moved to a ward. I haven’t worked on a general ward for over 20 years.

After being kicked across the room by a patient and needing to take days off sick due to severe back pain following this assault I was “counselled “ regarding my sick time by management, I left the NHS.

I had worked 50-60 hour weeks throughout COVID with zero time off. With open wounds on my face from the masks.

After nearly 30 years in my beloved NHS I left. I just couldn’t go on & I can no longer be a part of it.

Speaking to my friends, still in the NHS, it’s worse than ever. I made the right decision.

Theres a world of other jobs out there out of the NHS where you can still help patients and make a huge difference to their lives.

I have two friends in the NHS - one was signed off with stress before covid, went back during covid but is now showing the same coping strategies as the level of pressure and work is simply not sustainable. The other was newly qualified before covid , worked through it (as a nurse) and went off last year - again with stress but in reality has PTSD from what he had to encounter. Yes we all want caring compassionate nurses - however the toll of seeing so many deaths, people struggling to breathe combined with the fear has had such a long lasting effect and there is no let up ever for recovery. He is also back. I support you, midwives and others in any action you believe is necessary for the welfare of your patients and for your own welfare! I understand the pressure you’re under, I wish I had more hope for how this will all go.

Honestly, you all deserve so much more, I have no idea how you do it.

But thank you.

@Topgub thanks for your reply. I do not wish to derail the thread into a debate on how to properly manage an ageing and unwell population - or provide fodder to a tabloid rag but I agree we aren’t managing well.

I agree about reducing the dependence on the NHS but don’t agree to charges - the marginalised are already suffering.

One of the usual posters being negative again on an nhs thread. Agenda...

OP sorry it's so tough.

@ColinRobinsonsfamiliar
I have been assaulted too, by a patient and a relative. My colleague had her clavicle broken by a patient. My colleague got called unprofessional for complaining about this - told its part of the job. It’s a sorry time in the NHS - I hope you are enjoying a well deserved rest after all your service, the pandemic was tough.

My DD qualified a year ago and has been an intensive care nurse for a year.
13 hour shifts. No parking at the hospital. Literally has patients clinging to life, but staff shortages means it is unsafe.
After being a student nurse for 3 years and now qualified she is already planning a move away from nursing.

@tootiredtospeak I can’t find your
post to read it fully but I am so sorry for your Gran - she deserves far better. xx

Op what do you mean by reducing dependence on NHS?

Do you have a view on how

I support you.

I despise this government.

I don't understand why ordinary people can't see whats happening and how risky going into hospital will be now.

OP, you say that you support the RMT but you and everyone else will have to pay more taxes if we don't reform the rail system including their unaffordable pensions etc. So you will get less pay as your taxes will be higher.

If the rail workers don't like their working conditions then they should get another job.

@speakout

I too am an intensive care nurse, qualified just one year before your daughter. I hope she finds the career she deserves and am sad that nursing isn’t proving it for so many x

@ILoveAllRainbowsx

thanks for your reply. I don’t wish to argue about it but all of the points you’ve said about rail workers could apply to the NHS too. I’ve been told if I don’t like it to get another job. I would pay more tax for a properly funded public sector. Eroding workers rights isn’t rail reform. Not everything the government and media say is true.

Parking! DONT get me started!

I don't support the rail strikes, I think unfortunately rail demand has dropped, therefore staffing levels are going to have to drop. Reducing demand unfortunately means less jobs/keeping the same people on less pay in all industries. They need to modernise and improve efficiency, which will unfortunately reduce the workforce but that's just economics. I am 100% behind nursing strikes and legal aid barrister strikes. These are essential services with in demand workers working in hard conditions and they deserve extra pay and importantly for nurses better, safer conditions so the NHS stops losing so many good staff.

Thanks, it is a sad situation, my DD loves her job, but isn't able to deliver the care patients need, and she finds herself having to juggle too many jobs at once. She literally has people's lives in her hands and it is extremely stressful.

@MarshaBradyo

I worded it badly but

1. Hospital at home services - these exist but limited. The vast majority of people in hospitals could be at home - IV therapies at home, IV fluids at home, long term conditions managed at home.
2. Preventative health care - exacerbations of conditions could be avoided if managed in the community more effectively
3. This is controversial but medical referral / ambulance admission only emergency departments - to do this requires an overhaul of minor injuries and primary care services I could go on and on.

@Eddiesferret

All GP surgeries are just privately owned companies. The NHS pays them to provide NHS services, but make no mistake they are businesses. A big chunk of GP time is doing private work within their “NHS” surgery.

I don't think they do.

In the last 6 months our department has gone from 71% staffing to 46%. It's dangerously low. The work cannot be reduced. We have statutory duties to perform, legal obligations and time frames (we're non-medical).

The fewer staff we have, the more pressure on those that remain, the more sickness we end up with and the more people leaving.

We can't recruit. We get 1 or 2 applications per post, and usually poor. We won't (can't?) pay the going agency rate.

I'm not on agenda for change, so I can't strike. But I 100% support those who can and will.

Poor funding, bad management and privatisation by the back door.

No I don’t think many realise how bad things are it’s been hidden by the pandemic or how much is already privatised

ive recently taken out private health insurance it’s not a cost I can easily afford but feel it’s worth it abs within two months had two doctor appointments made with ease I can’t even get an appointment at my GP. I’m NHS staff too

The NHS was never sustainable it desperately reforming we need to look at France and Germany health systems

@MarshaBradyo

We've reached a point (imo) where people expect the nhs to cure everything for every person

No demand is too great.

Costs millions to keep 1 person alive for a few years? Reasonable expectation.

Your granny can't cope living alone at home due to old age and frailty? Take her to a&e and get her admitted to an acute hospital bed and then refuse to take her home. NHS problem now.

I won’t be swayed on rail workers strikes. Solidarity always. I have more in common with a rail worker than the Tory MP’s.

100% with you op.
How do we undo the brainwashing?
Voting Tory needs to stop.
❤️

@Topgub

100% you have summarised the problems

If there are enough staff then people get better care, better care equals better outcomes and less mistakes. Unsafe staffing levels are simply that, unsafe.

We have all had 'those' shifts, one of my worst, but not unfortunately that uncommon, was the one with the detoxing alcoholic who was an absconding risk as well as being very verbally and physically agressive, the very sick deteriorating patient who had the misfortune to be ill when half the shift had rung in sick and there was no alternative cover, a third of the patients at least, on IV's of some sort including chemotherapy, a few confused wandering elderly patients who were also at risk of falling and the bed manager demanding a bed, a bed was reluctantly made available and they sent someone in full blown arrest to a ward with only half the number of staff it would normally have ! Try doing CPR on someone whilst simultaneously trying to manage the patient with delirium who thinks you are killing the person in arrest and has come behind the curtain to rescue them, because the only other staff members are dealing with angry shouty detoxing person and picking an elderly confused person up off the floor. I burst into tears of relief when the Resus team arrived .