To think NHS workers aren’t ‘hero’s’ for working Christmas Day?!

[Reindeerlighthouse]

Just that. I have quite a few Nurses on my friend’s lists on social media and a few of them have posted today about how they’ve been working. Que loads of ‘omg, you’re an absolute angel’ ‘omg, you’re a true hero lovely’ type comments on all of their posts.

Am I being dim? They’ve been rostered on, they’re just doing their jobs on a day they’ve been rota’d onto, why are they ‘hero’s’ for that? It’s literally their job. I’m not saying their job doesn’t deserve credit because it absolutely does, but I’m sure if they’d have refused to work Christmas Day they’d have been facing disciplinary action?

My husband has worked the last 5 Christmas days (not medical related) no one has ever said he’s a hero for working it.

AIBU to think ti really doesn’t make them a hero? Just people doing their jobs on a day they’ve been told to do it?

They aren’t working over Christmas to make more profit for their company, they don’t get generous festive tips , their absence would mean more than us losing ‘nice to haves’ , entertainment, convenience etc.

NHS staff, like emergency services and a few other categories of workforce work over Christmas to ensure our health and safety.

Do they get overtime for working on Bank Hols? (I don’t know).

Yes, it’s the job, everyone who goes into it knows the deal, no one is demanding you gush on Facebook, so if you don’t feel like it, don’t.

But no need to be mean minded about it either.

I am really grateful for those who do essential jobs 24/7 365.

Yes Letby is a serial killer, well done. And thankfully she is the very rare exception. But she is not the only harmful NHS worker who has had access to vulnerable people, and damaged them. Which illustrates my point about the ridiculousness of hero worshipping all NHS workers. Why can’t we talk about the bad ones? She used that very “hero status” to cover up her crimes - the rhetoric that normalised the absurd clap needs to change. Less of this ‘hero’ guff and more ‘let’s be really fucked off that the NHS is underfunded and abused and staff are underpaid - and let’s do something about it’. Not NEARLY enough people do that.

A good start would be to not vote Tory!

To all those working in nursing, doctors,paramedics.
I thank you for today and everyday.
You have saved my life on more than one occasion.
You are my hero xx

Thank you for having the patience to explain this as i just couldn't be arsed when I'd get more understanding from my bedroom wall ;)

😂You’re funny. There’s no ‘sneering’ at people for being rich.

Pupils of the same intelligence from across the private/state divide will pursue different career paths based purely on aspiration. This is well known.

Money breeds ambition and entitlement. They’re not bad kids! Just privileged.

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"Rich boy students wouldn't last a day on an NHS medical ward"

That wasn't meant to be sneering? Really?

Come on now.

Nice try. You’d worry about a teacher understanding about the dynamics of society and having the audacity to voice these realities in an anonymous forum? You must be easily shocked!

Yeah, I’m not talking about doctors.

Oh right so we’re ignoring the inconvenient. Gotcha. I supposed it would be absured to talk about doctors on a thread about the NHS.

I have no idea why you’re waffling on about private school pupils. Who BTW do not ‘all get a leg up’. That’s not ‘factually correct’. SOME get a leg up but I hate to break it to you - it’s the kids of shoulder rubbing millionaires and powerful people, not the kids of teachers.

Post of the day award winner!

I grew up with my mum nursing. It was just considered part of the job to work Christmas Day, no one made a fuss about it. sometimes we ate at different times that’s all.

An awful lot of people work Christmas Day. Lots of industries run 24/365 we just don’t realise/ think about it. DH is a scientist and has been to work on Xmas day to sort issues.

Simply true. The short-hand of ‘rich boy’ has upset you. But you know sure enough what I mean!

Hero to me means someone who has made, out of choice, an exceptional personal sacrifice or taken a great risk to do something for someone else. Getting paid to go to work doesn't meet that threshold, even on Christmas day. Nor does saving a life. Of course we should value and appreciate people who do these things but there's a middle ground between hero (e.g. off duty firefighters entering burning twin towers on 9 11) and normal going to work that most people do.

If something is a normal part of your job then by definition it can't be heroic.

I also don't think there's a greater inherent value in being say a nurse or doctor or soldier over being supermarket staff or a teacher or hairdresser etc. Everyone has a role to play in society. It's what people bring to those roles that makes the difference.

OK let's reverse the roles

A privately educated inner city school teacher comes on here and says

"Tower block tracey poor kids have no chance as ceo (insert other private school only job here)

That's OK is it? Or is it only inverse snobbery allowed

You don’t think it’s sneering to say you teach “rich boy future CEOs” who “couldn’t cut it, trust me” in certain fields?

I don’t think that’s ok to say, kids aren’t fair game for bitchiness just because their parents are rich.

Also can’t be doing with this “Oh no I’m just stating facts not sneering, silly you!” - we all know you were being shitty about children

61% of doctors were privately educated. Very strange to say that the ‘rich boy’ private school pupils can’t hack working for the NHS. Seems like the facts tell us the opposite

Gaslight us all you want, you're being shitty about kids.

I guess it’s just the terminology people use because they are trying to say thank you at this time of year when others are tucked up at home celebrating with family. I think it should extend to all who have to work this period - all emergency services, home care workers etc not just NHS workers.

nb it’s heroes and friends in this context not hero’s and friend’s

Ph so you weren’t making a shitty comment, it was short hand. Short hand for what?

Talk about the bad ones? Your friend (and many others) are doing a lot more than talking. They are complaining, litigating, suing, etc. Some rightly, some for a payday. NHS staff tiptoe around on eggshells just for this reason. Is this your idea of hero-worship?

Where did you see that Lucy Letby used her 'hero' status to cover up her crimes? Is this grasping at straws?

The last paragraph- you've got to be fucking kidding me.

I’m sorry, what?

Gotcha? Can you explain? I’ve only ever mentioned nurses. Those high-paid doctors aren’t running the wards tonight, you know!

I don’t think you understand debate or discussion. We can’t talk about every individual person here, can we? We’re talking trends and generalisations. So, no, every single student in a private school won’t benefit from a ‘leg-up’, as it were?! But the basic premise that private school confers an advantage is, as I suggested, well known. With me so far?

Then, I think, you tried to insult my children!! I assume that’s what you meant with your ‘not the children of teachers’ comment 😱😱Naughty naughty!! So, are you saying that my children won’t benefit from private school because their mother is just a teacher?! Beginning to see where your attitude to nurses fits in!

Oh - and slow hand clap for being the one who brought up Lucy Letby! Nice touch.

I’m not sure what you’re getting at on the first part of your post? That people injured by the NHS who now can’t work shouldn’t be compensated? Too right NHS staff should tiptoe around not harming people. Here’s a tip - don’t be medically negligent if you don’t want to be sued for medical negligence

If you didn’t follow the LL trial then I suggest you look it up.

Couldn't give a shit myself - been working today through choice and meeting deadlines so i can fuck off in a couple of days too.

Working on xmas day for me is a throwback to the days you got double time. I'm no hero and it's a bit wierd to think turning up for work can be described as heroic in any way

We're having a midnight meal in this house.

The many unpaid carers in England and Wales save the government around £162bn per year. They could get £76.75 a week if they care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits. That's around £2 per hour, assuming you aren't providing more than the 35 hours, which many carers are. They don't get weekends off, or Christmas or New Year.

They worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, often totally isolated, putting their own health on the line. For £2 an hour or less, in a job they didn't chose, with no thanks (or claps). They can't strike for fairer pay.

We appreciate all the work our health and social care workers do, of course, where would be without them, but if all the carers stopped caring, the NHS and Social care would collapse.

When and how are people going to start showing their appreciation for our selfless and amazing carers?

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