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?

Drs are on a different contract to anyone else in the hospital so don't ever get additional pay and less hours in lieu than they work on the day which I find unfair

Having worked in 11 hosps the additional pay does seem variable for other staff

Ah I see!

Well apparently according to some on this thread doctors working on Christmas arent ‘heroes’ because <checks notes> they don’t mop up sick and may have gone to private school.

Lol its a pretty rare day on labour ward if I've not cleared up sick/had it on my arm as most of our obstetric drugs induce sickness...but it's a fantastic job and aiding the births (I'm an anaesthetist) of cute babies is so worth it!

You are not wrong OP. They chose a career or a job and now they’re working in it.

The general population is basically thick. And you can bet your bottom dollar, the more someone posts on social media, the thicker they are. The irony is not lost on me that MN is also a form of social media. But posting the kind of posts you describe on Facebook, X etc really just makes these people a cliche.

“I wouldn’t expect to be called amazing for it” - and quite rightly so. The world will go on turning without your marketing expertise on Christmas Day. However it would be the end of the world for someone if people died without medical care provided by those who’ve had to give up spending Christmas with their families like the majority of us get to do. Not remotely comparable so I don’t know why you tried.

What I need is the correct spelling for the plural of hero which is heroes. But, alas, it was auto correct and it was only MN so I cba.

I only bothered to reply as I found your incorrect ‘correction’ amusing.

I agree. Sick of hero worshipping people just for going to work.

I love how you had to edit that to prove your point 😂😂😂😂
You shouldn’t start a sentence with but, it’s not grammatically correct and you wouldn’t want others to think you’re, what did you say, thick?

My sister works in a care home. She found out her shifts two weeks before Christmas and worked a 12 hour shift on Christmas Eve, a half shift of six hours on Christmas Day and is working part of today too. She didn't volunteer and gets x1.5 for Xmas day itself. She copes with dementia, death and personal care every day. She would never say it herself but she is a sort of hero to me.

In terms of the op - if a bit of recognition makes people feel happier to go to work when most people are at home or with their families, what harm can it do? Really, what bad thing happens because someone publicly cheers up a friend? So much awful stuff in the world and on sm, it feels petulant to grumble about this. Unfriend if you dislike them so much.

I can relax now someone has said this. Was just about to think how to politely word it!!

Telling yourself quite the story there, aren’t you! You know nothing about me, the kids I teach or the relationship I have with them. You’re very rude and angry.

Teenagers need to learn about privilege and class analysis. (So do you, apparently.) It’s a very basic fact that society isn’t equal. Have you ever heard of sexism or racism? Recognising that you’re in a privileged group is not to say you can’t ever have a problem! Do you really need this explained?

You’re just angry at me because a) I said all jobs aren’t equal, b) I stuck up for nurses when you were enjoying the nurse bashing and c) [guessing here] you don’t like teachers much either.

You’ve absolutely latched on to the idea that I can see where privilege lies in our society and are waving it around like a dog with a bone. You’ve even had a little sneer at my kids!

You object to the term ‘hero’ - but can’t you see that that’s just a way for people to show their appreciation for nurses?! Is that little bit of hyperbole so offensive to you that you have to come onto a thread to stamp your feet about it? Was it really worth bringing up Lucy Letby for?!

As you’ve continually gone for me, called me a shitty human, had a pop at my kids and called into question my professionalism, I’m not going to engage with you any more. But in case it’s not clear, this was the point I was making:

• Those who do hard, emotionally-draining jobs on Christmas Day do require special thanks; it’s not just a case of “you chose this; suck it up”
• there are socio-economic reasons why some people are in jobs that are particularly hard and under-valued; we do not live in a meritocracy. People don’t ‘choose’ their jobs in the fullest sense of choice. Therefore don’t be a dick about those who are undervalued.
• generally, wealthy CEOs don’t need your pat on the back - they have other comforts.
• just fucking let people praise nurses without having a bitter tantrum about it!

It’s genuinely as if you don’t understand inequality despite living (I’m guessing) in Tory Britain. And you’re can’t bear nurses benefitting from a little hyperbole at Christmas. Happy Boxing Day.

Everyone chooses their job but many grumble about it from time to time. Maybe even you sometimes? Circumstances change. You can become jaded or disillusioned. You might love it 90% of the time but feel that working on Christmas Day is a drawback. When I see posts like that I see someone venting and a friend supporting. I can't imagine feeling angry about it really.

Yes and this is why “NHS workers” is a problematic term if finance, admin etc staff are included as such. They don’t have remotely the same levels of stress or importance in their 9-5 office jobs with regular weekends and bank holidays. They can easily be replaced by plenty of others with the same skills from other sectors. They’re not medically trained on the front line providing vital patient care.

Partner of DS is a nurse in A&E in London. She just worked the night of the 23rd and Xmas Eve into Xmas day so was pretty wiped out yesterday, getting up late afternoon for some food. As she has no children she doesn't mind those shifts and will swap with colleagues with kids sometimes. These shifts are usually super busy, even more so than usual, so fly past. The additional pay is also a factor for her, saving for a house deposit.
I think she does an amazing job working in A&E every shift, not just Xmas but she thrives under the pressure and can't imagine working anywhere else.

Most people go to work as they have to right? Even nurses. I'm an AHP and while I do love ny job, i'd much rather be sitting at home with family than wiping bums on Christmas day...which is why I work NYE instead.
This thread also demonstrates why so many health professionals are leaving.

My GP husband hates this trend for deifying NHS workers. They’re not heroes, they’re professionals doing a job. The more we ‘clap’, the more acceptable it is that NHS workers are treated as a poorly-paid angels that can be taken advantage of, rather than professionals that should be paid and treated accordingly.

LadyRoughDiamond ...you have nailed it. I go to work to earn money and if I can't make more money to provide for me and my family in the future I will be forced to take my highly trained arse elsewhere.

Christmas Day is bank Holiday pay - which is the standard rate of Sunday pay - time + 60%. Anyone on an Agenda for Change contract gets this. Boxing Day is the same.

The only exception is if Christmas Day falls on a Saturday - that's not then a Bank Holiday so normal Saturday pay applies - time + 30%. This is really gutting as people then who work the bank holidays - the 27th and 28th - get the Bank Holiday pay - more than you get for actually working Christmas Day.

Band 2 staff get double pay I believe - but B3 and above don't.

Anyone who says staff work it for the pay is talking nonsense - we get the same pay for all 52 Sundays in a year plus all other bank Holidays..... very few people therefore get excited about BH pay at Christmas.

when covid happened, we saw who were the heroes, the bus drivers driving the nurses, doctors, the auxiliary staff, supermarket workers, and other workers who DIDNT and were unable to work from home.

People/Workers lost their lives to covid related illnesses, alot of spouses, parents, partners, lovers, children lost people to.

I’m not in agreement that the nhs workers are heroes for working Christmas Day, I think all people who work hard in this country especially for the good of others are heroes

Its a job. They chose it. It involves unsociable hours.

nothing heroic in that.

@WorriedMum231

An apostrophe forms a contraction. That's how it reads. You could have avoided this calamitous confusion had you not used an apostrophe. Unbelievable!

Doctors don't get the extra pay that other NHS workers do. Stupid but true.
I spoke to my DD late last night after her 13 hour shift (for £15.33 an hour - lowest paid person in the hospital yesterday) and she was exhausted. Not enough staff, some very sick patients, and she didn't manage to eat anything until 5.30pm - started at 8am.
She's not a hero. But she is a qualified professional who might be the first person you see if you end up in hospital. And if this country doesn't want her, there are plenty of others that do.
Pay doctors their worth, or they'll be no doctors here. Pay nurses what they are worth, or they'll go too. None of this hero crap. It's not a vocation, it's a job.
Oh and she's comp educated. No family money to support her. She has rent and bills to pay now. When she applied 6 years ago the NHS was not the complete mess it is now. I never thought I'd be encouraging her to move half way round the world.

@FUPAgirl band 2 is time and 83%

And I think everyone on this photo deserves their pay, but do we really think doctors don't deserve the same at least ? Even with the 35% pay restoration, the F1 would still be the lowest paid.
NHS workers are not heroes. They are humans who need to be paid for their skills. Claps don't pay the rent.

You wouldn't be saying that if a loved one had accident/illness etc etc and the team of AHPs saved their life, oh yes you'd be hero worshipping them then.

Thats the difference, its more than someone in (most) other sectors working a Xmas, people in healthcare make a real difference.

But as said, your post and this thread shows why so many are leaving, they are fed up of low pay and being taken for granted.