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?

I somewhat agree but you're very brave for saying it...many governments provide medical services, so show it's only our medical service that is heroic for having entered that profession.

You know that we don’t want to be called heroes btw? It was a ridiculous covid thing that made some people feel better about themselves (banging saucepans and all that jazz) but made most of feel slightly uncomfortable.

My heart goes out to Carers, especially those that care for family. They are the invisible heroes. On Christmas Day, they continue like any other day. They don’t get a day off.

agree..

All workers are hero's working on Xmas day

Notice how no one ever says police officers, cab drivers, restaurant staff, essential electric/gas workers etc are hero’s. You expect to have to work Christmas Day in these jobs.

Don’t call us heroes, just treat us with respect, and pay us fairly

👏🏼

I said it before but it’s worth saying again - the hero shtick distracts from the importance of the roles. It allows politicians to make out they’re sooo enamoured with NHS workers - whilst simultaneously stiffing them on their pay rises.

I wouldn't do it. I love Christmas and would absolutely hate to be away from the children on Xmas day. DH has done it several times (he works in a&e) and he hates it. Gets paid no extra money as it is his rostered hours. He isn't paid a huge salary that makes up for the antisocial hours he has to work

Well IMO they are heroes generally but you don’t go into that line of work without knowing that you will have to work some christmasses. So I don’t think they are particular heroes today no.

i hope they all have a nice Christmas even if their actual days off are delayed a bit.

Yep. My dc works in catering, today is their busiest day. We did Xmas yesterday.

This. It’s like the shitty covid clapping every week. Just treat NHS workers with respect and pay them properly.

I tend to agree OP. Anyone who works on Christmas Day deserves appreciation, whatever they are doing, but no, they are not heroes. People who volunteer to give up their day to help others (without being paid) deserve extra special appreciation btw.

Ok, so the CEO of Tesco is a hero?

Come on. Yes, there are obviously nuances here that I’m ignoring. But generally speaking nurses prepared to put up with the conditions of the NHS and to work Christmas Day deserve a little bit more of a Pat on the back than most, say, high-earning bankers who’re busy drinking their way through a hefty Christmas bonus?

YES I’m making generalisations!! Some nurses will be shit. Some bankers will be latter-day Mahatma Gandhis. But you can understand the point I’m making.

My dad's colleagues thought he was a hero because he volunteered to be at work or on call virtually every Christmas throughout his working career. His attitude was "I'm Jewish and Christmas doesn't matter to me, but it matters to them. Why shouldn't I help them out if I can?" He did not get any extra pay for it, but he got one heck of a lot of good will.

I think they are heroes for working Christmas Day, although I agree they’re heroes every day.

My Dd spent her first Christmas at great ormond street hospital and I definitely felt them to be heroes then, and still do now.

But yes there are others - police, firefighters, ambulance crew, lifeguard - many others who are also heroes working Christmas Day.

Person posting on Mumsnet on Xmas day deems people working on Xmas day not heroes 😂

No there's nothing heroic about working over Christmas. Is the Uber driver who dropped me home this evening a hero? What about the staff in my local Spar which was open this morning?

That's lovely @Dilbertian

I've known a small no swap the shift for those with children too

I’m not sure the CEO of Tesco works Christmas Day?
But they run a business that employs over 350,000 people so yes it’s a job that means something to people.
A ‘workaholic business entrepreneur” could be someone who works on the third sector in which case they’d mean an enormous deal to many people. They aren’t just CEOs and bankers

I actually don’t understand the point you’re making because you’re only coming from a place where ‘corporate’ people are heartless shills doing nothing important ever and all NHS workers are angels and make a positive difference to people every day. I can’t get on board with that narrow thinking

What a nasty and pointless post. They’re heroes every day.

Was Lucy Letby a hero every day?

It's just a day, I'm sure the majority of the workers aren't even practicing Christians.

Hospitals are thoroughly shit, depressing places to be over the Christmas period and anyone who works and spreads a bit of cheer to the patients and their families who have to be there gets acknowledgement from me. My sister worked today for her elderly patients who are too unwell to be at home. No she isn’t a hero, but she did make some older unwell people happy.

It’s shit for anyone who has to work on Christmas tbh but hospitals are particularly grim. You seem to be moaning nurses get acknowledgement and yet you felt the need to say your husband has worked the last 5 years…and? You either want it acknowledged its shitty to work Christmas Day or you don’t.

WTAF?!

They're not heroes because they work Christmas day, there are lots of jobs, some 'hidden' ie not jobs you realky think about, where someone has to work every day of the year.
My mam was a nurse and was pretty much 'if it's your shift, you're in'.
I do think though that people that keep our NHS running despite low staffing, low moral and loads of crap from people who have no idea what the job entails, are pretty much heroes.

Like it or not the CEO of tesco and every other supermarket that kept the shelves stocked through COVID is a hero - it required a complete change of business model down to the grassroots to ensure people still had food.

Maybe they can't be considered that at this time of year because the demand is due to people incapable of planning for shops being closed 1/2 days (although they still manage it). But nobody else kept the nation fed.

But that's an uncomfortable truth, because they earn lots of money.

I don't like the 'heroisation' of NHS workers (or anybody else) because it's an excuse to get away with paying you less than you deserve!
Difficult, draining and dangerous jobs should be renumerated accordingly. IIRC even for healthcare staff Christmas used to be at least time and a half. Now all of that's been taken away.

Shut up and pay people properly instead of all this... that's my take on it.