NHS employee Covid policy

[TiddyTidTwo]

I work in the NHS, admin but contact with patients. I tested positive for covid last night. I feel rough and sent a pic of my test to my manager and called her this morning.

Oh I can still go in, all restrictions lifted apparently. I was shocked. I said I have symptoms, fever, coughing and sneezing. No I can still go in but perhaps put me in a separate room.

So, as I know it's a busy day, I drag myself in, masked up and put on warm clothing as no one will see me locked away. I get there, sweating and looking like death but I haven't got my "uniform" on. It's a nylon short sleeved shirt. I don't live near work but I either had to drive all the way home, put shirt on what no one will see, or go home unpaid (I've not been in the role 6 months yet)

I've applied for a new job today. Nhs management is so up it's own arse they'd rather put patients and Co workers at risk, then nit pick about a shirt and end up short staffed.

I assumed testing for full blown covid with symptoms I'd be told to stay away but not only did I have to go in, I was then subjected to that, all for minimum wage.

Shambles

Yes that is the case across many nhs trusts, however if you’re not well the Covid is irrelevant.

my trust policy is don’t test unless you work in haematology or oncology. If you are unwell, stay off until you feel better. If you do test for Covid it’s 5days off from day 1 of symptoms until you feel better. Seems fairly sensible really, just be off if you’re ill

If you felt unwell you should have stayed home regardless of policy.

It's only a nylon sleeveless shirt. I still wore exact same colour just warmer clothes as the downstairs rooms have no heating other than putting on an electric fan heater

I dont understand the shirt thing.
If you were going to work why weren't you in uniform?
Sounds like you knew they were hot on uniform, wanted to go in to show your willing to go to work ill but knew you'd be sent home.

I can’t make out if you are upset about going to work unwell with Covid or because you had to change your shirt. Anyway, get well soon.

They're not. You can wear any cardigan over it even if you can't see it. Some come in not wearing it sometimes. Anything goes on the bottom.

yeah, you're not cut out for the NHS

You are an adult. You know perfectly well what sick and virus shedding colleagues do when they schlepp themselves in, with all the "oh i didn't want to let the team down" guff. and you have a uniform. Of COURSE bosses are going to get on your case if you don't wear it. (as an aside: Isn't that EXACTLY why your UK schools have all those utterly batshit uniform rules, to get you used to wearing stupid outfits?)

Be sensible OP. Don't work when sick. Wear uniform if provided.

You know you shouldn't have gone in, the shirt comment was petty but you're not well and have put others at risk, shutting a door isn't going to keep the bugs out.

That's Been the case for a while now
But if your not well enough don't go in.

Didn't mind going in. I'd set myself to be in a separate room. Nit picking about a shirt has not upset me but surprised me that I made the effort to go in and get my head down and get on with it was less important than a shirt no one was going to see.

Do you work in a GP surgery?
If so you are working for a private business albeit with an NHS contract and your employers are too mean to provide sick pay and warm place to work (isn't there a legal minimum temperature)

I work for a care provider. We are told not to test but if we do test and test positive we have to stay off work for 5 days minimum 🤷🏽‍♀️

Yes I do.

Stop trying to r a martyr if your not well ,you are not well so stay home its nothing to do with either Covid or the shirt.

That's what I thought too. I only tested because of my work colleague and the patients. I didn't want to go in not testing but was quite prepared to isolate

Well stop referring to NHS as your employer - while not perfect they may treat you better than this bunch

That's true, isn't it.

If you are an experienced worker, then you know NOBODY will ever thank you for going to work, ever. For whatever reason. And especially not when you're sick.
They will nitpick about everything you don't do.

If you aren't an experienced worker you have learned the hard way. So resolve in future: sick = don't work, uniform = wear it every time

Ain't that the truth!

One person going in with flu took out my whole dept and caused clinics to shut (small team) . If your ill do not go in. Work ethic doesn't mean go in when sick. Managers who push that are toxic. Your colleague with the sick child should be your managers first thought. I find it despicable that your manager didn't take the sick child into consideration. Our trust say don't test go by symptoms only. We work with cancer patients,pre and post op and vunerable elderly, so as a team we choose to test. Sometimes going in does more damage than good.

I am an experienced worker but semi retired now. Used to be in professional finance. Worked from home for 20 years! I chose this job as it interested me and I really do like the interaction with colleagues and patients and I've learnt new skills but the management, Jesus wept.

I actually love the job but perhaps I've been too independent and I'm too long in the tooth. I'm not unwell enough not to work I was foremost concerned about others.

That's why I chose to test. Backfired on me though. I went in masked up ready to be shut away and I would've been very careful and disinfected everywhere and locked the door.

Testing was absolutely the right thing to do.

Our covid policy is clear if you are unwell and have a temp you do not come in - its the same for flu and other respiratory illnesses.

If you test positive and feel fine I would rather (if possible) people worked from home if not come in mask up, think about distance/ hand washing etc, reduce patient contact (again if possible).

We're told we can go in too seeing patients f2f. Two Covid positive staff were working last week seeing poorly on the day stuff wearing a paper mask.