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

Other illnesses aren't having the effect on the population and no-one knows that better than the NHS. "If you are sick, don't go to work" you'll just be staged out. You are so exposed in the hospital, but no understanding or common sense is applied.

I'm not that ill but I have full blown covid and work in a healthcare setting with vulnerable people

What's the difference between Covid and full blown Covid?

It's disgusting.

I came from a very high paid job and semi retired. Chose this one and it's eye opening. You have to be hard working, caring and fairly intelligent to do this job. Put up with abuse, multi task, etc etc. you get paid more stacking shelves yet management are so out of touch, just like the government, they don't realise what a wonderful workforce they have. It's not for the money, is it. Who'd do this for min wage unless you were passionate about the work?

This country and its management needs a wake up call

Ask a vulnerable person you pass it on to

Covid is covid wether you had symptoms or not,you might pass it on to one person for whom its a mere sniffle ,and pass it on to someone else who is hospitalized with it

I'm a senior NHS manager and if you go into work with the attitude you show in your posts then it stinks.
You decided to go into work. You are an adult and the martyr act is pathetic. If you aren't well, stay at home. If you are well enough to work then you come into work wearing your uniform and get on with it.
Believe me, we know the admins with a bad attitude towards management and it gets really dull and pathetic after a while.

Or knowingly have it where a Co-worker has a stage 4 terminally ill son. Now might be a sniffle but if she gets it she can't visit him. That was my priority, and the patients. Like I said I was happy to be locked away and isolated to work but thankfully I tested and didn't just rock up and work alongside her deliberately not testing.

Then got bollocked and sent home with no pay for not wearing a shirt no one would see. That was the point of my post

"I'm a senior NHS manager"

And that's why you can't retain staff

Are you sure? Every Trust I've worked at gives you one month's worth of full pay and two months half pay wherever you are in the first year.

If you leave before the year is up it gets deducted though.

NHS employers handbook

Edit: Saw you work in a GP surgery who have different T&Cs so this is not relevant.

Sorry, just noticed your employer is a GP practice. They are independent contractors and so some do treat their staff like shit.

Practice managers also vary widely in quality - some fabulous and some just got the job because they had been around the practice for years and automatically got promoted. Others, because they are married to the senior partner and others because they shagged or were shagging the senior partner. Working in GP contracting was a real eye opener.
But please don't think of the managers in one practice being anything like NHS managers. We are a very different breed and, in my obvious biased opinion, much more competent than the right wing media make out.
Sorry for my snarky reply.

"You decided to go into work"

No I didn't. I was told there were no restrictions. I said I felt ok but was symptomatic and NHS guidelines said not to work.

Told by NHS manager doesn't apply here we will put you in a separate room.

Fine. Being symptomatic I wore a jumper, no one would see, sent home no pay as wearing a uniform no one would see.

Well done.

Your the one who went into work knowing you had Covid you could have stayed home you chose not too
Unfortunately its the time of the year where there are many viruses around which your colleague may pick up and pass in to her terminally ill son
I'm not sure what you want you say on have Covid and don't feel.well so stay home
Or go into work and wear your uniform

@Locutus2000 definitely 6 months. I've been there 5 months and manager said you'll get paid if you you drive home and get shirt (the shirt no one will see as I'll be isolated) and come all the way back (only paid once I get back, minimum wage) or just stay home and you wont get paid.

I took the latter option

If you have a locker or drive keep a spare shirt there - avoids you forgetting uniform and being unable to work.

Hope you feel better soon.

But you don't work for the NHS🙄

@x2boys I suggest you read all my posts instead of acting like a tyrant nhs manager. Unless you are one?

I too work in a GP practice and Covid is spreading like wildfire. Our manager said we can come in if well enough but stay off if we feel too unwell to work like you would with any illness. Im not sure how it would work with covid-positive clinicians who have to examine patients though. They only decided this two weeks ago at our Surgery, prior to that it was a complete no-no to coming in if you tested positive.

We’re not NHS employees, we are employed by the practice partners although we are guided by some of their policies.

No apology needed!

I wish our manager was like you

No but I did work for the NHS for many years you f don't so why do you keep saying you do?

But you aren't NHS staff - you work for a GP practice and whilst they have a GP contract with the NHS, they are independent contractors - as I and others have pointed out.
You aren't managed by an NHS manager. You are managed by a practice manager or office manager or other manager within the GP practice.
I am a senior NHS Manager. I am paid on AFC (band 8D if you're interested). My employer is NHS England.
Yours is the GP practice in which you work.
Different employer, different terms and conditions and NOT NHS.

That is appalling but sadly in line with other GP practices. I used to be a district nurse so have dealt with many and the treatment of 'lower level' staff was frequently very poor.

It's not on and you need a decent Union on side.

@x2boys is right.

"Told by NHS manager..."

No, you weren't. You were told by your practice manager (who isn't employed by the NHS).

If you have an issued uniform, you should wear it.
Choosing not to wear it seems a bizarre choice.

Is Covid a thing anymore?
Why bother testing?
If you're too ill to go to work, stay off, regardless if what you are ill with.
If you're well enough, but may have Covid, carry on. Restrictions have been lifted a long time now.

@x2boys I did for years in the 90's when my kids were babies. My current role im back in the nhs pension. Are you are nhs snob where you look down on people working for patients because their employer is only contracted to the nhs? Aren't the people treated all the same?