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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Why are all government workers the same? (Bar the odd minority)

130 replies

Cel119 · 19/06/2025 13:59

By government workers i mean council, NHS, police, Ambulance.
Last night we had to go to A&E as relative was suffering from stroke symptoms. He didnt want to go alone so i accompanied. As he was being triaged the HCA asked for the blue folder and i handed it and she looked at me like i handed her a shit and said "ooooooo.... kkkkkk". I am type 1 diabetic and as relative was being assessed I started suffering a very bad hypo. I thought i was going to collapse. I think it was the combination of heat and insulin working too quickly. I said "im really sorry, im having a hypo and I need to sit" the HCA said "how do you know?" Considering I have had diabetes more than half my life I knew the symptoms and my sensor had alarmed me. But for some reason this hypo was making me feel really bad. She replied "if you want to be seen you will have to sign in" no compassion, empathy. Just stone cold nasty. I replied "I don't want to be seen i just need to sit" she did the same "oooo... kkkk" the room starting going really bright and I thought I need to get out. So I stumbled out holding the walls. I sat in a chair. The HCA asked a nurse to do my blood glucose(i think because she didnt believe me). The nurse came along grabbed my hand, didnt clean my hand, did blood glucose (from the wrong finger) and shoved my hand back at me then read out the glucose which were low. Then stomped off. I dont even know if she used a clean needle! I just sat and ate my jelly babies thinking please dont collapse as i didnt fancy that infront of a room full of strangers. It just seemed very harsh and cold to treat someone this way. I saw police treating another mental health patient the same. In my past I have had abhorrent behaviour from ambulance crew. Council workers are rude and dismissive of any issues anyone has. It's like the country has reached a massive disparity in power with the average working man being treated like a turd that would be better off dead. Why is everyone in these jobs like this? They don't think reasonably. You could explain a situation that seems completely reasonable and they will find a reason that it's not reasonable. I have had experiences like this time and again.
I have also worked as an qualified NHS worker(dietitian) and worked amongst them and they are some of the most cruel, uncaring and bullying type to work with. Towards patients and colleagues. It's a toxic environment. Full of bullies. Why? What fuels this? In a career where you are meant to care, you get people devoid of any humanity treating people in need. As I said, you get the odd person who clearly went into it because they want to help people, but not often.

OP posts:
Cel119 · 22/06/2025 00:46

Just an update on this as been very busy. The night i went to A&E with relative we ended up having to leave because he was feeling so unwell and had been sitting on the chairs for 4 hours. He went back the next day as he still felt odd and I couldn't accompany due to childcare. When he entered they kept berating him saying "he should have stayed" he obviously just replied "yes, I know but I was feeling very unwell and uncomfortable on the chairs". The nurse kept repeating it and being quite rude about it, which I wasnt surprised. Then others in the waiting room were muttering about her being rude to them. This is what relative told me as i wasnt there. He ended up waiting 7 hours to see a stroke doctor who thought he may have had a TIA and put him on aspirin. He was then referred to a TIA clinic for an emergency appointment today which I attended with him. The people in these clinics were lovely. It was like night and day. They listened in depth to my relative and really showed they cared. I dont know what it is about A&E (and my diabetes appointments) but the staff can be very rude and harsh. I understand that they probably get a lot of people in A&E with minor problems (not A&E worthy which when you look around it does seem that way, but I guess you cant see what someone is going through). But the attitude that everyone is a time waster can make the patient feel really sh*£ at a vulnerable time. I try to avoid hospital myself(unless in DKA), because of my very bad experiences in them. No, I dont work in the NHS anymore. I decided to use my degree for other avenues.
They found relative has possibly had a TIA, but it may also be stress related due to his occupation. He is on aspirin for now. He is only 37, but his father also had a stroke at a young age too.

OP posts:
MolluscMonday · 22/06/2025 00:58

I don’t get it.

She asked for a folder. You gave it to her and she said “ok”.

You were then taken unwell. She said you needed to sign in in order to be assessed. You declined to do this. She then went and got you medical attention anyway.

What did she do wrong exactly?

XWKD · 22/06/2025 01:14

I hope he's ok. I get stroke symptoms and so does my cousin. He was admitted to hospital with a suspected stroke. It's actually migraine but neither of us gets a headache. Hopefully it's just something like that.

Cel119 · 22/08/2025 00:55

Lardychops · 20/06/2025 00:03

On a personal level - bugger off OP!!
I’ve given 30 years nigh on, of blood sweat and literal tears as well as 100s of 60/65 hour weeks - to public service

In a sweeping general sense you may have a point about SOME workers and the existence in SOME instances of a prevailing culture where the public they serve become an ‘inconvenience’ (largely due to cuts/limited resources/ burn out/ goalposts changing/targers/new initiatives that reverse on a pin head etc etc)
Its very stressful trying to do your job with one hand tied behind your back and a lack of support from senior management ( for whom WE on the front line and our issues are their ‘inconvenience’ who’s attitude is the classic ‘JFGID’ !!!

More fool you for giving anything to it. Especially, with the pay and being overworked. It shouldnt be the patients that suffer the governments doing, though. So should i say "bugger off NHS worker". We can to and fro all day long. What came first... the chicken or the egg.

OP posts:
Cel119 · 22/08/2025 00:57

MolluscMonday · 22/06/2025 00:58

I don’t get it.

She asked for a folder. You gave it to her and she said “ok”.

You were then taken unwell. She said you needed to sign in in order to be assessed. You declined to do this. She then went and got you medical attention anyway.

What did she do wrong exactly?

She said "...ok" eyes roll, in a "mean girl" way but was pushing on 60. She then proceeded to talk to everyone in the same patronising, disgusted manner. Sometimes its not just the words used but the way its said. I did explain this. Care to read?

OP posts:
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