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Christmas

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Original poster

What would you think if you read this notice on the back of your staff loo door?

210 replies

Diditopknot · 17/12/2021 07:05

“2021 There will be no hospital taxis provided on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day”

There are no buses running on Christmas Day.
To give you context, this is a hospital.
Now overwhelmed by covid and usual winter issues on top.
The nurses start at 7.30 finish at 9pm. Night shift 8.45 til 8

There is no visiting again due to covid so not sure why this has been hidden in a loo, there’s no one to see what a shit thing this is for many nurses who rely on buses to get to work.
It’s the one relief working on Christmas Day that at least you can get home to your family without paying inflated taxi prices.
Those that drive still have to pay to park on Christmas Day or they will be fined.
The nurses are trying to sort out lifts from each other a week before their shift.

Just to add, there are very few nurses, staffing is horrendous so it will be a very low bill for the hospital.

I saw the very exclusive garden centre staff out cutting the grass and trimming the hedges again this week at the hospital…wonder how much that’s costing the hospital?
What about having the garden centre staff come 10 months of the year and using the other 2 months to pay for Christmas Day taxis.
As long as the package is pretty, doesn’t matter what’s going on behind doors does it?

It beggars belief.
What would you think?
Put yourself in the shoes of that nurse reading that, on your knees covering extra shifts all year due to sickness and staff leaving in droves. Facing the start of the 3rd wave. Rubber mask making marks on your face, no break again for the 2nd shift in a row.

OP posts:
MadeOfStarStuff · 17/12/2021 19:18

Given the utter shite that MPs claim on over inflated expenses, I can’t bring myself to worry about the cost of taxis to get essential health care workers into work who can’t get the public transport they normally rely on. It’s unlikely to be highly paid consultants who are affected, it’s going to hit low paid staff hardest who can’t afford to run a car.

It’s a crap way to take away a perk at short notice with very little alternative, at a time when NHS staff are already on their knees.

Bramblesr · 17/12/2021 19:32

When I lived in london and worked we always had taxis home offered on Christmas Day.

You let your manager know if you needed one (people who had a car generally drive in) and where you lived.

On the day you’d get a taxi with 3-5 other staff who lived on the route home.

I’m not sure how else we would be expected to get home to the other side of london and then back again if you were doing Christmas Eve night and then Christmas Day night?

NovemberNovemberDarkNights · 17/12/2021 19:38

@Kshhuxnxk

I'm shocked it was ever an option tbh. You get a decent salary, it isn't the taxpayers burden to get you to and from work in a job you chose.
You again, you're the gift that keeps giving.

@Diditopknot. It's a bit crap if there's no public transport & that's what usually happens. I could understand then saying try to find someone who lives near you to cab share with. 3 if the taxi company will
Permit it.

Singinghollybob · 17/12/2021 19:42

I work in the NHS doing shifts over Xmas and New Year and don't expect free taxis over that period.
I get paid extra in unsocial hours payments and accept I may have to use some of that extra money to pay higher taxi prices if I don't drive, or can't get public transport.

Singinghollybob · 17/12/2021 19:46

If you've had it before it may just be because there's a shortage of taxi drivers at the moment, so can't guarantee it?

Maverickess · 17/12/2021 19:51

If anyone wonders why people working in healthcare feel undervalued and taken advantage of then reading this thread might help with some of the attitudes, it might also help to explain why we're facing a lack of people wanting to work in healthcare or train for it.
We need to start looking out for the people who keep the essential services running instead of kicking them while they're down or we're going to run out. Healthcare (among other services) is run on the goodwill of staff and people are taking that far too much for granted and expecting that they'll put up with anything and more over should be grateful for it. Well it looks like the goodwill is starting to run dry, we don't have enough people to look after the sick effectively.
If paying for taxi's for those that need it helps someone in healthcare out after the last two years they've faced and worked through, no pay increases and then a below inflation one, I think the tax payer is getting a good deal tbh.

Feelingoktoday · 17/12/2021 20:00

@Maverickess

If anyone wonders why people working in healthcare feel undervalued and taken advantage of then reading this thread might help with some of the attitudes, it might also help to explain why we're facing a lack of people wanting to work in healthcare or train for it. We need to start looking out for the people who keep the essential services running instead of kicking them while they're down or we're going to run out. Healthcare (among other services) is run on the goodwill of staff and people are taking that far too much for granted and expecting that they'll put up with anything and more over should be grateful for it. Well it looks like the goodwill is starting to run dry, we don't have enough people to look after the sick effectively. If paying for taxi's for those that need it helps someone in healthcare out after the last two years they've faced and worked through, no pay increases and then a below inflation one, I think the tax payer is getting a good deal tbh.
Health care should not be run on the goodwill of its staff. We should pay a proper fair wage. We couldn’t get and retain apprentices whilst we offered apprenticeship wages. As soon as we offered living wage we now have a choice and people stay.
LovePoppy · 17/12/2021 20:19

@LaurieFairyCake

WHAT THE FUCK

ITS NOT A PERK !!!!

if there is no public transport do you really think all the nurses should lose ALL their salary for a day getting a taxi to the hospital and back

Because that's what it will cost in London

Unbelievable!

It is though.

Unless it’s in the contract that they provide transportation, it’s a perk.

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 17/12/2021 21:28

When I worked in bars / cinemas, if you finished work after X time (when public transport ended) then you could get a taxi paid. Given that fact, I think the least we can do for nurses covering Christmas is pay those one or two days a year. If it’s down to the shortage of taxi drivers, that should be communicated clearly to staff.

NorthSouthcatlady · 17/12/2021 21:59

I am a nurse but never expected to get transport laid on to or from work. I have a personal rule where l won’t pay to park at work, it’s a total and utter liberty for a shift worker. Fine for admin to pay but not a nurse or support worker who often has to be there for 6.50am

I’m probably a bad person to ask, as l refuse to work on wards these days. I’m too old and blunt to put up with being treated like a dickhead

User57327259 · 17/12/2021 22:14

Certain jobs require certain hours of work. Some jobs are a plain 9 to 5 Monday to Friday usually in offices. Retail now work a lot longer than they used to. Certain jobs are worked 24 hours every day on a shift pattern. If the job people choose to work in involve working various shifts covering 24 hours a day and every day of the year. If a person chooses an occupation that involves 24 hour working every day of the year they will know the hours and have to make arrangements to get into the workplace on every day of the year. NHS staff should have realised this before training for such a job.

LovePoppy · 17/12/2021 22:25

@NorthSouthcatlady

I am a nurse but never expected to get transport laid on to or from work. I have a personal rule where l won’t pay to park at work, it’s a total and utter liberty for a shift worker. Fine for admin to pay but not a nurse or support worker who often has to be there for 6.50am

I’m probably a bad person to ask, as l refuse to work on wards these days. I’m too old and blunt to put up with being treated like a dickhead

fine for an admin to pay

You mean the admin who likely makes far less than you?

Tabbacus · 17/12/2021 22:29

@User57327259

Certain jobs require certain hours of work. Some jobs are a plain 9 to 5 Monday to Friday usually in offices. Retail now work a lot longer than they used to. Certain jobs are worked 24 hours every day on a shift pattern. If the job people choose to work in involve working various shifts covering 24 hours a day and every day of the year. If a person chooses an occupation that involves 24 hour working every day of the year they will know the hours and have to make arrangements to get into the workplace on every day of the year. NHS staff should have realised this before training for such a job.
Are you saying people shouldn't take up jobs because of one day every few years?
Keepitonthedownlow · 17/12/2021 22:30

That's awful you should go to the press

Icebreaker99 · 17/12/2021 22:35

It's shit!

spudjulia · 17/12/2021 22:49

I would not really expect a paid staff member in any organisation to have their transport to/from work paid for

What about MPs?

NorthSouthcatlady · 17/12/2021 23:15

@LovePoppy yep. Getting to somewhere for 8.30am or 9.00am with public transport is way easier than for 6.50am, in the evening or on a Sunday etc

NorthSouthcatlady · 17/12/2021 23:20

@LovePoppy plus clinical staff typically have way more responsibility so they get paid more. I did a degree and 2300 hours of unpaid clinical placements so yeah the extra pay is warranted

MarmitesMyMate · 17/12/2021 23:39

I'm on the fence.
My friend is a carer. She busses to clients houses. She has to work Xmas day. No busses where she lives . The taxi fares she would have to pay would be 1/3 more than her wage! She said she has no choice.

Where I live there is an hourly service in Xmas day for busses. That go to the 2 local hospitals. Not normal routes more of a circle around the city finishing at the hospitals. They started that 2 years ago.
Also lots of street parking that's normally restricted isn't on Xmas day. We'll I can't see there being a warden!

Essexgirlupnorth · 17/12/2021 23:47

I don't if you have uber in your area but they are offering free journeys and food to NHS staff if you register with a NHS e-mail address for travel over Christmas

Couchbettato · 18/12/2021 00:32

Christ! I work in a call centre and I get my taxi home paid for, at £40! As well as any one else who doesn't drive.

I think that's despicable OP. They're expecting you to make miracles happen when we're meant to be cutting back on contact, buses don't run, and you're keeping an establishment open with your fingertips.

User57327259 · 18/12/2021 01:38

@Tabbacus As a person who has and had many relatives who were in jobs which were 24/7/365 including NHS and other essential workers working in other job with 24/7/365 hours (on shifts) I have to work round these shifts my whole life not just Christmas. It affects and affected a lot of things like birthdays holidays accidents and illnesses. I think it is part of the job(s) that Christmas days and other public holidays and personal/family events have to be worked around the shifts. Getting to and from work is a normal everyday thing. If a certain person does not drive or have a car they could ask for a lift from a colleague or family. Saying NHS should have free taxis is not going to endear them to others who have been affect by NHS difficulties.

AlwaysLatte · 18/12/2021 01:48

And little things like seeing gardening going on in december would get me going too.
I don't understand the gardening
connection.

urbanbuddha · 18/12/2021 03:18

If a person chooses an occupation that involves 24 hour working every day of the year they will know the hours and have to make arrangements to get into the workplace on every day of the year. NHS staff should have realised this before training for such a job.

Total bollocks. People who go into nursing aren't drawn by the parking perks. I can't believe that you think like this.

urbanbuddha · 18/12/2021 03:19

Thank you OP for your dedication, especially in these difficult times.