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

[Diditopknot]

“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.

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

You’ve lived a very sheltered life then. I had a rural factory job which picked us all up at 5am for our shifts and drove us out to the site, because there was no public transport at that time in a morning. I’ve had events jobs that collected you from a central meeting point in town and drove you out to the site. DH worked for Sky head office briefly, and there was a minibus that shuttled everyone from the nearest station. It’s really common for people in jobs starting or finishing at weird times, or in places poorly served by public transport.

There is also no staff parking at lots of London hospitals - Whittington has none, Royal Free, Royal London, Guys, Kings, probably others. No staff parking of any description. So no, you can’t just drive, you have to use public transport.

@Changechangychange

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

You’ve lived a very sheltered life then. I had a rural factory job which picked us all up at 5am for our shifts and drove us out to the site, because there was no public transport at that time in a morning. I’ve had events jobs that collected you from a central meeting point in town and drove you out to the site. DH worked for Sky head office briefly, and there was a minibus that shuttled everyone from the nearest station. It’s really common for people in jobs starting or finishing at weird times, or in places poorly served by public transport.

There is also no staff parking at lots of London hospitals - Whittington has none, Royal Free, Royal London, Guys, Kings, probably others. No staff parking of any description. So no, you can’t just drive, you have to use public transport.

But none of these are taxis?

Locally to us the big factories and theme parks have minibuses, yes. But the NHS doesn't do that I think?

I’m surprised they have done it in the past to be honest. Budgets are tight across the public sector which is probably the reason. As for placing the sign, that seems the perfect place to me as people will see it there

@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.

The OP said that there are no buses running on Christmas Day. I assume the courtesy taxis were provided because those who use public transport day to day are stuck. Instead, they are forced to book a taxi on a very busy evening and are likely to pay double rates for the privilege. This is not just a problem for NHS staff, it’s for anyone who works unsociable hours.

I'd be pissed off and wonder why the fuck I ever thought it was a good idea to work for the NHS.

[quote User57327259]@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.[/quote]
It's just Christmas day though as buses aren't running, they don't get ferried about at other times. Shifts start and finish when buses would typically be running, so even if working nights can catch a bus or train, except one day a year where they don't run. So surely, yes, you are saying these people shouldn't take these jobs (of which we have a chronic shortage of by the way which is going to lead to huge issues very soon) for the sake of one day. Its also not the staffs fault there are delays etc, they don't have to endear themselves to anyone.

If anyone is on the cusp of leaving just bloody do it, let people have a health service that's even smaller and offers even less.

I'd go to HR and say it's not except able .

@SmallBoyFury

What would you think?

I would think that hospital staff, like thousands of other people who work on Christmas Day, need to organise their own transport.

I think this is harsh, sorry.

It might be true in the brand new scenario but in a situation where an employer has previously provided taxis regularly at Christmas it is wrong to change that arrangement now, when many people already have their shifts and some may have volunteered for them.

Change it for next year by giving plenty of notice. But don't change it in December.

(The above makes some assumptions about precedent and this year's policy change).

When public transport isn’t running, work should pay where needed for people to get home. Doesn’t matter what the work is. Awful to remove this.

When my mother was in a rehab ward recently she had a couple of review appointments with doctors at another hospital where she had originally been treated. Each time the hospital insisted on arranging a private ambulance to take her to and from the appointment. Each time it was utterly pointless, because they didn't examine her and she couldn't have answered questions about her health due to dementia. They could have got the necessary information and given the necessary advice via nurses on the rehab ward, or a phone call to me.

Whilst the NHS continues to spend money on things like that, I really don't see why they can't pay for taxis for staff working on Christmas Day.

I think the placing of the sign is strange, but if I am honest I would not really expect a paid staff member in any organisation to have their transport to/from work paid for.

Most people in most organizations don't go to work at Christmas! Or only do so by choice and usually for extra pay.

And it would be one thing if hospital taxis had never been provided - another to suddenly withdraw them, especially at a time when an unusual number of staff may be called upon to cover the hours of others who are ill or self-isolating.

Locally to us the big factories and theme parks have minibuses, yes. But the NHS doesn't do that I think?

No, they generally choose to pay for (shared) taxis instead. Presumably easier to arrange on an ad-hoc basis.

I’m not sure what your point it? I’m sure OP wouldn’t turn her nose up at a minibus instead, the issue is that there is no transport available at 6am on Christmas morning.

The NHS like many other services, are a 24/7, 52 weeks per year organisation.
You know when you join the organisation that you are going to be potentially working outside of public transport hours, yet you still signed on the dotted line.
Can you imagine how financially draining it would be to provide a taxi for everyone who works within the NHS on Christmas day?
It's not just nurses who work within it on Christmas day.
Nor are the nurses the only ones working on Christmas day either, plenty of other people work in other sectors who face the same transport problems without the generosity of a free taxi being offered.

None of the staff where I work (hospitality) will be getting their transport paid for (and they won’t get paid extra for working Xmas day).we are constantly being told that the NHS is underfunded.. seems justified not paying inflated prices for a taxi for staff! It’s not nice staff will have to fork out but maybe your workplace could do a deal with a local taxi firm for special rates if staff lift share with them?

[quote NorthSouthcatlady]@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[/quote]
Of course it’s warranted. Never said it wasn’t.

It’s just off to me to then arbitrarily decide that lower paid jobs should have to pay for parking. Without admin staff or other lower paid jobs, units can’t function.

Also, choosing to go into nursing you know that you’ll have wonky shifts. You know you’ll need to plan transport to get to work. This isn’t suddenly a surprise

@LovePoppy like l said, it’s way easier to get somewhere for 8.30am or 9am Monday to Friday. Than way earlier, later, on a Sunday or bank holiday. Public transport in then more of an option, than having to drive to work

If you read my comments properly then l have always got to places under my own steam. Either on foot, public transport or driving. Having or expecting to have transport provided bemused me

[quote NorthSouthcatlady]@LovePoppy like l said, it’s way easier to get somewhere for 8.30am or 9am Monday to Friday. Than way earlier, later, on a Sunday or bank holiday. Public transport in then more of an option, than having to drive to work

If you read my comments properly then l have always got to places under my own steam. Either on foot, public transport or driving. Having or expecting to have transport provided bemused me[/quote]
I read it properly.

I just think your attitude that people in different professions should pay while you shouldn’t is ridiculous

@OhGiveUp

The NHS like many other services, are a 24/7, 52 weeks per year organisation. You know when you join the organisation that you are going to be potentially working outside of public transport hours, yet you still signed on the dotted line. Can you imagine how financially draining it would be to provide a taxi for everyone who works within the NHS on Christmas day? It's not just nurses who work within it on Christmas day. Nor are the nurses the only ones working on Christmas day either, plenty of other people work in other sectors who face the same transport problems without the generosity of a free taxi being offered.

For many it's just one day a year that public transport is an issue, what's wrong with you that you can't understand that?

That’s crap, and poorly communicated.

@LovePoppy it’s not the different professions that decides it in my mind. It’s the actual practicalities of people doing 9-5 hours, having other options to get to work than driving and so then don’t have to drive. Whereas nurse or support worker may well struggle to get somewhere for 6.50am, when buses etc might not have started yet. Then may do a 12-13 hour day and then have to travel home late.

You’re right l don’t pay at all anyway -as l said in an earlier post l haven’t worked on wards for a while now

I don't think it's unreasonable to have this laid on.
I have a relative who worked at a fairly remote hospital. They have massive recruitment difficulties. I would like to think the staff would be given a taxi home, but based on this thread it appears many others wouldn't which I find shocking.

@Toastmost It's one day a year that they knew they would potentially have to work when they signed their contract.

[quote OhGiveUp]@Toastmost It's one day a year that they knew they would potentially have to work when they signed their contract.[/quote]
So again, we lose loads of healthcare professionals and support staff for the sake of one day every few years? Genius. Ffs some people.

Christ, there are some miserable people on here.
Of COURSE transport should be provided for hospital workers if there’s no public transport on Christmas Day.

None of the staff where I work (hospitality) will be getting their transport paid for (and they won’t get paid extra for working Xmas day

If you seriously work somewhere in hospitality where your staff are not getting paid anything extra for Christmas of New Year, you should think about changing employers. That isn’t the norm. I always got paid at least double as a waitress/barmaid, and once got triple pay for doing a (horrible, I earned every penny) bar shift on New Year’s Eve.