Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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:
Puffalicious · 19/12/2021 13:58

I sympathise, but they can't provide taxis for every worker in every NHS hospital working Xmas/ NY day. There are 100s of workers, not just nurses. Ex-H (radiographer) is working Xmas eve, Xmas day and Boxing day. There's 100s working in his gig city hospital alone.

Puffalicious · 19/12/2021 13:58

Big

ChristmasFluff · 19/12/2021 14:44

If I hadn't already left the NHS years ago because of shit like this, I would leave.

I've had taxis in on Xmas day when I didn't drive. It's really common for hospitals to have some form of transport for their workers - in one hospital I worked at there was hospital transport (mini-buses) for every shift, every day, to/from the local towns for those who didn't drive because it was in the back of beyond. If your hospital didn't want to do taxis, they could do that. It's one of those apparently wonderful perks that keep people in their jobs.

In any other sector, if there was a desperate shortage of staff, you would improve pay and conditions. Apparently this is why bankers must have bonuses, for example, and yet there doesn't seem to be any shortage of them at all. Ditto MPs - in fact, there is an oversupply of people wanting to do that job.

But nursing and teaching? Oh no, just keep on shitting on those people, because 'it's a vocation' and 'if they don't like it, they can leave'.

Do it - leave. As a nurse, you will have loads of transferrable skills - and if more people left, then they would see how much more those skills are valued elsewhere.

Toastmost · 19/12/2021 15:19

@ChristmasFluff

If I hadn't already left the NHS years ago because of shit like this, I would leave.

I've had taxis in on Xmas day when I didn't drive. It's really common for hospitals to have some form of transport for their workers - in one hospital I worked at there was hospital transport (mini-buses) for every shift, every day, to/from the local towns for those who didn't drive because it was in the back of beyond. If your hospital didn't want to do taxis, they could do that. It's one of those apparently wonderful perks that keep people in their jobs.

In any other sector, if there was a desperate shortage of staff, you would improve pay and conditions. Apparently this is why bankers must have bonuses, for example, and yet there doesn't seem to be any shortage of them at all. Ditto MPs - in fact, there is an oversupply of people wanting to do that job.

But nursing and teaching? Oh no, just keep on shitting on those people, because 'it's a vocation' and 'if they don't like it, they can leave'.

Do it - leave. As a nurse, you will have loads of transferrable skills - and if more people left, then they would see how much more those skills are valued elsewhere.

And they are jobs typically done by women.
ddl1 · 19/12/2021 15:48

it isn't the taxpayers burden to get you to and from work in a job you chose.

It's the taxpayer's burden to ensure that enough people do choose, and are available, for a job that is vital to the public, and is already frighteningly short-staffed.

And people in most sectors do get paid more for working over Christmas, or don't work at Christmas at all. The problem that we're discussing is an issue precisely because bus drivers don't work at Christmas, and taxi drivers, if available at all, charge a lot more than on most days.

Hospitality staff usually also get paid extra for working at Christmas; if some don't, their employers must be real Scrooges!

Original poster
Diditopknot · 19/12/2021 16:06

This is my last Christmas in the NHS.

Over 30 years of service and I am leaving. Not to retire but to go to the private sector.
I won’t be treated like this any longer.

No “hero” stickers on the car I don’t own no. Thanks for that comment though, thanks a lot.

My back is buggered thanks to a sharp kick in the chest by a patient sending me flying across the ward. Physically I can no longer do it.
I can’t do the 13 hours without a decent break, comfort my colleagues sobbing in the linen cupboard every day because they can’t cope on their own for yet another shift, watch as frantic phone calls are made by the night nurse waiting to hand over to the day staff… who just don’t come.

The end. It’s over for me.
I have loved 98% of my nhs jobs, but this isn’t sustainable any more.
This is your health care system. This thread is the narrative of why this is your health system.

It’s not really about a taxi and who pays for it or who deserves one more than anyone else, it’s about desperation and frustration.
As clear as day I know what nursing nowadays is and no, I had NO idea it would be like this when I signed up.
Otherwise, I’d be in any other job. Definitely I would be in another profession.

OP posts:
notacooldad · 19/12/2021 16:32

What would you think?
I think they are in a similar boat to mine tbh.
We have had an unusual amount of sickness and our services is struggling to cope with children that have come into care over the last few months.
I am working Christmas eve, Christmas day and Boxing day.
I was due to be off Christmas eve and boxing day.The Bixing day shift is a Wake night watch. I've had to cancel the party I had planned and also cancelled afternoon tea on Christmas eve. In not having a pity party btw, just saying hospital staff aren't the only ones busting a gut.
I have to make my own way in.
Ive worked all the way through everything as well.
It's a jungle for everyone (more or less) at the moment.

Chouxfun · 19/12/2021 16:35

@notacooldad

What would you think? I think they are in a similar boat to mine tbh. We have had an unusual amount of sickness and our services is struggling to cope with children that have come into care over the last few months. I am working Christmas eve, Christmas day and Boxing day. I was due to be off Christmas eve and boxing day.The Bixing day shift is a Wake night watch. I've had to cancel the party I had planned and also cancelled afternoon tea on Christmas eve. In not having a pity party btw, just saying hospital staff aren't the only ones busting a gut. I have to make my own way in. Ive worked all the way through everything as well. It's a jungle for everyone (more or less) at the moment.
If you're working Christmas day and usually get public transport but can't, I'd absolutely be behind having a paid taxi come and get you. Why should we be wishing worse for others rather than better for ourselves?
notacooldad · 19/12/2021 16:47

Why should we be wishing worse for others rather than better for ourselves?
But I dont wish worse for other.
I said I would think they are in a similar boat to me ( and the team) who have never had transport provided for us on Christmas or New years day.

Original poster
Diditopknot · 19/12/2021 16:49

hota that’s really rubbish for you and really shows your commitment and fantastic team support.
The service is lucky to have you Flowers

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread