What could we do to make things easier for NHS frontline staff?

[MyHipsDontLieUnfortunately]

While I'm worrying about working in a very germy environment and hoping we'll be closed as the situation ramps up, I'm very conscious that NHS frontline staff have no such safety net in prospect.

What can I/we do to help you? I don't have that many parent friends and the ones I do have mostly have a SAHP; otherwise I'd offer childcare. What about cooking / laundry / some sort of cleaning? That all sounds very trivial bit it's the sort of thing we currently end up spending our free time doing and wouldn't bear thinking about at the end of a nightmare shift.

Any better suggestions?

Sorry to derail... on topic of cancelling surgeries... I’m due surgery at the start of next week, I’ve been waiting months despite being “urgent” (but not cancer, v poor quality of life and potential to become life threatening, having an ileostomy) how likely is it that surgeries will be cancelled a week from now? I’m in South Wales and our nhs is always swamped 😩 I’ve been admitted more than once a month for the last year...

@newmumwithquestions it was meant that the spike in cases medical professionals have been seeing for appointments. Not the spike in cases diagnosed positive for Coronavirus

@Piehunter I would think it’s possible, but it’s hard to tell. If just one case is diagnosed in your hospital then staff will need to quarantine and other staff will be reallocated to emergencies. I should imagine a lot of non ‘emergency cases’ will be be delayed in coming months

Vote for a government that values public services.

@pigletjohn I hardly think even most anti conservative folk can blame the government for this 😂

Vote for a government that values public services

Spot on.

@Thepigeonsarecoming.
I hardly think even most anti conservative folk can blame the government for this 😂

Then you think wrong, because we currently have a NHS that was on it's knees BEFORE this happened, even though a pan/epidemic is always a possibility. Do you honestly think that is not going ton have an impact on treatment and how this can be managed?

I've worked in the NHS a long time and have seen many ups and down over the years, but I have before never seen it like this before. It is currently on the brink of collapse, and people and the government they elected are risking losing one of the best inventions this country have ever seen. It is so sad to see.

@todayisnottuesday I have zero interest in talking politics. But the only operation I’ve had was delayed 4 times and that was under Labour government. I was annoyed and accepted it as these things happen as others needed it more. I don’t see that much change regardless who’s in power

But this, it’s an unknown

@thisisnottuesday you are right is the fact that it’s now Wednesday though 😂

@hepigeonsarecoming I have zero interest in talking politics

Um,,, why make a comment related politics then

I don’t see that much change regardless who’s in power

Then lucky you, as most frontline NHS staff certainly do, and it is one reason staff are leaving in droves and we have a huge shortage of nurses. I have often worked on wards that are supposed to have a nursing ratio of 1:4, but end up with one on 1/14 or even more.

Don’t go to hospital with a chronic problem 13 days after you come back from Korea as some idiot did yesterday We had to isolate them and the room then has to be left empty for 2 hours before cleaning in a really busy ED
Don’t go to any healthcare provider unless you really have to
If you think you might have CV call for advice don’t turn up unless you are actually in need of medical intervention
Don’t take all the medical supplies
Don’t go on a cruise and probably just try and avoid travel.
Turn back time and vote labour

@todayisnottuesday god I was trying to make a joke, it wasn’t about politics

So you suddenly know my profession and background and assume you are better than me? Would you like to disclose where you work as I think you do need some training around maintaining a friendly but professional relationship

@PigletJohn hear hear.

@Thepigeonsarecoming -So you suddenly know my profession and background and assume you are better than me?

I have no idea what your background or profession is, nor any wish to find out as it's completely irrelevant to anything I have said. I said MOST NHS staff, not alL (which is obviously just IMHO)

assume you are better than me?

Huh? Are you sure its me doing that and not your own insecurities, because I did not say that, nor do I think that.

Would you like to disclose where you work as I think you do need some training around maintaining a friendly but professional relationship

Um - no - because then I actually would be breaching confidentiality and my code of practice. However, I am not obligated to maintain 'friendly relationships' when posting anonymously on a public forum or expected to have a 'friendly professional relationships' with strangers.

You have clearly taken something I have said very personally, but I can't see where I have made any personal attacks on you. Please stop accusing me of things I have not done

Could MNHQ confirm that I have not sent any nasty PM's to anyone please. The post accusing me of that may have gone now, but many will have read the accusation, and I think its unfair not to let me defend myself against false claims on my character.

Honestly in not nicking hand gels or scaremongering. When things get manically busy, please come back to the thread if at all possible, and let us know what to offer. It's all very well saying 'if you need anything, just ask,' but having practical ideas about what to do to ease your burden outside work would really help.

I am not frontline staff exactly so know I ma not as badly effected but I work in mental health. I would agree with others in saying try to be responisible in how you act and talk about it. We are seeing a lot of our pts badly effected by all the hype- people with really bad anxiety/health anxiety/OCD already trying to deal with this. And all at a time when we are already crippled by staff shortages and lack of inpatient beds then the added concern of how we will continue working to support pts when cases rise and potentialy we have to change working practices to limit pt contact. Also, if you know anyone with MH issues check in with htem how they are doing, it is especially tough for them at the minute.