Please stop me from handing in my notice tomorrow! NHS rant

[Rantysaurus]

I’ll keep this brief but would love any advice before tomorrow.

Me and colleague are paediatric AHPs in a very small team. Same job, banding, roles and responsibilities. Not essential for COVID in our current roles so we knew we’d be redeployed.

Manager announced today that I’m being redeployed from tomorrow (no idea where yet but probably as a healthcare support worker on acute ward going by pattern I’ve seen today among other staff) but colleague has been given at least a week worth of work she can do from home in her current role.

I asked how manager had come to this decision. Got told I didn’t need to know and ultimately I need to do as I’m told. Me and colleague are close friends and we discussed afterwards. She also has no idea how this has been decided. We both have children and taking advantage of the school childcare provision which is working well for us. She said she couldn’t think of any personal circumstances which might have swayed the decision today. She is no higher risk than me for catching covid. She is, however, good friends with our manager and they socialise frequently outside of work.

I have a strong feeling that favouritism was the decider in what happened today.

Wibu to speak to manager about this tomorrow and request a proper explanation as to how she came to this decision? Why she’s putting me more at risk than my colleague by asking me to attend our local hospital tomorrow to be redeployed while my colleague doesn’t have to leave her house?

Have read our health board policy on redeployment and it says all clinical staff should continue coming to work as usual and await redeployment if our role is not essential to fighting COVID. Nothing relevant in there about picking and choosing which staff doing the same job should be redeployed. Just says anyone not doing a job that directly helps the pandemic should attend their usual workplace and await redeployment.

Do I have any rights here to request an explanation? Why does my colleague get what sounds like the better and safer deal? Or do I put up and shut up as I need to accept I can’t be privy to this kind of management info?

I’m absolutely livid about this and actually don’t know why it’s angered me so much. Genuinely feel like packing it in. Why couldn’t we have shared the remaining workload and both worked from home on this and then both been redeployed at the same time? I’m also worried that we’re being told we’re no longer allowed to question decisions like this and just need to obey.

The explanation may be that your manager feels you have better people skills so are better fitted to go to work on the wards.

Maybe you could ask for the WFH to be split 50/50?

Favouritism never feels lice. You are within your rights to question the decision.

If you're not happy there use it as a boost to leave and apply elsewhere.

Even if/when he does get it knobbly he may have no symptoms at all or just mild symptoms at home for 5-10 days. With you at home supporting him at least he’s more likely to eat better, stay healthy etc and keep his immune system up. Positive thinking . Honestly with the situation you’ve just described I can’t see you had any other option then unpaid leave.

You may well have the advantage in being deployed now, being a week earlier you may get a better role, have a choice of role, or get better tuition (longer) for your new role.

I think you've been unfairly treated on this thread, OP. Just because you're an NHS worker doesn't mean that you should be happy with being thrown into a completely new role with different shift patterns, and where you are putting yourself at risk. I'm a physio, I haven't worked on the wards or done shift work for years, for good reason. I have a young family, I have a DH thar works long hours. But I also have ADHD which means that I only really function well in a work environment that suits me. I know I'll probably be redeployed fairly soon and I am absolutely dreading it I am fully expecting to get signed off with stress quite quickly. I think the staff who work in A&E / ITU are amazing. But I know that I cannot cope in a role like that. It's not being selfish, or not wanting to "help the cause", it's fact.

OP you certainly need to talk to your manager about childcare. They cannot expect you to magic up shift work friendly childcare out of nowhere.

Good luck

‘ Do I have any rights here to request an explanation? ’

You may ask, but you do not have ‘rights’.

‘...my colleague get what sounds like the better and safer deal? ’.

What sounds/seems to YOU to be a better & safer deal. Does your manager know of your explicit concerns about your safety & your personal situation ? It may be that your management line has tactical plans that require you & your colleague to be available for different projects requiring different skill sets. Two colleagues may be in the same grade & in the same job family but this does not mean that they have exactly the same skill levels & aptitudes. No reason why you would have to be privy to this.

‘It’s the fact the manager has decided between two equal staff members that one should redployed while the other can stay home for a week without providing an explanation.’

Again, staff may be on the same grade & in same job family, so there is some equality. BUT that does not mean that essential skills & attributes are distributed equally between them. The manager has not decided between you - it’s not a contest or pageant - it is a decision made with the people & resources available made to get the job done.
The only reliable fact here is that everyone is subject to the pressure of exceptional circumstances.

‘ We’re equals but today we were treated unequally without explanation.’ You were not treated unequally, a process to make a decision took place & you have a different outcome to your colleague, & this will happen across grades & job families across the NHS.

I understand how challenging & scary it is in the NHS right now, with certainties & ‘policy documents’ seemingly tossed aside & possibly some best practice about communication is not as it could be. In the face of this global crisis & chaos, people working in the NHS are pulling together such phenomenal change to make an absolute difference for everyone, so some milk will be spilled.

It is good to hear that MNetters have helped you this evening put things in perspective.

I feel for your OP, it must be terrifying, due to concern about your welfare and your family's, but also how to protect patients when you don't feel equipped to treat them. I don't even know what to say but that I take all your points about this being nothing like your normal job, and I know that many NHS and private health care staff are facing massivley daunting redeployments. I am beyond grateful to them, but if not everyone can cope with that change, then yes I think some may leave and I wouldn't judge.

I wouldn't focus on your colleague, if anything joining a week later may put her at more risk as the case load will be worse and she will have missed some time for training and assistance from those already in the field.

Being treated equally does not mean being treated the same, not does it mean having the same outcome.

If I were you I would feel exactly the same way!

If the choice is, you go now and colleague wfh for a week then goes, or you both wfh for 3 days then go, it is really that different? You are only saving two days of front line work out of what could be months or years.

If you don't want to work that role, resign, that's fine (and I say that as a front line worker myself).

But does it make sense to say you'd be happy to work it but you'd resign over those two additional days?

What makes you think there was a reason for her decision? She had to choose one, it could have been random. You’re assuming there is a reason you’re not being told but that doesn’t make it true.

It’s a national state of emergency right now, yes it’s rubbish to be involved in it but what’s the other option, close the NHS and let everyone die? We just have to get on with it. And I say that as a midwife who’s being redeployed to the COVID cause having NO nursing training or skills. It’s all hands on deck right now.

lots of nepotism and illogical, irresponsible management in the NHS. Very likely the friend was chosen for that reason but there's nothing you can do about it. You can put in a grievance but it will never get proven and once you've put in a grievance your card is marked. you could try reporting onine to NHS Fraud but doubt it will get you anywhere.

I would not be sent out to be cannon fodder for these types of managers if they are not going into the battle themselves so I would leave, but then you may lose your whole career.
Presume you are in a Union? See what they say and also call ACAS.

This would really, really piss me off too, op.

Manager had to make a choose. It was 50/50 so I'd try not to read too much into it. Also I know you say that you're very close etc but lots of people lie to friends about pregnancy if it's still early days or illness so I don't think you can rule out those being possible reasons either.

Your co worker may not have told you everything. There may be a range of reasons that they do not wish to discuss or let others know. Whilst it is hard you can only assume you have the information but you don't. For all you know there is a very good reason for the managers decision. You colleague is in a horrible position either 'fess up personal things to you or potentially put herself or others at risk.
For yourself, take care, be safe and do what is right for you. Try not to think about what others are doing or you will make yourself angry, hurt, anxious.

Hi OP, I hope you are feeling better and thank you to you and all the other key workers for helping us stay safe and healthy.

Think of it this way - if there's one week's work for one person and it was shared out, all it would have done at best is delay redeployment by 2.5 days. Is 2.5 days worth resigning over? I imagine probably not.

The NHS doesn't want people working from home if it can be avoided. If she is, it is highly likely that she does fall under the at risk category but she's not willing to tell you her medical history, however 'good' friends you are.

My sister has a disorder that puts her at risk. The only people who knows about it are her family and her very best friend from childhood. She doesn't want anyone else to know and in that same situation, would have probably resorted to tell her boss, but certainly not colleagues, however friendly they are.