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Original poster

Clapping outside hospitals has got to stop

137 replies

Wired4sound · 16/04/2020 22:25

A friend forwarded me this video -

www.facebook.com/barnsleychronicleonline/videos/158413535522368/

Far too many people all congregated together, some hugging and kissing. NHS staff outside in their uniforms and someone in their wisdom invited the local council and the local council housing team up to be clapped too!!!

Just WTAF!

OP posts:
Powerof4 · 17/04/2020 07:51

On our street it’s just a nice chance to see each other briefly from a safe distance and feel a bit of togetherness.

JudyCoolibar · 17/04/2020 07:57

It has to be doing some good, all the police cars outside the hospitals, it is good for morale

I think my morale would be better if those cars were on the streets preventing crime.

Strawberrycreamsundae · 17/04/2020 07:58

I refuse to clap; I’m a retired nurse and not one of my friends supports doing it, it’s naff and turning into some sort of hysteria in some areas.
The clips on tv of streets clapping actually show very few participants and in the background there’s often someone encouraging further clapping purely for the filming.
Where I live no one clapped last night, last week a few did including one buffoon with a megaphone- he was told to belt up after 10 minutes of him whooping and hollering.
It’s turning into a farce with hospital staff crowding together and as for scenes on Westminster Bridge....

cookingmywaythroughlockdown · 17/04/2020 07:58

Well the hospital I work in has had gatherings where people are spread out, a lot more than is actually possible at work. We've got one way systems on corridors and spread out in offices etc, avoiding face to face meetings but fundamentally you can't help being close to others in many areas and in clinical work.
I cry every week by the way. Something about the clapping and the thought of all my colleagues who are putting themselves in harms way because that's just what they do. Gets me totally. Don't join in if you don't like it but please don't be all pious and condemnatory about it. Make no mistake, the NHS is going through hell right now and we need to keep going.

pleasedoone · 17/04/2020 07:58

The NHS has an almost religious status in the UK. There have always been Republicans but in the current febrile atmosphere, anything less than worship of the NHS is being denounced. It is like a cult. And it prevents its myriad dysfunctions from being acknowledged. Let alone addressed

It is rare at the moment to find anything sensible on MN. This is something sensible. @BovaryX

Propergator · 17/04/2020 07:58

Well that’s rather counterproductive. How bonkers and stupid.

YesThatIsMyRealName · 17/04/2020 08:01

The duties of the police now seem to be clapping and going on Twitter.

Oh and yelling at people in their front gardens obviously.

Bananarama101 · 17/04/2020 08:02

Yes, this is clearly 2m...

Clapping outside hospitals has got to stop
resipsa · 17/04/2020 08:04

The NHS has an almost religious status in the UK. There have always been Republicans but in the current febrile atmosphere, anything less than worship of the NHS is being denounced. It is like a cult. And it prevents its myriad dysfunctions from being acknowledged. Let alone addressed

Yes. I agree. Look at the Welsh govt sending the shield letters to the wrong addresses. In normal times, there would have been outrage.

YesThatIsMyRealName · 17/04/2020 08:09

@Bananarama101 It's ok if the police break the rules, they can't catch coronavirus

Ivebeentohellanditscalledikea · 17/04/2020 08:14

Even if they are in their teams I just feel that they are giving the people not following the rules more excuses not to as why should they if the emergency services are holding gatherings. Photos of outside the hospital show they are very close together with members of the public walking about near them.

onlyreadingneverposting8 · 17/04/2020 08:16

Just seen a Report on GMB where at the hospital in Eastbourne "some of the police officers here tonight aren't even on duty but, so important to them...." so necessary journey there then....from their homes....to the HOSPITAL - to clap!! Ffs I was saying the exact thing last week that I was surprised and a bit perplexed at the turning up of the police cars, officers, fire service, ambulances etc etc at the hospitals. We are always being told they are over run by work etc but now they suddenly have time to organise themselves to all arrive and stand for several minutes outside hospitals. My old local hospital was featured on my Facebook time line last week - the fire, ambulance and police stations are a good 4+ miles away.

Derbygerbil · 17/04/2020 08:17

This is turning a bit weird... Also, I thought the whole point was for people to clap to show their support for the NHS, not for the NHS to clap themselves in some cheesy photo op. However, to criticise is tantamount to treason in some people’s minds!

BovaryX · 17/04/2020 08:17

It is rare at the moment to find anything sensible on MN. This is something sensible. @BovaryX

Ha! Thank you @pleasedoone

EricaNernie · 17/04/2020 08:20

dont be kill joys,
stand behind the nhs and carers,
they are doing an awful job
we need to show our appreciation

Derbygerbil · 17/04/2020 08:21

Just seen a Report on GMB where at the hospital in Eastbourne "some of the police officers here tonight aren't even on duty but, so important to them...." so necessary journey there then....from their homes....to the HOSPITAL - to clap!!

The emergency services clearly deserve our support, but they are in danger of shootings themselves in the foot with this. It will be more difficult to police an ever more restless public as the lockdown if they believe they above the law,
flaunting their position shouting “Look at us! Look at us! Aren’t we amazing!”

YesThatIsMyRealName · 17/04/2020 08:24

@EricaNernie Show our appreciation by spreading the virus more and causing the hospitals to be more overwhelmed?

I'm sure they're acutely grateful.

MegUffin · 17/04/2020 08:26

I'm with you op

ashmts · 17/04/2020 08:26

@onlyreadingneverposting8 Since everyone is (or should be) at home, there's actually less work for the police and presumably fire brigade. Please don't think for a minute that these are not services that are usually stretched to the limits. I'm NHS and my service has never been quieter because we have less elective patients. We're trying to find work. It doesn't mean we're not underfunded, under-resourced and underpaid normally. It's just a very strange time.

Back on topic, I hate the clapping and have since week 1. Pointless and makes me uncomfortable. It felt premature, clapping when we weren't really under pressure. Then it started to feel like emotional blackmail, 'clap the heroes so they won't complain about being scared cos they're heroes you know'.

IWasThereToo · 17/04/2020 08:27

I was there at poole hospital in @MrsRaab video link. If you pause the camera and look at the blue wheelie bins and then do a head count you'll see people were social distancing in their family groups.
Perhaps it looks deceptively closer than it was because it's on a camera from that angle?

Everyone who was not a part of the hospital stayed on the opposite side of the road.

The cluster of staff you see close together, including those not in uniform because 8pm is home time at poole hospital, are working closely together as they feed, turn, nurse and medicate patients inside the building. They don't Social distance in the hospital which is why it doesn't allow visitors right now.

So unless you were there and saw it for yourself with your own eyes and not the distortion of distance on a camera, then I'd probably keep my counsel if I were you!

JudyCoolibar · 17/04/2020 08:33

But was that an essential journey for all those family groups, @IWasThereToo?

happypotamus · 17/04/2020 08:34

I work in a hospital, and last Thursday was about to start a night shift at 8pm. We could see people standing outside clapping, which was nice, but some of them had clearly travelled to get there and they weren't standing 2m apart. I commented at the time that seemed ridiculous and unnecessary to make a journey to the hospital to do so. The only staff who are outside are people leaving their shift at that time. We have the police there sometimes because the police station is right next door.
Last night I wasn't at work, so joined in clapping on my street for the first time, partly to show my DC (the oldest might remember this time and be able to share her memories with her own hypothetical future DC who will learn about it in history lessons), the neighbours seem to enjoy it but there is no bullying of people to take part. We live in a semi-detached house with the front door very close to our next door neighbour, so, if he had wanted to participate, we would have gone in and maybe opened an upstairs window instead.
It is nice to show appreciation to the NHS and it makes people happy to be doing something in a time where it feels like individuals can't do much to help the situation, so, whilst I don't personally feel the need to be applauded as a member of NHS staff, I don't have any issues with anyone doing it if they want to as long as they can still follow social distancing (the virus doesn't take a break from spreading at 8pm every Thursday in order to show its appreciation to NHS staff!)

JudyCoolibar · 17/04/2020 08:35

Since everyone is (or should be) at home, there's actually less work for the police

Not really - too many opportunities for people to prey on the vulnerable by taking their money to go shopping for them, stealing shopping off doorsteps etc. To say nothing of the really worrying increase in domestic violence and abuse that has happened.

ashmts · 17/04/2020 08:41

@JudyCoolibar From speaking to a number of police officers I know personally, they are quieter than usual. Obviously there are still jobs to do. Police are also dealing with removal of potentially infectious bodies from homes. I'm not saying they have nothing to do. But it's different.

NotEverythingIsBlackandwhite · 17/04/2020 08:45

On our street it’s just a nice chance to see each other briefly from a safe distance and feel a bit of togetherness.
I think this is what it has become in the street where I live too. More and more coming out each week, with us waving to neighbours 6 or 7 doors up. My ndn is a nurse and makes a couple of theatrical bows as we applaud her. (She's not been in work for over 2 weeks, hasn't got anything to do as lots of wards have closed). It's become a lovely short time to check everyone is okay. Nice to see the few fireworks (where do they get them?)