People need to stop knitting and donating chocolate etc our hospital!

[AuntyClockWise]

I was drafted in to help nursing staff today sort through 300 (yes, really) Easter eggs that have been donated over the past few weeks and sort these for food banks and care homes and childcare hubs. Took half a day plus lots of storage space.

A lady turned up at the hospital with 30 home made/sewn face masks. She was very angry when the main desk had to turn her away and decline the items as apparently she'd spent ages on them and had travelled a long way to get them to the hospital. Again, more time spent dealing with this person and not to mention the fact she had travelled unnecessarily.

Where has this idea come from for people to donate so much stuff to hospitals? Don't people realise that PPE has to meet a certain level of safety standard so we need to get from reliable and tested companies? Do people think that we have the space and time to deal with all the food and drinks donated?

Our hospital has put out a facebook post today to reiterate we can't accept donations like these and there are now hundreds of angry responses calling us ungrateful and that they're annoyed this wasn't said sooner as they've spent weeks knitting and sewing various things for the nurses and doctors to use on the wards.

I'm sure people are trying to be nice but why isn't common sense prevailing? Why not donate time and energy to a place which has the resources and ability to accept such donations?

Of course, I'm only able to speak for common feelings shared today in my place of work. Some other people here might say they are loving the donations.

Just wanted to suggest on here that if you are considering donating something to your local hospital, I'd suggest phoning the main desk first or sending them an email as the likelihood is that they can't accept it.

I posted this on another thread, but my sister is a nurse and said that well meaning members of the public are making things that then have to be binned as they do not meet minimum standards. Hundreds of facemasks made out of duvet covers for example. None of these things are sterile either (obviously) so someone needs to be responsible for sanitizing items brought in from outside and with literally all staff being deployed no one has any time for jobs like this.

It's really important before starting mass craft projects that you contact the hospital and not rely on a facebook post "from an intensive care nurse". Each hospital may have specific dos/do nots and it's such a shame that so much well- meaning activity is going to waste.

The fire and police and local authority have been seriously overlooked... and they are doing an awful lot to support people. I'm more than sure a few Easter eggs at any of these places would have been welcome. I know my friends in the police have been frustrated at the focus on one service when it's taking all public services to deal with the fallout.

I agree, but they don't help guilt the population into staying at home as much as the NHS angels do they? My DH is away for 4 months to assist with the effort, but no one really cares as it's his job, and rightly so.

@Faithtrusts Yes there are a lot of people overlooked. Police, firefighters, care home workers, public transport the list is endless. Difference is I haven't seen any of them asking for stuff like I've seen hospital staff. I read the other week about a nurse crying and embarrassed because she used her badge at B and Ms to get to the front of the queue to buy toys and they wouldn't let her. Seriously I know she was probably tired after a shift but lots of people are working long hours including b and M staff themselves.

I saw that as well @Tonz I understand it's a hard job at the best of times but I don't see why if I've been waiting in a queue for half an hour after a long 14 hour shift a nurse can come up flash a badge go straight in and go buy toys while telling the rest of us to stay home and only go out for essentals

I'm sure some crafters were making hearts for hospitals and those face mask holder straps. Hospitals seemed to want these?

But do they really?

We have had thousands of eggs donated to our trust - we are a massive trust and I'm sure some staff were grateful . After Easter , ones that hadn't Been sold obviously. BMany donor wanted a picture ( preferably with a member of staff in PPE) so they could virtue signal. But actually, they are a logistical nightmare. And honestly, I'd prefer a pay rise not charity for frontline Staff.

To be fair I'm very grateful to nhs staff and always have been and wouldn't mind them jumping the queue to get themselves some shopping so they can eat and stay healthy but just for toys....thats taking the piss. There are old and vulnerable people In queues because they haven't got anyone to shop for them so no i don't think a nurses need for toys should come before that

@Gruffawoah most of us don’t think of ourselves as Nhs angels - we’re just trying to do our job. My team really try to acknowledge all other workers and did redistribute some Easter eggs.

The person flashing her badge to get tits is probably annoying in general and being a nurse is an aside to that.

@Carriemac I agree no need for photos of nurses in ppe holding an Easter egg I don't understand why people would expect that

Toys not tits 😳 sorry !!!!

@Pomegranatepompom if there was a queue for tits is be first in line 😂.

@Pomegranatepompom I am on about the media rather than individuals. Call me cynical, but a lot of it seems to be to try and guilt HCPs into not leaving, and to try and justify needless deaths through lack of PPE in some hospitals as okay, because they were heroes on the frontline who were doing their duty. Yes, every HCP should always be looked after, and do always (well, mostly) do amazing work, but the angels elevation has a different purpose other than the public recognising it in my opinion, and it's not positive.

@Carriemac I think to a degree the amount of charity donated by the general public is their way of signalling that they too would like to see a pay rise for NHS front workers but they have no control over that so they give what they can instead!

I also agree that other front line workers are deserving of the discounts and offers that companies are offering. It doesn’t seem fair to me that police, firefighters, bus drivers etc who are all still working on the front line aren’t being offered this kind of goodwill from companies but NHS administrative staff who have been working from home and therefore out of danger are eligible. That’s not to say that they don’t do a valuable job but they aren’t on the frontline in the same way as some of these other professions!

But in context to this thread, explains why people want to donate when they hear about the suffering and terrible conditions on the news and in the paper, and social media.

Contact the local paper to say you would prefer monetary donations, post on the local social media page saying so, that will take significantly less time than hours everyday sorting it

LOL. Our local food banks are always asking people to donate anything except pasta and baked beans... and still the bins are full of pasta and baked beans. The public were repeatedly asked to stop piling up tonnes of cast off clothing when it all got too much at Grenfell. The public in general and on MN are hugely resistant to the idea that charities need contributions to overheads even to keep running or to take a more strategic approach to preventing or dealing with disasters.

Yes, people want to help. But wanting to satisfy your own wish to feel you have helped often gets the better of people.

It would be best if people could respond to things that are asked for by those in need rather than following some bright idea dreamed up on Facebook.

Yes it is all a bit chaotic but people want to feel they are doing something, and don't realise they should not be going to the hospital with stuff. I'm in a FB group for mask makers and another for scrubs, and from day 1 they said we should NOT directly call or otherwise approach our local hospitals - common sense really - as they would be overwhelmed. They have local coordinators who contact each hospital/care home/GP practice etc and ask if they need these things, so it is a bit more organised. I was all set up to start sewing but there seems to be no need where I am, except the local care home which has been sorted, so I am not sewing at present. As people have said, apparently lots of stuff has been rejected as not suitable, so it's been a waste of time for some. Re the food etc, surely better to give to a central charity or foodbank.

But if you at least make an effort to communicate it it's easier to say no. The PP was saying that receptionists don't like confrontation, well if it's been well communicated then tough. If it hasn't, it isn't hard to see why people get a bit arsey. Maybe we should all stop donating everywhere, just in case they aren't welcome. Although isn't that the whole premise of a food bank? Why no pasta and beans anyway? Do you get inundated? Surely some people would happily have them? Plenty fall out of he remit of food banks here but are still struggling, maybe they could offer it to them.

I'm a nurse and I'm embarrassed by all of the 'hero' status. We're lucky - we have a stable job and a steady income. Most won't admit this but many hospitals are quiet at the moment. We're actually overstaffed and twiddling our thumbs on my place of work. Some large city hospitals and ICU's obviously are not. However I think as kind and gracious as the donations are - they should be directed to care homes (who no one seems to give a shit about at the moment) and other workers. Supermarket workers perhaps? They're certainly busier than usual? Delivery drivers? Postmen and women? Police? Charity workers themselves? Also agree about the NHS discount. It's not us who needs it. Also the nurses posing for fb pics crying in their goggles need to stop it. Be professional and stop treating our profession like we're 'victims'. We're not. Carers are perhaps - shit ppe. Often poorly educated and poorly paid and I think thats taken full advantage of.

Couldn't the homemade masks be given to covid patients who are still testing positive but well enough to go home to recover? As it is advised that they use masks, but obviously you don't want to give up precious medical ppe which is needed in hospitals?

@MrsWhites really agree re admin/ management WFH

@Gruffawoah I agree with a lot of your post, HCP are being guilt tripped.

Why no pasta and beans anyway?

This was before the great pasta shortage, obv Though our food bank put a pic of their pasta stock on Facebook on about week 2 of pasta-panic and they had about twice the amount in a well stocked superstore pasta aisle! Just that so many packets of pasta and baked beans get donated that storage is an issue, while there is a shortage of tinned veg / fruit / meat etc. UHT milk / cereal or whatever. They publicise what they actually need on the bins and website.

Must emphasise: this is our local food banks. People can check the state of play in their area.

16 man (or woman) hours to sort out 300 easter eggs? WTF? I have no medical training, but pretty sure I could have sorted that all out myself in a fraction of the time - put eggs in large bin bags, open so contents can be seen, write notice saying help yourself, put in suitable place for staff to see it, job done.

Haha yes the pasta must have a street value of £££s now, and the beans come to think of it! I think because it lasts ages and is simple to cook (plus pretty cheap) people see it as ideal. The food bank here has an active Facebook page, which although takes time seems to cut down on the time sorting things they don't need or can't hand out, when I volunteered there were plenty of bottles of alcohol donated which obviously is a no no. Pasta always goes down well though, we used to do little meal type packs with the sauce, pesto, or tuna etc in. People don't do it to be a pain in the arse, they just don't know any better until they're told (several times).