Pressure on frontline NHS staff

[addictedtotheflats]

Im a senior nurse in an a&e department in a Tier 2 area and its SO busy. I’ve been so resilient and positive (mentally not covid) but I think its getting a bit much now. Im sick of see posts in the media about how hospitals are empty and NHS workers are basically dossing. A&e is constantly full, we have 25+ covid patients waiting for beds upto 18 hours who we are expected to care for on top of 60+ other patients. This wave is different to the last one, people werent coming in for minor ailments in april-june but now people arent scared, we are the easy option for people to get seen by a doctor on the same day. Symptomatic patients lining the corridors because we have no more isolation space, staff going off for 2 weeks either positive or exposed in the household, I just feel like its beyond unsustainable, my team all work so hard 24/7. I’m not sure what I want from this post, just finished a hideous 13 hour shift, half of which felt unsafe because of acuity, high attendances and staffing pressures. Anyone else in the same situation?

@Fishlegs
Tell me where your sister is and I can kick her for you if you want

I hear you OP.

Community nursing is in a similar position. So much paused, but adult community nursing didn't. Teams are exhausted with an increase in referrals and staff isolating or off sick, while a lot of the services around us went virtual. We even had referrals from GPs who asked us to visit people at home as it "wasn't safe for them to go" - apparently no issues with asking a fellow HCP to put themselves in danger.

And you know, it's the most vulnerable patients who are suffering. Community nursing and social care / residential care were poorly funded and under recognised prior to covid, so add in the covid pressure and going in to winter, everyone is worn out.

I don't know anyone on the front line who's had it easy over covid, and all I keep reading is how wards are empty, NHS staff are sitting around doing nothing - if only that was the case!

I reckon we are going to have a mass exodus of NHS staff either leaving health care or off sick, probably not now, but in 6-12 months when we are all burnt out. At the moment, adrenaline and not wanting to let colleagues or patients down is keeping everyone going, but no one can work like that forever.

Thanks @StarCat2020

Cornwall

@Iliketeaagain

Sounds horrific, hope you are looking after yourself when you can
Thank you for looking after these vulnerable patients and enabling them to stay in the community rather than being forced to come into hospital.

@MJMG2015

The NHS & School Staff are all being silenced, it's disgusting.

There ARE lots of us who are 'staying home' & doing what we can not to end up with Covid, not only for our own sake, but for that of the NHS as well. It must be incredibly difficult to see & hear about people ignoring the rules.

To all the NHS Staff who are working through this, thank you 🌷

I don't know what else any of us can do, but try to avoid becoming yet another patient, but please let us know if there's anything
NHS 🌈💕

Silenced? Really? Look, I am not a nurse or teacher basher by any stretch but to say either group has been silenced simply isn't true. Nurses and teachers - and their unions - have been extremely vocal since day one of this pandemic.

I'm in paediatric, which seems to be getting off quite lightly. Though I was absolutely furious, to return from sick leave to learn that we had two positive, asymptomatic patients on our supposedly clean ward. I'm high risk and other staff have been moved to my ward because they can't work in a Covid area.

Thanks @StarCat2020*

Cornwall*

Setting off now

I work for the NHS in Critical Care and we've never stopped.The big difference now is that a lot of my colleagues who worked through the first wave were not prepared to do it all over again and have left to work in different areas of Health Service so we short of experienced staff. And that makes a difference when trying to treat Covid/multi organ failure. My answer to anybody who thinks that we are dossing around or that Covid is a hoax should spend a day in my shoes.

I'm extremely grateful both professionally and personally to the NHS front line staff that have done this from the start.
I'm in elderly care and as a pp said, a lot of things that a GP would normally deal with has been passed through to the community nursing services, and they're getting fewer and fewer due to having to self isolate etc. The one I saw through the week almost cried when I offered her a cup of tea, she looked exhausted. But they keep coming to make sure our residents have what they need to keep them comfortable.
I work with the same people (give or take) and I'm being tested every week, we have PPE to protect us and the residents. Imo we have it better than NHS staff at the moment, our residents in general and their families are so grateful to us for what we're doing and very cooperative with the things that have been imposed regarding visiting etc.
To all of you on here who are in the same situation as OP, please know that you are respected and appreciated, I know it's little comfort when you're exhausted and demoralised but people like me do respect and appreciate what you are doing and wish we had the means to do more to ease your burden.

@StarCat2020

I don't think the general public has any idea how bad it is right now.

Don't be angry if this is a shit idea but could you contact the local TV news or local newspapers about this?

Yes, fantastic idea. Let's get some scary footage on TV of the miniscule percentage of the population who actually get seriously ill from this. I mean, my elderly mother and several of her friends have barely left the house since March as they seem convinced they will catch covid and drop dead. Do people who want to scaremonger us all actually give a shit about people like this?

We even had referrals from GPs who asked us to visit people at home as it "wasn't safe for them to go" - apparently no issues with asking a fellow HCP to put themselves in danger.

Unfortunately we've had the opposite, DNs and hospice nurses asking GPs to visit as "We're not seeing patients face to face at the moment".

As the NHS we're all under intense pressure at the moment, demand is up year on year, not all services are back working at pre-covid levels, complaints are through the roof (last year my practice got 1-2 complaints per month now it's 1-2 per day), the government has compounded the situation with their ill considered and downright incorrect communications (we still don't know if there will be any flu jabs available for the healthy 50-64year olds, but Boris told the public that they could have one).

I've worked in general practice for 18 years but I can't see me staying much longer.

It’s not an easy time for anyone and I’m not wishing to downplay the pressures NHS staff face this winter. However, I do hope that people will turn their anger towards the government and demand they properly fund the NHS when we no doubt start seeing images of people on trollies in corridors and are told this is our fault for non-compliance to the relentless and ever changing rules. Let’s not forget that these same images are sent out almost every year during flu season which means that the problems of under funding have been evident for many years. Add a global pandemic this year alongside the usual overcrowding season and it’s bound to look and be horrendous.
However, that is when we all need to fight back against the government’s inevitable attempt to defer blame to Mr and Mrs Jones who had 7 people round for dinner and lay the blame firmly in their hands. If hospitals weren’t so poorly staffed and equipped each winter season as it was, perhaps there’d be more capacity and better outcomes for covid patients.

[quote Ecosse]@Pyewhacket

The big difference now is that a lot of my colleagues who worked through the first wave were not prepared to do it all over again and have left to work in different areas of Health Service

Why on earth have the NHS allowed critical cafe staff to transfer elsewhere in the middle of a pandemic and why have the government let this happen?

The NHS is terribly run- as private businesses know, you deploy your resources where they’re needed. Moving critical care staff elsewhere during a crisis is like a shop stocking winter jackets in the middle of July.[/quote]
No one 'transfers' in the NHS ffs @Ecosse.

You hand your notice in and get a new job when you've had enough. We're not the bloody army like you want us to be. Stop wading In on things you have NO idea about.

@friendlycat

I so wish that so many of the idiots on many of the threads on MN who just have to see friends and multiple family members constantly would read this thread.

The posts from those who just have to go on half term breaks because it “will do my family and my mental health the World of good”. Others who will be ignoring any rules at Christmas time and hosting three family groups or even friends totally 10 or more people as “we’ve already been through so much”.

The selfishness of our fellow countrymen and women know no bounds. Their ignorance, selfishness and denial of doing no wrong is utterly staggering.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you are doing and have done. Your jobs are so hard at the best of times. In amongst this awfulness they must feel overwhelming so often. I wish people would repay your selflessness with some of their own. Each and everyone of you my admiration and respect knows no bounds.

Please remember that there are also many people like me who are severely limiting any contact with the rest of society to try and get through this. We are not all ignorant selfish individuals.

Thank you once again and my very best wishes to you all. I pray for your safety.

This. Thank you for all you do. Sorry it’s so tough now, most people I know are trying their best to mitigate the risks.

[quote Ecosse]@shitonitbambinos

To be frank staff should not be leaving critical care units for other NHS departments in the middle of a pandemic.

The government should not be allowing it to happen.[/quote]
So NHS workers aren't allowed to leave a job they are unhappy in now either are they @Ecosse ?? You are a hideous, odious person with no clue.

The NHS is not an army. It's not there for you or the government to do its bidding wherever and whenever it likes. It's full of normal people who care about the health of other people and a lot of us have given up now. People like you make me care less about the human race.

I don’t think that your contributions on this topic are as pertinent or as thought-provoking as you think, @ecosse. You’re coming across as deeply lacking in empathy and a total inability to read the room.

I’m appalled that things have come to this, @addictedtotheflats. You’ve been let down so seriously and repeatedly. Expressing thanks and support seems so inadequate

Wishing us all strength, resilience, wine and cake.

Sorry it’s hideous already. I think we have to ignore the nhs is closed/staff are idle/I’m still going out posts. And ignore ecosee!

@Ecosse

I took the comment from @Pyewhacket to mean people leaving the NHS for other areas in healthcare, not transferring within the NHS and how do they stop people leaving? And even if not, if not able to transfer to other areas, and forced if staying in the NHS to stay where they are, how many are going to actually stay?
You can't force personnel to stay in a job they don't feel able to continue in! The answer is not to force these staff to stay regardless, it's to improve the conditions so it's workable and feasible. How good do you think care is going to be if you force hcps to stay in a role they aren't coping in?

NHS ladies is it true cancer treatments etc being pushed back or the media stirring ?

I have pointed out to Ecosse on other threads that any NHS nurse, doctor or other professional could walk out of their job today and find a new one tomorrow (within the nhs). There being over 100,000 vacancies currently in the nhs. The NHS treats its staff shittily at its peril.

[quote Ecosse]@shitonitbambinos

To be frank staff should not be leaving critical care units for other NHS departments in the middle of a pandemic.

The government should not be allowing it to happen.[/quote]
That made me laugh.. how exactly do you "stop people transferring".

Nurse gets new job (higher band maybe, better hours maybe) hands in notice - and what I just refuse to allow someone to leave? I mean, maybe that's what's wrong with the recruitment in the nhs, we allow people to leave and get different jobs 🙄.

If only I'd seen this post before, there would be no staffing issues in my teams!

Lots of love to all the staff
saving lives and working nights
wishing you all mental strength
(just ignore what Ecosse writes)

I am so sorry for what you all are having to deal with