just had a run in with the maternity ward bounty photographer

[StateofConfusion]

And having previously defended them and loved my pictures of my eldest children todays 'rep' has made me agree they need to be removed from wards!

She arrived originally before breakfast turned on the lights and opened curtains waking me and the other Mum up, then continued to talk over the peadiatrician who was checking my dd over.

Eventually she sulked off but apparently came back when I was asleep (how dare I?) Last time she came back as I'd just settled dd and was eating lunch which had just arrived.

I said No photos at the minute thanks she got most insistant that its for security reasons?? (I'm going home today) and said she'd just lean round and take them, dd was asleep on my lap in a v pillow whilst I ate. I said again, not right now I'm eating she left brochures and went off muttering quite loudly.

I'm hormonal so ofc this has upset me, but not as much as the first time mum across they way! WHY are these people allowed to just walk around a maternity ward being so fucking rude!

the reason wipes and baby wash are distributed to new babies is to build brand familiarity and make mums think they need it, they don't! they need cotton wool!

Gosh yes, selks, the description of us does show v blurred boundaries.

Hec is right, there is finance involved, when I can get on my laptop I will find links. Or folk can google bounty freedom of information you can see for yourself the £££ involved.

Back later

This is from an ad for a Bounty rep...

*Are you looking for part time work? Do you have spare time to fill? Are you a parent of older children? Are you semi retired or retired? Are you looking for a part time income?

If so, this could be the part time role for you. It may suit candidates who have spare time to fill. This may include parents with older children and/or those who are retired/semi retired and looking for part time income.

You will be required to visit The Salisbury District Hospital (Salisbury, Wiltshire) maternity wards to distribute our Bounty packs of information & product samples, and offer our photographic service.*

No contract there to provide nappies etc wholesale, just samples to people on the ward.

Alice not just a sales person, a sales person that traipses around the main wards going bed to bed, and a sales person who is advised to store their stock in a garage or outhouse (see recruitment link again!) - nice! just who you want in SCBU! especially when extended family are staying away so as not to bring germs in!

just incase anyone missed it before

www.reed.co.uk/jobs/photographer-bounty-distribution-co-ordinator/22395970#/jobs/bounty-uk/p6567

.Goodness me, by "us" not that I am a nurse for crying out loud but people the other side of the door also cleaners, receptionists and the bloody tv people too.

I smell quite a rat. We supplied our own nappies after the first few. Washing was done with super sterile hospital looking equipment. Included cotton wool and water type stuff, but it was no run of the mill stuff. Was proper hospital style stuff. And there was certainly no cream going on.

Jingle, exactly.

Maybe it varies from hospital but nursery nurses in our hospital keep it all stocked in postnatal in case anyone runs out and has to stay in longer, or didn't have her bag packed in time.

Dontbeatmeup, all of those people you mention - cleaners, receptionists, bloke to fix the tv - are employed by the hospital to provide a service to the patients. Bounty on the other hand pays the hospital for you to be there. Not quite the same thing at all

3rd time of asking. How do you get paid? Do you have sales incentives?

As an example, cotton wool tipped wipey things were in a sterile bag. Water was poured from special container into sterile bag. Anything left in sterile bag after use was thrown away. Bounty sales reps supply these from their garages now do they?

(telly person at ours is an independant company, not employed by hospital, but the do not go bed to bed selling, they get called if one is broken and the patient requests they come and fix it, plus they NEVER come in the morning when doctors are doing their rounds and patients are having personal care like bed baths etc!)

Ingles, yes sorry I realised my mistake when I posted about tv bloke. But it is NOT the same thing at all dontbeatmeup.

Don'tbeat if that was to me, I can believe that the delivery wards or whatnot have bounty stuff to give out in case parents forget. You also said you suppled SCBU. Very different.

Yes scbu have the majority of the nappies and wipes, I am not avoiding the money question there are lots of elements that make it up, the distributing of stock, delivering bags taking photos and of course if anyone buys them. I have just tried to give another perspective, It is possible to do this job in a non pushy sales way, and yes I agree would be great if Mums could just come to me if they want a pack or photo, but that's not my call.

QUOTE All hospitals have very strict visiting rules, which is understandable as in the morning the peadiatric doctors have to do their rounds and blood tests, orthopods, breast feeding helpers there are lots of us running around. Then partners are allowed in later, stateofconfusion the same happened to me and they wouldn't let my Mum in either. But we have a job to do and that means being there every morning to stock delivery and scbu with nappies and wipes and try to see every mum before she goes home.

Jesus wept - do you honestly see yourself as part of the medical team???

Fucking hell. I thought you sounded like nice person working for a shit company to start off with - but holy crap, you are deluded if you think you are part of ANY us or we in a hospital setting.

Jingle, in that ad they describe their own packs as infamous

hiding now as getting so , receptionists and cleaners are very important, essential, and part of the team - how dare you lump them in with you!

Marking my place to sign oh dears petition.

Congratulations soc.

Very interesting thread and defiantly something new mums and the alike should be made aware of, horrible to be able to use the ctc form to bleed details from new mothers.

independent article

bounty code of conduct

a post here by P7nny Monday 19th march 2012 explaining there are targets for bounty staff

food for thought

drill down to get more financial details from each FOI request, carry on googling if you like

Chipping.. We..bounty employees. I cannot contribute anymore as you want me to be an evil bitch troll sales maniac by the sounds of it....so that you can shout at me. I am saying I love my job and am quite nice to the mums and....guess what no one likes that either?

I've worked in sales and a sure fire way to get someone to buy any ole crap is to pretend to be their best mate. Holding their baby whilst they have a shower would pretty much guarantee a sale (especially a shell shocked, hormonal new mother).

You are being disingenuous by saying being nice, friendly and helpful isn't an aggressive sales technique.

NO I don't like that either Dontbeatmeup.....tough. You have no place on a medical ward. I don't care if you are 'quite nice'. Take your quite niceness and apply it to a job that has some ethics.

I am properly shocked by some of the stories here. Please please complain to both your local hospital and to Bounty. Even if it's a while after the fact. I thought charity chuggers were (sometimes) bad, but this is far far worse.

I managed to avoid the Bounty rep twice somehow - I think because I was only in hospital for 6 hours in total with DD1 and 4 hours in total with DD2!