The NHS is captured and I can't see a way out

[Triotriotrio]

My local ambulance service have just posted up their Pride ambulances. The managers have also given anyone who wants them rainbow epaulettes (despite this being against the uniform policy). It is such a scandalous waste of money. One brave staff member queried if this was really what they should be investing in given it's political links etc and has basically been called a bigot.

It makes me so cross.

[Cheekymaw]

That is ghastly! Talk about unprofessional! I don't trust the rainbow and Pride flag anymore ,like PPs have said , reeks of misogyny and my rights being walked over. Have the NHS been infiltrated by a bunch of Private Healthcare fanatics who are stealthly using the Pride/Trans cause to show the NHS up as completely bonkers and wasteful so that the Tories can just shut the whole thing done and turn it all into private hospitals?? Stranger things have happened...
Imagine if your loved one had just collapsed with a heart attack and that monstrosity left over from 90s kiddies Tv came to cart them off to A &E , bloody hell....

[AhaLyn]

Has their been any other ambulances recoloured/painted ever?

Does anyone know if this is a fleet that will be used as respond vehicles?

[AhaLyn]

*there

[MrsOwainGlyndŵr]

What a waste of taxpayers' money!!
FFS!

[terryleather]

@Ereshkigalangcleg

They need to stop pissing taxpayers' money up the wall to virtue signal their capture by lobby groups.

Succinctly and accurately put.

[Triotriotrio]

@userlotsanumbers

Who THE FUCK signed off on that absolutely scandalous waste of money?? I am fucking outraged. That's a poor management issue, right there. Someone spent their budget on that, when there's precious little to go round. You are fucking kidding me.

This is the same ambulance Trust rated by CQC as inadequate. Poor management goes right to the top. Please feel free to tell them what you think on their social media.

[Triotriotrio]

Inadequately led.

[Dissociataurus]

It's Brighton Pride this weekend, an area covered by South East Ambulance service. I suspect that there is only one ambulance and a couple of medic cars attending, however, I still agree it's a waste of money, if it is NHS Money. In fact the post clearly states the vehicles are attending pride this and it also states

"Paid for by sponsorship from some of our suppliers & unions, they'll be taking 'pride' of place (no pun intended!) in the Parade tomorrow, together with 85 colleagues from #TeamSECAmb including Siobhan, our new Chief Executive!"

I don't think the ambulance will be used as an Emergency Vehicle, more a first aid point as that is what usually happens at such events. It will be a place to go and seek first aid or first aid advice. Also what usually happens is the decals are all donated by the Pride organisers (as this one was).

The epaulettes were made by a member of staff - they were not brought and so there was no financial cost.

So your scandalous waste of (NHS) money argument is not valid.

[MrsOvertonsWindow]

@TopKnotch

I feel like the line from the news articles on the Julie Jarman affair should be shared here. That the presence of pride flags is enough for women to know that their boundaries are at risk.

I feel unsafe, concerned and reticent to confide when I see the pride/trans flags now.

But I expect I don't matter.

What's the Julie Jarman affair please?

[Dissociataurus]

Full post for anyone who is interested in what was written regarding the vehicles.

"We're delighted to kick off our #BrightonPride celebrations by revealing our specially-designed Pride vehicles for 2022!
Paid for by sponsorship from some of our suppliers & unions, they'll be taking 'pride' of place (no pun intended!) in the Parade tomorrow, together with 85 colleagues from #TeamSECAmb including Siobhan, our new Chief Executive!
Have a great weekend everyone!"

And the other post states "A massive shout out to Brighton Operations Manager Tracey who has made more than 200 sets of these fab rainbow epaulettes for operational crews working over the weekend, as well as those taking part in the #brightonpride Parade later today!
Great work Tracey and have a safe and happy #Pride everyone! 🌈"

It was poor form to share the post of the context OP. It really does not help our arguments when this occurs.

[Triotriotrio]

@Dissociataurus

Full post for anyone who is interested in what was written regarding the vehicles.

"We're delighted to kick off our #BrightonPride celebrations by revealing our specially-designed Pride vehicles for 2022!
Paid for by sponsorship from some of our suppliers & unions, they'll be taking 'pride' of place (no pun intended!) in the Parade tomorrow, together with 85 colleagues from #TeamSECAmb including Siobhan, our new Chief Executive!
Have a great weekend everyone!"

And the other post states "A massive shout out to Brighton Operations Manager Tracey who has made more than 200 sets of these fab rainbow epaulettes for operational crews working over the weekend, as well as those taking part in the #brightonpride Parade later today!
Great work Tracey and have a safe and happy #Pride everyone! 🌈"

It was poor form to share the post of the context OP. It really does not help our arguments when this occurs.

The epaulettes that are paid for by the NHS as part of staff uniform!! Also, my post wasn't just about money, but about the political capture of the NHS... As deceived by the title.

[ResisterRex]

I disagree that the new information it was reportedly paid for by others detracts from the central point which is the politicisation of public services.

Further, has the entire vehicle been bought and decorated by outside funding, including the insurance, fuel and maintenance? Was the entire project done on people's spare time and not using public service meeting time and IT capabilities? Possible but not likely.

How does politicising public services for with the Nolan Principles?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2

Answer: it doesn't.

[BaileySharp]

I'm not sure what the point of these is. Did anyone think nhs staff won't treat LGBTQ people properly if they don't have pride symbols everywhere? If some ambulances are covered in pride symbols and some aren't are the ones that aren't unfriendly to same sex attracted people? It's just ridiculous and a waste of money

[LunaLights]

If it is paid by sponsorship - then what other decorations/activities/allegiances can also be bought? It is not reassuring in the slightest!

[bluejelly]

Of all the problems in the world right now I find it very hard to get annoyed by this....

[MingeofDeath]

Same where I work. Even my gay colleagues are eye rolling.

[TooHot2022]

If we make hundreds of earrings & necklaces in the symbol of a woman (circle and cross) and send them to the Ambulance Service for International Women's Day will they hand them out and encourage staff to wear them, as well as tweeting pictures about it?

No?

Why not?

[Dissociataurus]

@TooHot2022 I agree the why not to that is a question that needs to be asked, perhaps let's ask that question of SEA.

Events like Pride normally pay for event coverage, for first aid - this is often done via sponsors. This is the same for football games etc. as well, but obviously the sponsors don't pay for the ambulance to get dressed up in those circumstances.

[FrancescaContini]

@mumda

Die in a Pride Ambulance outside A&E waiting for staff to finish their TikTok dances?

😂

But I too am appalled by this waste of money. The NHS should be a neutral, ideology-free zone.

[EmbarrassingHadrosaurus]

"Paid for by sponsorship from some of our suppliers & unions, they'll be taking 'pride' of place (no pun intended!) in the Parade tomorrow, together with 85 colleagues from #TeamSECAmb including Siobhan, our new Chief Executive!"

It might be helpful to give more context here to the context so we can understand this in the round. E.g., do NHS Suppliers have to demonstrate that they are signed up to any particular principles in order to be suppliers to NHS England or more regionally?

Are the 85 colleagues going to be eligible for ally points that will be useful for CVs?

Will the Chief Exec's attendance count towards anything like the SW WEI?

[EmbarrassingHadrosaurus]

re: the supplier issue I mentioned above, I know there are threads about it on MN but if I put this into a search engine

nhs supplier stonewall

and these are the top results. So, I do question the motives behind the sponsorship from some suppliers.

[LordLoveADuck]

@Cheekymaw "Have the NHS been infiltrated by a bunch of Private Healthcare fanatics who are stealthly using the Pride/Trans cause to show the NHS up as completely bonkers and wasteful so that the Tories can just shut the whole thing done and turn it all into private hospitals?? Stranger things have happened..."

That isn't imo far-fetched. TRAs and the Woke should be questioning why corporations and other entities that have always been aligned with the Right are pushing the trans agenda and all the virtue signalling that goes along with it.

[AhaLyn]

Well I’m annoyed you didn’t post the context op.

[AhaLyn]

Although agree with overarching issues, don’t use clickbait methods.

[GingerCake2018]

At least by the time winter is here nobody will be able to see any of the graphics on the back of the ambulance as we never get the time to clean them anymore as we are stuck outside hospital for most the shift!!

In the ambulance service I work a few staff wear pride shoelaces and the only reference i've ever heard any other colleague make to them is "so-and-so, with their fucking rainbow laces", so there is hope!!