Is anyone else at breaking point due to public sector cuts ?

[onpills4godsake]

I love my job, my actual job of helping people, but having to do three times the work I used to with half of the staff if bringing me to my knees and forcing me to rethink my career.

i started my job in 2007 and it all I ever wanted to do (emergency services) - I loved it but the lack of resources and the funding crisis is seriously effecting me.

i have never taken sick leave but i am currently weeping in my car before and after work and literally can not sleep at night because i am worried about it.

im not the only one- one of the issues impacting resources is the level of sickness - but it just keeps getting worse. So I am thinking about leaving but have no idea where to start.

is anyone else in the same boat?

Yes. Both doing the work of three people and the constant below inflation pay rises. Despite several promotions the two decades of below inflation pay rises combined with huge rises in the cost of living mean I feel worse off still

Yes dh is a hospital Dr, it’s not about pay for him, it’s the constant demand for him to do more more more (literally impossible he’s already doing far more than is in his contract). The Government announces new initiatives and somehow Drs are supposed to do them in top of all their other work. The hospital decides to offer some new service, and the clinical staff are supposed to just add that into their already impossible schedules. No wonder they are all going down like flies with burnout. A lovely Dr he knows well took his own life a couple of weeks ago.

Yes. I work in social care public sector and the demand for services, hence volume of work has been increasing for at least 5 years. I’m trying to do several different roles imperfectly, am constantly overloaded and feel I’m not able to offer meaningful support a lot of the time

I'm sorry for what you're going through.

I'm sorry that this question sounds goady and dismissive, I really don't mean it to. I didn't get a sense from the OP of what your actual job is.

What I'm wondering is:
What would happen if you just didn't do the additional work? I mean, if you worked your hours, worked hard in those hours, did as much as you could, then went home.
I understand people wouldn't get the help they need. I'm not talking about that

I'm asking what would happen to you? What would it look like in practice - would it mean walking out in the middle of a situation? Or would it mean leaving at home-time but with a pile of work outstanding. Would you get into trouble?

If you're overwhelmed, take time off.

I agreed. I work for an emergency service. I literally can’t do anymore in my working hours yet every week we’re expected to do more with less.
last night I had a brief episode of chest pain all because of bloody work.
people think my job is easy but it’s far from it. Add to that the internal politics it’s a pretty horrible place to work.
sadly while I’m not paid brilliantly I get shift enhanced pay which means I’d struggle to move to another role for similar money so I’m stuck.

Yes it’s insanity. People leaving their jobs/going off sick and not being replaced. To the point that sometimes we are trying to do the job of three people, requiring us to be in two appointments at once and not ever getting holidays approved when we want them because there’s no one to cover us.

I can’t go into my role but if I didn’t do my work it has a direct impact on the public and it piles up.

i could be disciplined or worse, but more importantly it lets people who desperately need the service I provide down.

Yes. I am happy to have left my NHS Trust. I have never worked so hard. It didn't make any sense anymore and the patients were more demanding than ever. Often quite rude.

I havde realised it's the same in my native country if you work in these jobs. It's not only a UK issue. Cuts have been so massive all around and the demands are so high. I suppose silent quilting attitude has a reason.