Julia R

[SusieSue]

I saw on the news that NHS staff are most displeased with the proposed 1% pay increase.

I think it is about time we stopped treating NHS staff as demi-gods, yes there are many wonderful doctors, nurses etc but equally there are many that are incompetent and indifferent.

Incidentally I know a nurse that owns two substantial houses, a paramedic that owns two horses and my local GP owns a string of nursing homes, so they ain't that badly paid.

 

[loujareth]

I saw on the news that NHS staff are most displeased with the proposed 1% pay increase.

I think it is about time we stopped treating NHS staff as demi-gods, yes there are many wonderful doctors, nurses etc but equally there are many that are incompetent and indifferent.

Incidentally I know a nurse that owns two substantial houses, a paramedic that owns two horses and my local GP owns a string of nursing homes, so they ain't that badly paid.

I'm not impressed for my daughter who's nearly 25, just gets higher than the minimum hourly wage and works like a dog, has been helping dying covid patients for the last year. It's the real workers than get under paid as usual, don't tarnish them all with your dissaproval. .

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

They are like any walk of life - lovely, horrid and everything in between but I’ve got to say I wouldn’t have taken their job this past year for any amount of money. GP’s now that’s a whole different kettle of fish the lazy gits.

The care home owners are very much the bottom of the dung pile and always were - raking in the fees whilst paying minimum wage with terrible contract conditions. IMO they were responsible for most of the early deaths by refusing to pay for proper PPE out of their immoral profits. How those care workers (again some wonderful, and quite a lot who need chucked out of the care system) coped is beyond me.

 

[donna255]

A third year doctor on the news this morning said the 1% rise works out at an extra 89p per day and a higher grade doctor just over £1.00 per day.

 

[shopperholic]

When I first started working for the NHS over 25 years ago the pay was rubbish, when I left 25 years later it wasn’t much better. Although the majority of us do it as a vocation, it’s nice to be able to eat and pay bills too.

Yes as LATI said, like any job you get the good and the bad, I never went out and clapped because I’ve been on the rough end as a visitor to A&E over three years ago when I had Gastroenteritis, but if you see first hand what a NHS employees job entails, some jobs more graphic than others, but all hard work, your opinion changes.

In my opinion though everyone who worked through, and still working through, this pandemic are heroes.

 

[SusieSue]

I'm not impressed for my daughter who's nearly 25, just gets higher than the minimum hourly wage and works like a dog, has been helping dying covid patients for the last year. It's the real workers than get under paid as usual, don't tarnish them all with your dissaproval. .

As I said, there are many that are wonderful, but there are many that are terrible.

When I had radical surgery a few years ago I was prescribed pain relief every four hours, but the nurses said I had to wait for the drugs trolley to be on the ward so it was morning and evening only.

A nurse removed my water jug and I had to almost beg for it to be replaced because they said they were busy, they spent much of their time chatting at the desk, in the end a porter got some water for me.

I discharged myself and lied that I had someone to care for me because I felt I would get better care from my dog at home.

I don't 'disapprove' I just don't believe they should be elevated to just this side of sainthood.

Incidentally were the NHS given say a 10% pay rise, where would you make the cuts to pay for it? State pension? Disability benefits? Education? Child benefits?

 

[donna255]

Well how about the Tories tax their rich friends more. They always dodge that tax increase. The hundreds of thousands pound of contracts they gave to their rich friends for things like PPE which disappeared into black hole. They always make sure their chums get the big contracts.

 

[Twilight]

We had our first vaccinations two hours ago. The barriers & queuing reminded me of an airport, sadly no Duty Free, but many volunteers so nobody got lost & we all were very patient & polite. I commented on the wonderful organisation, got a wink & told that if the NHS management had been in charge of getting it up & running they'd still be having meetings...

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I’m no lover of any government of any shape, colour or size but I’ve got to say that the people in charge of rolling out the vaccine should be applauded especially when you see how few people have been done in other parts of the world, in particular Europe who don’t have the problems of 3rd world countries.

 

[Brissles]

It doesn't matter how much the Government offer - if they gave 5% the unions would want 10%, so the media have jumped on the NHS pay because its new and contentious news. If the Government increased one group of people a 'thank you' pay rise of say 5%, then all the other services would be howling for an equal amount.

Funny how the unions and critics always say "the Government", when in fact what they should say is "The Taxpayer" !!! How different it would sound if the NHS /Teachers / Police et al unions said "we are asking the taxpayer for a 5% pay rise". Wouldn't get away with it would they !

 

[Twinkle]

Too many highly paid pen pushers in the NHS, wasting money hand over fist and bleeding it dry. Its a disgrace and shouldn't be allowed.

 

[stratobuddy]

I don’t know what medication you’re on but, if it’s prescribed, I would’t think that it was advisable to stop taking them for a few days without checking with your doctor.

I agree, except that I know exactly what they do and are for, so I have been monitoring myself carefully.

Yes, the condition did get worse, and I considered a 2 hour journey by bus to get them, but it didn't get that bad.

PS not taking them would have no lasting effect, just a bit of discomfort.

Home now, but have to eat first before I can restart them, so probably about 6pm to 7pm.

 

[Brissles]

Too many highly paid pen pushers in the NHS, wasting money hand over fist and bleeding it dry. Its a disgrace and shouldn't be allowed.

I so AGREE ! having worked in the NHS for over 7 years, - after years of working in the private sector, I was appalled at what was gotten away with.

I discovered that a lot of those highly paid pen pushers, were in fact one-time nurses who, had climbed as far as they could on their nursing ladder and pay grade, so they took a management course and wahey ! came out of nursing and were able to continue climbing the ladder in an admin role !

Clearly a management 'course' is no experience for those who have spent a lifetime in 'business', and I once said "I have been in admin all my life, should I take a 3 months nursing course and be allowed to go on the wards ???" - same difference. I saw this happen in the Mental Health Unit where I worked, about 5 times, and the chap in overall charge of budgets and admin, was an ex outreach nurse ! Money was wasted on stupid things, nurses were allowed to take 6 months off sick (never allowed in the private sector), and once I saw a nurse take 6 months off, returned to work for 2 weeks then took another 6 months off !!!! Words failed me at the time.

Medics should do what they are trained for, and leave the admin and business to the bean counters who actually know how to run and manage corporations.

 

[Deleted member 21102]

Far too many pen-pushers, I agree. My huge gripe is the threat of industrial action by hospital staff. For me that is the bottom line that should never be crossed. If it seems they are only in it for the money, no matter how well they have worked during the pandemic and now want to hold our health to ransom, that will quite rightly undermine a lot of public goodwill. Nurses are human. They are not saints. Same with doctors. The good ones have principles, the bad ones don't. They are paid pretty well already and who exactly will pay for these extra salaries and when will they be satisfied? When firemen's/teachers'/policemen's etc jobs are cut to pay for the nurses, will that keep everyone happy? "The government" who pays wages is us, the taxpayers, or at least those who are honest enough to declare all our earnings. The people who are demanding more, more, more for their cohorts are those at the top of the tree, not the ones who've been doing all the work. Not all nurses or doctors agree with them, I know that, but they are the ones who have control.

I come from a family of healthcare workers, btw.

 

[donna255]

I’m no lover of any government of any shape, colour or size but I’ve got to say that the people in charge of rolling out the vaccine should be applauded especially when you see how few people have been done in other parts of the world, in particular Europe who don’t have the problems of 3rd world countries.

No, what you really mean it the scientists who pushed the Tories to move and get on top of the roll-out of the vaccine. After the farting around and the carnage of what happened in the care homes, only when Bojo got it himself he suddenly listened to the scientists and took their advice. They didn't close the airports and stop foreign travel like New Zealand did they now have a half arsed version. The traveller who luckily has been found that took over a week with the Brazilian version. They never filled in the form properly and allowed to just go off home.

 

[Twinkle]

No, what you really mean it the scientists who pushed the Tories to move and get on top of the roll-out of the vaccine. After the farting around and the carnage of what happened in the care homes, only when Bojo got it himself he suddenly listened to the scientists and took their advice. They didn't close the airports and stop foreign travel like New Zealand did they now have a half arsed version. The traveller who luckily has been found that took over a week with the Brazilian version. They never filled in the form properly and allowed to just go off home.

I agree, its a disgrace the way the pandemic has been handled. The borders should have been closed a year ago. Fortunately the vaccine rollout has been handled well

 

[Lemonpop]

No, what you really mean it the scientists who pushed the Tories to move and get on top of the roll-out of the vaccine. After the farting around and the carnage of what happened in the care homes, only when Bojo got it himself he suddenly listened to the scientists and took their advice. They didn't close the airports and stop foreign travel like New Zealand did they now have a half arsed version. The traveller who luckily has been found that took over a week with the Brazilian version. They never filled in the form properly and allowed to just go off home.

Why on earth are people being allowed in from any high risk areas?????? In fact why do people need to travel anywhere????

 

[Dream Girl]

As I said, there are many that are wonderful, but there are many that are terrible.

When I had radical surgery a few years ago I was prescribed pain relief every four hours, but the nurses said I had to wait for the drugs trolley to be on the ward so it was morning and evening only.

A nurse removed my water jug and I had to almost beg for it to be replaced because they said they were busy, they spent much of their time chatting at the desk, in the end a porter got some water for me.

I discharged myself and lied that I had someone to care for me because I felt I would get better care from my dog at home.

I don't 'disapprove' I just don't believe they should be elevated to just this side of sainthood.

Incidentally were the NHS given say a 10% pay rise, where would you make the cuts to pay for it? State pension? Disability benefits? Education? Child benefits?

Don’t understand regarding hospital drug rounds.
Though can only comment from when I was a surgical staff nurse up to 1995.
From what I recall drug boards for patients regular medication would be prescribed 6am, 10am, 12 midday, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 10pm & 12 midnight. Resulting in drug trolley rounds 6-8am, 10am-12, 2pm, 4-6pm and 10-12pm.
Analgesia medications that would be regular medication as previously prescribed by a patients GP, would be given during the trolley rounds. Other than that post operative analgesics would be prescribed by the surgeon/surgical staff via different routes on a continuous basis or as required (PRN) so could be given as required but no frequently than stated. So why on earth you would be left in pain to await a twice daily drug trolley round is both cruel and ridiculous.

 

[Evie]

I agree, its a disgrace the way the pandemic has been handled. The borders should have been closed a year ago. Fortunately the vaccine rollout has been handled well

I hope the second dose vaccines will be rolled out as well as the first. What’s concerning me at the moment is that some people are being given a date for their second vaccine and others are being told to wait to be called. How well will they coordinate patients receiving the same second vaccine as the first! The vaccination centre I went to sometimes receives the AstraZeneca and at other times the Pfizer. I was given the AstraZeneca, when I get my next appointment who’s to guarantee they will have that and not the Pfizer on that day?

 

[Twilight]

The hospital/Centre of Excellence where my brother in law was treated had a policy of throwing away all medication on Fridays & issuing new ones to patients, this included any that had been prescribed by GPs; the staff called it F*** Up Friday for good reason. He was on quite a few prescriptions & after years of trial & error knew which manufacturer made the ones that suited him, this was ignored by the ward staff until the day he went into status epilepticus. My sister said she'd never seen people move as fast as they did that afternoon.