Why Are Nhs Workers Being Given Free Food?

[dave50]

Item on BBC breakfast this morning reporting on this. Don't they earn enough to buy their own food?

[emmie]

thanks danny.

[emmie]

then why do it, because often they are unskilled workers and in their locale there isn't a lot else employment wise
My mum and SIL worked in nursing homes, they didn't get paid well, but my mum loved it.

[emmie]

she only gave up when the lifting became too much.

[davebro]

No doubt there are NHS workers other than nurses who have worse conditions & poor pay. Health care assistants & cleaners.

I was in hospital with a broken leg & all nurses seemed to do on orthopedics was to dish out drugs & do injections. The HCAs did all the washing, toileting, changing bedding etc.

[Stickybottle]

lady-janine
Other designated key workers have been working 12 hour shifts throughout this pandemic. They also have just the same problems with shopping. Will they also be given free food? Surely they deserve it especially as quite a few of them earn a lot less than nhs staff.

They probably were not facing the possibility of death on a daily basis though because it is one thing knowing that you may catch Covid instead of dealing with patients who definitely have it but that is just my guess

[barry1010]

Some care home workers stayed at their work place for several days at a time to make sure they were safe to care for their vulnerable residents. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/health/care-home-staff-move-their-residents-continue-look-after-them-during-lockdown-2855301
Anyone who has close contact with other people are at risk of Covid, whatever their pay scale.

[tiggerblue10]

Have nurses been working and claiming overtime?

Looking at the average nurses it appears I earn less than this and I think our pay will be frozen next financial year. Not that I begrudge them of course. They've gone well above and beyond over the last 12 months or more.

[AuntPollyGrey]

//Have nurses been working and claiming overtime? //

Standard working week for nurses is 37.5 hours. Any hours worked in excess of that they get 1.5X their hourly rate (time and a half).

These companies should be giving the food to homeless shelters not well-paid nurses , but thats not as 'heart-warming' is it?

[barry1010]

tigger, if they worked overtime they would have been paid for it. A lot of NHS staff never get anywhere near patients or wards and work Monday - Fri, 9 - 5 (probably on flexitime). Some of these will be very highly paid, others minimum wage but they are all entitled to these freebies that companies are offering.

[Apc2604]

I know a nurse who works several days for the NHS and the remaining days of work for an agency. A single lady and she's rolling in dosh. Just bought a huge house with a huge mortgage. No they shouldn't get anything free. And they shouldn't be asking for a bigger payrise. They chose their career path hopefully knowing that it wouldn't always be good times. End of rant. Good morning everybody.

[gulliver1]

They deserve every £ that they are paid.

[bednobs]

as an ex-nurse I wholeheartedly agree with the majority. Nurses currently have great job security, the ability to work overtime and a great pension, plus they get paid a load. It's particularly tone-deaf to threaten to strike in the middle of a global pandemic and when hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs

[Apc2604]

It's about time people stopped thinking that nurses are angels. They are not all wonderful by any means. Most are caring and hard working and I really appreciate the NHS and the work of everybody on every level during this pandemic. However
free food and a larger pay rise is just so wrong, especially with so many really struggling.

[emmie]

it not just free food, but discounts on a multitude of things if you read danny's link...

[pixie374]

It's not necessary. A good, secure job with overtime, looking after ill people... it's hardly unexpected. Nurses are the profession most likely to be victims of violence, which isn't part of the job- and nobody worried about that. Give the extra to homeless people.

[maggiebee]

Not sure if this is the link you're looking for but here goes anyway.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/nhs-staff-offers/

[emmie]

agree about giving the extra to homeless or food banks which can distribute as necessary.

[lankeela]

As a care worker I get minimum wage and for all night sleep ins we have just been refused even minimum wage - average pay for a ten hour shift (although sleeping in we are on call) is around £30. Would you work for that?

[emmie]

pixie danny already posted same link...

[emmie]

lankeela no i wouldn't, my mum did however and the money was worse then