news & politics:discussion

[Neil]

8 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

not just take advantage of people with a passion.

the whole health service does that, by having trainees work for free while they're training. i kicked off at the unit's management when i discovered the most important staff were unpaid.

[pink_triangle]

3 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

I know this has been a huge problem at my mum's local hospital (Bangor). It's a little way out of town too. 

I work community NHS and hear lots of moaning about many things related to the NHS, interestingly one thing I have never heard anyone moan about is having to pay for parking. Many of my patients struggle enough to get to the hospital (with traffic) and then find a space. Making the parking free would increase demand as those looking for free parking for a shopping trip swoon in.

I think the key thing is those who need free parking should get it, how you determine who they are and how you police is more challenging. I am however not ideologically stuck to the idea that everyone should be free. Where I live (not work) has free park and ride to the hospital. I think this is a good thing, but making parking free would probably result in less people using the service.

[Neil]

3 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

one thing I have never heard anyone moan about is having to pay for parking.

used to hear it all the time from the nurses at Bristol hospitals, they made it free at the start of covid then reintroduced charges down the line, not safe parking either as nurses requested security to go to their car at night.

[pink_triangle]

2 minutes ago, Neil said:

used to hear it all the time from the nurses at Bristol hospitals, they made it free at the start of covid then reintroduced charges down the line, not safe parking either as nurses requested security to go to their car at night.

I absolutely have heard it from staff calling it a tax on wages, which I think is generally fair enough. I meant for patients.

[Neil]

4 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

I absolutely have heard it from staff calling it a tax on wages, which I think is generally fair enough. I meant for patients.

my wife moaned about the parking difficulties (worried about getting a parking  ticket) when she was able to visit me(not much cos of covid no-visiting).

[Neil]

8 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

Staff can get the bus / train / taxi whatever the same way most people going to work can do if they don't want to pay for parking. So it's no more a tax on working than anyone else who works and pays for parking.

A permit parking scheme is the most usual solution and seems a reasonable compromise.

Same applies to visitors. 

Its very hard to find parking at our local hospital so the parking charge isn't enough to out people off that's for sure.

In bristol people are currently losing their jobs cos the busses are so unreliable. My stepdaughter gets home at six thirty or eight o clock depending how the busses are running. 

[Neil]

Also the unusual hours that nurses work don't work with busses. Not even in a city. Must be terrible in rural areas. 

[Neil]

The nurses I'm thinking of had moved back to their parents a mile from the hospital they worked at so had tried to make their travelling easy. 

[Neil]

14 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

Same for a lot of working people. Some staff will work unsociable hours, some won't. 

I don't see what's special about nhs staff when it comes to this stuff.  Loads of people in the same boat.

They have the hardest job and then we pile on extra stuff to make it even harder. That's not what you do if you respect their working efforts. 

[Neil]

16 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

Key is better pay etc.

When they ask for it the Govt calls them traitors and tries to turn the people against them. 

[pink_triangle]

46 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

Staff can get the bus / train / taxi whatever the same way most people going to work can do if they don't want to pay for parking. So it's no more a tax on working than anyone else who works and pays for parking.

A permit parking scheme is the most usual solution and seems a reasonable compromise.

Same applies to visitors. 

Its very hard to find parking at our local hospital so the parking charge isn't enough to out people off that's for sure.

At the end of the day we need to encourage good people to work in hospitals. If they pay for parking in the hospital they may just move to the community where they will probably pay nothing, we need good people in both. We also people to work in hospitals at awkward shifts where there may not be public transport options.

[pink_triangle]

49 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

 

Its very hard to find parking at our local hospital so the parking charge isn't enough to out people off that's for sure.

I agree, the issue is you make the parking free and things get worse. 

[Neil]

2 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

At the end of the day we need to encourage good people to work in hospitals. If they pay for parking in the hospital they may just move to the community where they will probably pay nothing, we need good people in both. We also people to work in hospitals at awkward shifts where there may not be public transport options.

No offence meant but I've not been impressed with the Bristol community services, I felt I was a a task to be ticked off and the money claimed. 

[Neil]

4 minutes ago, Neil said:

No offence meant but I've not been impressed with the Bristol community services, I felt I was a a task to be ticked off and the money claimed. 

also that they look for reason to not provide a service; this morning i've got to pay a private person to get my fibngernails cut.

i can't cut them myself, and the wife is scared to do them. in hospital nurses weren't allowed to do them, but i did get some luvlies (thanks andy & georgina) to do them.

[Neil]

why is my home treatment not as good as hospital treatment: not enough nurse sophie 💘

[Neil]

1 minute ago, Barry Fish said:

For sure - out main hospital is in the town centre.

So is one of the Bristol hospitals. The Main one is out in the burbs. There's also a few others scattered around the city. 

[Neil]

2 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

Its called going to work Neil.  Millions do it every day.  

Yep but we want healthcare workers to feel able to do the best in their job. My conclusion from 28 weeks in hospital is, that it works best when the staff go the extra mile for their patients. They need to feel valued to do that. 

[Neil]

3 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

They do it now mate.  Parking charges have been around for ages.  NO ONE has quit the NHS because of parking charges.  Lets not build straw men that never lived. 

I bet some have quit its a big sign saying "we don't value you."

[pink_triangle]

11 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

They do it now mate.  Parking charges have been around for ages.  NO ONE has quit the NHS because of parking charges.  Lets not build straw men that never lived. 

I know some do it, but I know people who have been offered same band work in acute and community who have chosen the community route because they get paid the same and save money.

[Neil]

4 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

I think there are more important things than free parking in that area.

Yep but things need to say they're valued, not that they're doing putins work. 

[pink_triangle]

17 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

For sure - our main hospital is in the town centre.

Same here. In Wrexham they have free parking and people use it for shopping, parking because they work locally or to get to the football. I struggle to believe it doesn't happen in Scotland.

[Neil]

Just now, pink_triangle said:

Same here. In Wrexham they have free parking and people use it for shopping, parking because they work locally or to get to the football. I struggle to believe it doesn't happen in Scotland problem is if hospitals are required to give free parking, what about healthcare centres. It's much the same thing and people would abuse the free parking and then parking isn't available for the genuine users. 

 

[fraybentos1]

10 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

let's not castigate those who leave care for other roles.

I didn't mean to, was just offering up the only explanation I could think as to why people stay in the role depsite the pay being way too low

 

10 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

The answer is we need to value the role more

yes, 100%

 

6 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

People with a passion for caring sound like good people to pay well to keep in care.

yeah of course, obviously think they should be paid way more too

[Neil]

Hey @pink_triangle@pink_triangle  as you work in community care do you have a long list of stuff you're not allowed to do. 

[steviewevie]

Govt seems to be lumping all professions on strike in same boat...but there are significant differences...and surely nurse pay is one thing they should try and negotiate and reach a settlement...govt aren't going to win that PR battle.