I work for a trust hospital in the South West as an Assistant Practitioner (nearly a Nurse!), and a Healthcare Assistant (HCA). I am currently working at night supporting the on-call junior doctors with tasks such as cannulation and taking bloods. I also often work in A&E.
It may surprise you to know, that in one of those strange twists that the Covid-19 situation seems to foster, Clinical Support Staff on Zero hours contracts with certain hospitals find themselves having to apply for Universal Credit if they want to pay the rent and put food on the table. In normal circumstances these ‘bank’ workers are relied upon by the Trust to ensure safe staffing levels.
Ironically, the campaign to discourage people from attending hospital, the cancellation of all but emergency surgery and the transfer of Orthopaedic services to a neighbouring hospital (to make way for increased Critical Care capacity) has resulted in my local hospital currently running at less than 50% capacity.
Accordingly, on an evening in late April, a text was sent to all bank workers informing them that all ‘Pool’ shifts were cancelled with immediate effect. A few shifts were available at community hospitals and were quickly snapped up. One week later there were just two HCA shifts available for the next two months. Usually there are in excess of 100 shifts per week to be filled.
Whilst non-essential workers are being paid by the government to stay at home, these people who have been caring for the sick, including Covid-19 patients, are not eligible for furlough because, according to the government, Public Sector workers are expected to continue to provide essential services.
At the beginning of May, the CEO of the hospital said in their daily email that it was ‘rude ….and deeply regrettable to inform people by text’. I wish we could rely on the CEO to be fighting our cause with the powers that be, instead of having to do it ourselves.