The government has announced a £60,000 payment to NHS who have died in service.
I applaud this.
But after running down the health service for ten years, and staff seeing a real term reduction in pay, is it not time for the government to award an immediate pay rise to NHS staff?
If so, how much?
I would suggest 10%.
So are others, Theland. My daughter is working directly with people officially diagnosed with covid, as a carer. My other daughter, my sister and I don't know if we are or not. Shop workers don't know... where does it stop?
Theland, I have three good friends who're all nurses. Their direct involvement in Covid-19 has been … nil. They are not risking their lives any more than many other 'key workers'. There are many 'angels' around these days, not all of them are in any sort of uniform.
It's the priorities that are sad. When we pay more for entertainers, like footballers, than we do for life savers, like paramedics... something is very wrong with us.
Plenty of people are doing their bit and putting themselves at risk of getting Covid - I know I was before I was furloughed. And yes, I think we will be paying for this through our taxes for years to come and I`m happy with that - the money has got to come from somewhere but I was talking to my nurse friend the other day (she's a nurse practictioner) and she said that at least she will have a job when all of this is over. An awful lot of people won't.
Again I think our views are often based on our own experiences whether it be ourself or a loved one. I can only speak for 2 loved ones. In both cases the care received during time spent in ICU or high dependency was fantastic - clap clap - however when both improved and went into the normal ward it was pretty poor, not even basic things like keeping them clean was done.
One did and one didn't Pixie. The one who didn't was my mother who got moved into a geriatric ward after having received excellent care on a high dependency unit. Thank God she was in a coma and not aware of her surroundings. Visiting was like entering a Victorian bedlam.