Quote of the day 13th June 2020

“Over the last ten weeks millions of people came out to clap those who went to work so we could safely stay indoors. Now is the time to expand this gratitude and acknowledge everyone whom has and is still helping us through this crisis.

“Thursday nights were a moment to show our appreciation but also became a moment to check-in with our neighbours and have some human contact. I hope we can make the 5th July a day which unites us in a countrywide ‘Thank You’ and that shifting the moment to earlier in the day will mean those kids who go to bed before 8pm can really take part.

"Uniting, coming together and the acknowledgment that we all need each other is something we need now more than ever.”


Annemarie Plas, founder of the Thursday night #ClapForOurCarers, and one of the signatories of a letter calling for

  • A minute’s silence on the evening of July 4 when people will be asked to light a candle in their window in remembrance of all who have died during this time
  • A moment of thanks and connection on July 5 when we take part in one last country-wide clap of thanks and then stay out to raise a glass or have a cup of tea with our neighbours

Comments

Anonymous said…
I thought these cynical clapping events were over
10:50 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
The regular Thursday clap for carers was deliberately stopped by the organisers on the basis of stopping while they would still be missed.

But it makes sense to hold another, slightly different, event to give people another chance to show their sympathy for the people working for us on the front line against the virus.

And as the partner of an NHS employee I can tell you that there are people working in the caring services who very much appreciated these shows of support.

Oscar Wilde described a cynic as someone who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

With all due respect, that definition fits the author of the anonymous post above far better than it fits the organisers and most of those who took part in the "Clap for Carers" events.
12:58 pm
Jim said…
Im often torn with the NHS, obviously my wife works there, I volunteer there, and a lot of people I know are in the same boat.

I dont think there is another place where the front line staff care so much and work so hard, and the management are so god damned incopetent. The saying that it runs on good will is so true.

The front line staff deserve full on support, sadly the NHS itself is a beast out of control. Bureaucracy ran riot, Blame culture to the max, poor staff management, the NHS has it all.

Its often said that its so underfunded, I'm not so sure. Throwing more and more and more money at a problem wont always make it go away, infact its often a bit like putting out a fire with petrol.
All government oraganisations suffer from politicians constantly "reforming", also the inability of a politician to see past the next election does not help.

It really is so badly managed, a classic example (im going to give a hypothetical as i dont want to name names)
lets say a ward should have 4 cleaners, there are only 3 and a vacancy and one is on sick. So 2 cleaners bust their guts keeping the ward clean, working double and split shifts, often staying extra hours unpaid, they do this though loyalty to patients and because they really care. The management look at the figures and decide they dont need to fill the vacancy as 2 cleaners can cope so they certainly dont need 4. Its just how it is.

Though the biggest problem with the NHS, and pretty much every single public sector organisation. Its this idea of year on year funding and if you dont spend your budget you lose it. It really is the most wastefull system ever.


So yes the front line staff do deserve praise, sadly the management turning it into a very very poor National covid service by failing to open the nightingales, turning the NHS hospitals into a bed of nosocomial infections, usless to anyone else, and playing the catch it later rather than prevent it game mean the NHS on the whole is directly to blame for a lot of deaths recently.
1:15 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
I wish I thought you were wrong.

There are actually some good people in management grades in the NHS. But the organisation does make far too many mistakes of the kind you describe, Jim.
12:36 am
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