discord in the ranks

"Us and them
And after all we're only ordinary men
Me and you
God only knows
It's not what we would choose to do"

Pink Floyd (1973)


I took the Rainbow Guide post off. The Rainbow website isn't that interesting to anyone but the children. But guys stop googling for it and rest assured that my rainbow pack is not in Redfield. In fact I have no idea where Redfield is.
Thanks for your comments and emails and rest assured the site is secure and practically impossible to find anyways.
Work was ok yesterday. I had a nice shift but can't help thinking there's an air of discontent there. I guess as it moves closer and closer to our inevitable closure it will increase.
I'm still mighty amazed that the people we serve aren't aware of the fact that they aren't going to be able to access paediatric services with us anymore and the huge inconvenience of the inner city hospital with no parking, and no nice comfy padded service that we presently supply. I'm afraid all of that will be gone.
Most of the staff don't wish to work in that hospital, some have been there before and weren't happy and some don't want to work central city. We are all to be disbanded and sprinkled about. How's that for making a place totally unsettled.
And through it all, we are to maintain our present level of service and standards?
Sickness will increase sharply. Already as beds are full and kids are sent to Bath, Swindon and the lovely St Mary's in Paddington, instead of horror at the stress placed on the families of a very sick child at being 104 miles from home, we are complacent and think.... So what? This is what life's going to be from now on. Get on with it.
The nurse from Wednesday is also very irked that I seem to get 'special' treatment. I actually can see her point. From someone who works full time and does what she's rostered. She is irritated by the fact my hours are flexible. If I arrive at 0900 I work to 1430. If I arrived at 09.30 I work until 1500. She doesn't agree and thinks if I arrive at 0900 hrs I should be made to wait in the coffee room until my shift starts.
I could just throw my hands up and proclaim "Hey I'm bi-polar a single mum and I am special"
No I won't do that. However across the country flexi-time is adopted by lots of businesses. Why shouldn't the NHS do something to keep people like me (people they say they value) at work? She is still of the era that Ward Sister is God and we should all do as we are told.
Things have changed. Professional Autonomy is paramount. It's also a job not a vocation anymore. We aren't sheep, we think and act and if we aren't happy we say something.
However, I'd never up and leave when they're busy or in the throes of an emergency. I'm flexible so they should be too.
2 more girls left yesterday. We had a tea party for them. I hate it when people leave. Makes me sad, but I feel with the present closure situation, they are doing the best thing.
The consultant Matthew went in to say goodbye and kissed them both, I couldn't help it as he kissed the last one I got up and proclaimed "I'm leaving too" Everyone burst out laughing. Well you have to work hard for a kiss when your my age (36 actually)

(ps just heard the new Nizlopi track (girls) and it's very good. I wondered how they'd follow up the JCB song, it was so unusual)