I was lucky to get leave on both Xmas day and Boxing day, but the triple time call was far too strong, so I am now working Boxing day night shift for triple pay plus annual leave payment. I am also working New Years Eve and New Years Day.
Fire brigade? That sounds like strike money....
No, Ambulance. And i have just found out its double time (and i have never worked a strike either on the Railway or Ambulance)
My other half works for LAS and one of her old crew mates asked if she fancied pairing up for overtime on NYE at triple time plus a worthwhile bonus. She's gutted at being rota'd on for that anyway! Win some, lose some.....
I was lucky to get leave on both Xmas day and Boxing day, but the triple time call was far too strong, so I am now working Boxing day night shift for triple pay plus annual leave payment. I am also working New Years Eve and New Years Day.
Fire brigade? That sounds like strike money....
No, Ambulance. And i have just found out its double time (and i have never worked a strike either on the Railway or Ambulance)
My other half works for LAS and one of her old crew mates asked if she fancied pairing up for overtime on NYE at triple time plus a worthwhile bonus. She's gutted at being rota'd on for that anyway! Win some, lose some.....
I was lucky to get leave on both Xmas day and Boxing day, but the triple time call was far too strong, so I am now working Boxing day night shift for triple pay plus annual leave payment. I am also working New Years Eve and New Years Day.
Fire brigade? That sounds like strike money....
No, Ambulance. And i have just found out its double time (and i have never worked a strike either on the Railway or Ambulance)
My other half works for LAS and one of her old crew mates asked if she fancied pairing up for overtime on NYE at triple time plus a worthwhile bonus. She's gutted at being rota'd on for that anyway! Win some, lose some.....
AUN, what's the situation for vegetarian prisoners?
@seth plum - the vegetarians are adequately catered for although it's not the best quality. At evening meal there tends to be two choices but only one for vegans. If you declare yourself vegan you're supplied with soy milk but the vegan cheese that the prison service supplies is feckin' horrid. You can always buy stuff from the canteen to supplement your diet but vegetarian specific food ie Quorn sausages for example are pretty much non-existent on the list.
As for Christmas day it's pretty much two choices but if you don't like nut roast you're pretty much had it. But people shouldn't fall for the tabloid stories of quality food for prisoners during the festive period. Yes it's edible but it's all mass produced fare that just reaches the standard nutritional value.
AUN, what's the situation for vegetarian prisoners?
@seth plum - the vegetarians are adequately catered for although it's not the best quality. At evening meal there tends to be two choices but only one for vegans. If you declare yourself vegan you're supplied with soy milk but the vegan cheese that the prison service supplies is feckin' horrid. You can always buy stuff from the canteen to supplement your diet but vegetarian specific food ie Quorn sausages for example are pretty much non-existent on the list.
As for Christmas day it's pretty much two choices but if you don't like nut roast you're pretty much had it. But people shouldn't fall for the tabloid stories of quality food for prisoners during the festive period. Yes it's edible but it's all mass produced fare that just reaches the standard nutritional value.
I always imagine you as Mr Barraclough (you seem too nice to be Mr Mckay)
Once worked Christmas day at rowhill grange about 20 years ago. Wasn't too bad as when I got home Christmas dinner was ready for me and everyone else was asleep.
Remember doing a 17 hour shift one New Year's Eve and was told I would get £50 plus tips. Tips that Day £5 as it was a free bar!
I am working days 0630-1830 Xmas day and Boxing Day, and also NYE and NYD grrrr
What do you do for work? That's a bad run of shifts...
Ambulance in London.
@cafckev you guys are being hit badly at the moment. I thought there was a strike happening?
Are things improving? Or getting worse?
We had our second 4hr strike yesterday, but all they strike does is delay us getting to the sick that need us. I was on the picket line outside Barnehurst station, but i doing what they called "life and limb" cover, so basically if they had a serious call that couldnt be covered by someone not on strike, i would do it, which i did after two hours on strike.
Things really are shit at the moment. In the 15 yrs i have done the job, the call rate has gone from about 3300per day to 6000 per day, but have not had an increase in vehicles, if fact we have lost them. We are running longer distances too calls now. We are often being sent from Barnehurst to Hornchurch or Romford. The longerst I have been sent was from Abbey Wood to Westerham which was 23 miles which on Blue lights at night still took me over 30 minutes. I was sent because I was the nearest vehicle!!
I am working days 0630-1830 Xmas day and Boxing Day, and also NYE and NYD grrrr
What do you do for work? That's a bad run of shifts...
Ambulance in London.
@cafckev you guys are being hit badly at the moment. I thought there was a strike happening?
Are things improving? Or getting worse?
We had our second 4hr strike yesterday, but all they strike does is delay us getting to the sick that need us. I was on the picket line outside Barnehurst station, but i doing what they called "life and limb" cover, so basically if they had a serious call that couldnt be covered by someone not on strike, i would do it, which i did after two hours on strike.
Things really are shit at the moment. In the 15 yrs i have done the job, the call rate has gone from about 3300per day to 6000 per day, but have not had an increase in vehicles, if fact we have lost them. We are running longer distances too calls now. We are often being sent from Barnehurst to Hornchurch or Romford. The longerst I have been sent was from Abbey Wood to Westerham which was 23 miles which on Blue lights at night still took me over 30 minutes. I was sent because I was the nearest vehicle!!
Front line services are being hit hard. And some of the LAS guys I chat with are at breaking point with it all. Morally yes you should be doing your jobs no matter how tough it is, but in the same hand you don't deserve to be treated like shit.
It's a thankless job and I'm sure theirs many people out there who would thank you for all the deification you put in to ultimately be their for someone in need.
Government should be protecting all its frontine emergency services. Though I'm of the opinion the NHS needs huge reform.
Yet councils can still find money for hare-brained projects such as the one to develop rochester airport at a cost of 4.4 million pounds of public money with no sign of private enterprise interest or investment yet apparently there is no money for more front line staff or equipment.
Well can I say a big thank you to everyone who works over Christmas - not something I have ever had to do but really appreciate those who do, especially the emergency services. Never had to use them yet. Still, as my sister the nurse tells me, it's only another roast dinner to prepare! She is nights Christmas and days New Years eve, with 3 kids and a single parent! Tough for some but appreciated by many of us.
Well can I say a big thank you to everyone who works over Christmas - not something I have ever had to do but really appreciate those who do, especially the emergency services. Never had to use them yet. Still, as my sister the nurse tells me, it's only another roast dinner to prepare! She is nights Christmas and days New Years eve, with 3 kids and a single parent! Tough for some but appreciated by many of us.
Mate of mine who works on rail maintenance, volunteered for xmas day & boxing day, treble money, he is single and lives on his own so is quite happy to do it.
I am working days 0630-1830 Xmas day and Boxing Day, and also NYE and NYD grrrr
What do you do for work? That's a bad run of shifts...
Ambulance in London.
@cafckev you guys are being hit badly at the moment. I thought there was a strike happening?
Are things improving? Or getting worse?
We had our second 4hr strike yesterday, but all they strike does is delay us getting to the sick that need us. I was on the picket line outside Barnehurst station, but i doing what they called "life and limb" cover, so basically if they had a serious call that couldnt be covered by someone not on strike, i would do it, which i did after two hours on strike.
Things really are shit at the moment. In the 15 yrs i have done the job, the call rate has gone from about 3300per day to 6000 per day, but have not had an increase in vehicles, if fact we have lost them. We are running longer distances too calls now. We are often being sent from Barnehurst to Hornchurch or Romford. The longerst I have been sent was from Abbey Wood to Westerham which was 23 miles which on Blue lights at night still took me over 30 minutes. I was sent because I was the nearest vehicle!!
Sounds like the tales of woe I hear from my other half, Kev. Pushed around from pillar to post due to lack of vehicles at the same time as being sent to deal with people who only need a plaster and "there, there, there" not a frontline ambulance crew. She's been working for LAS for about 5 years now - started off as A&E Support and is now Apprentice Paramedic. Loves the job but hates the politics. Not sure it's that much different in other areas of the NHS, to be fair - but it seems LAS get a very shitty end of the stick. My hat is taken off to each and every one of the LAS, every day of the week.
I am working days 0630-1830 Xmas day and Boxing Day, and also NYE and NYD grrrr
What do you do for work? That's a bad run of shifts...
Ambulance in London.
@cafckev you guys are being hit badly at the moment. I thought there was a strike happening?
Are things improving? Or getting worse?
We had our second 4hr strike yesterday, but all they strike does is delay us getting to the sick that need us. I was on the picket line outside Barnehurst station, but i doing what they called "life and limb" cover, so basically if they had a serious call that couldnt be covered by someone not on strike, i would do it, which i did after two hours on strike.
Things really are shit at the moment. In the 15 yrs i have done the job, the call rate has gone from about 3300per day to 6000 per day, but have not had an increase in vehicles, if fact we have lost them. We are running longer distances too calls now. We are often being sent from Barnehurst to Hornchurch or Romford. The longerst I have been sent was from Abbey Wood to Westerham which was 23 miles which on Blue lights at night still took me over 30 minutes. I was sent because I was the nearest vehicle!!
Sounds like the tales of woe I hear from my other half, Kev. Pushed around from pillar to post due to lack of vehicles at the same time as being sent to deal with people who only need a plaster and "there, there, there" not a frontline ambulance crew. She's been working for LAS for about 5 years now - started off as A&E Support and is now Apprentice Paramedic. Loves the job but hates the politics. Not sure it's that much different in other areas of the NHS, to be fair - but it seems LAS get a very shitty end of the stick. My hat is taken off to each and every one of the LAS, every day of the week.
Comments
Every jail has it's culinary horror stories. I'd certainly never eat anything off the hot plate.
Remember doing a 17 hour shift one New Year's Eve and was told I would get £50 plus tips. Tips that Day £5 as it was a free bar!
Are things improving? Or getting worse?
Things really are shit at the moment. In the 15 yrs i have done the job, the call rate has gone from about 3300per day to 6000 per day, but have not had an increase in vehicles, if fact we have lost them. We are running longer distances too calls now. We are often being sent from Barnehurst to Hornchurch or Romford. The longerst I have been sent was from Abbey Wood to Westerham which was 23 miles which on Blue lights at night still took me over 30 minutes. I was sent because I was the nearest vehicle!!
It's a thankless job and I'm sure theirs many people out there who would thank you for all the deification you put in to ultimately be their for someone in need.
Government should be protecting all its frontine emergency services. Though I'm of the opinion the NHS needs huge reform.
Will open gifts with family when I get home after Xmas eve then bed and up for mid afternoon for dinner then back to work.
Ouch.
06:00 - 18:45 Boxing Day