Gransnet forums

House and home

NHS & George cross

(32 Posts)
62Granny Mon 05-Jul-21 14:52:17

I worked in the NHS for nearly 30 years, so know how pushed they must have been over the last 18 months, I know a lot of people will make a big fuss of the service being awarded the George Cross but really to most of the workers if won't make the slightest difference, the very Top managers might get invited to a shindig but the coal face worker's won't get anything different. A medal to an organisation does not pay for the weekly shop in the supermarket. I think I am speaking for many today by saying a decent pay rise would have been appreciated much more.?

Deedaa Mon 05-Jul-21 14:56:25

I think a lot of people will be agreeing with you 62Granny

Whitewavemark2 Mon 05-Jul-21 15:05:35

62Granny

I worked in the NHS for nearly 30 years, so know how pushed they must have been over the last 18 months, I know a lot of people will make a big fuss of the service being awarded the George Cross but really to most of the workers if won't make the slightest difference, the very Top managers might get invited to a shindig but the coal face worker's won't get anything different. A medal to an organisation does not pay for the weekly shop in the supermarket. I think I am speaking for many today by saying a decent pay rise would have been appreciated much more.?

You are so right.

I am beginning to think that the medals will be awarded to a posthumous NHS as well.

ExD Mon 05-Jul-21 15:16:25

I thought it a very odd idea. I worked for the nhs (not in a nursing capacity) and can't see the point.

MayBee70 Mon 05-Jul-21 15:21:04

Not the best copy I can do but the message is clear I hope….

Ilovecheese Mon 05-Jul-21 15:35:14

Of course it is an empty gesture.

Callistemon Mon 05-Jul-21 15:35:28

I think the point is that The Queen has awarded the George Cross to the NHS.
I expect the suggestion came from her and not from the PM.

It is not the government that has awarded it and I believe that, as well as showing appreciation, it is also a silent rebuke by the Monarch to the government for the shabby way the government is treating the NHS.

That is my opinion only.

Franbern Mon 05-Jul-21 16:03:24

It is just disgusting that Nurses and other NHS workers have been offered a measly 1 per cent increase, which does not even bring their salaries up to what is was prior to austerity.

Who cares if it is Queenie or Johnson who came up with this idea of the George Medal - will be of no assistance to the people working in the service.

So NHS (George Medal), will still be largely privatised by this government and cease to exist.

Aveline Mon 05-Jul-21 16:08:13

The island of Malta was given the George Cross after the last war. It's symbolic.
I'm retired from NHS. I know it's contentious to say this but lots of NHS staff were not at the 'coal face' of Covid. Non NHS home carers had to work very hard indeed in difficult circumstances. Many involved in keeping our food supplies going and in direct facing shop jobs worked hard too. Others didn't have the security of government jobs and lost their jobs altogether . People's long established family businesses went under. I'm not saying don't give NHS staff but just be aware of the millions of others who had a difficult time too.

Luckygirl Mon 05-Jul-21 16:10:12

I think the whole idea of an organisation getting a medal is really silly.

Smileless2012 Mon 05-Jul-21 16:11:42

I agree with your post Aveline. As Callistemon has posted, this is coming from the Queen and has nothing to do with the government.

I'm sure if there are any NHS staff who feel insulted by what IMO is a lovely gesture, they can refuse to accept it.

SueDonim Mon 05-Jul-21 18:46:27

My dd is wondering if she can now put GC after her name - Dr A Donim GC. hmm

WasThatIt Mon 05-Jul-21 18:48:50

Franbern

It is just disgusting that Nurses and other NHS workers have been offered a measly 1 per cent increase, which does not even bring their salaries up to what is was prior to austerity.

Who cares if it is Queenie or Johnson who came up with this idea of the George Medal - will be of no assistance to the people working in the service.

So NHS (George Medal), will still be largely privatised by this government and cease to exist.

Totally agree.

emmasnan Mon 05-Jul-21 18:51:17

Will all the supermarket workers and delivery drivers etc also be getting this. They were facing hundreds of people weekly and we would never have managed had they not done this.

maddyone Mon 05-Jul-21 19:10:14

My daughter and her husband, both doctors, have gone to New Zealand to work. They were fed up of the shabby way the NHS workers were treated and fed up of the shabby way some patients treated them.

Callistemon Mon 05-Jul-21 22:14:42

Luckygirl

I think the whole idea of an organisation getting a medal is really silly.

Well, Malta was awarded the George Cross, so if a country can then why not an organisation?
It is depicted in the Maktese flag.

Callistemon Mon 05-Jul-21 22:15:07

Maltese flag

Callistemon Mon 05-Jul-21 22:16:09

I see Aveline has already posted that.
I should try.

Callistemon Mon 05-Jul-21 22:17:24

Oh, for goodness sake!
I should read the thread

Autocorrect, adverts.
Is it worth posting?

Lucca Mon 05-Jul-21 22:27:30

emmasnan

Will all the supermarket workers and delivery drivers etc also be getting this. They were facing hundreds of people weekly and we would never have managed had they not done this.

So you could equally say what about postmen teachers binmen bus drivers and so on. That’s not the point.so many NHS workers were involved much more closely with Covid patients as opposed to transitory contact with the general public who might or might not have had Covid.

Aveline Tue 06-Jul-21 07:19:06

NHS workers have had secure employment in a way that so many others have not. There is more to the whole covid situation than applauding medical and nursing staff.

love0c Tue 06-Jul-21 07:54:07

Find it somewhat odd really. I have and still feel for all the shop assistants that were told to go to work. Yet everyone else was told to stay home and stay in as there was a deadly virus outside!

Lucca Tue 06-Jul-21 08:16:07

love0c

Find it somewhat odd really. I have and still feel for all the shop assistants that were told to go to work. Yet everyone else was told to stay home and stay in as there was a deadly virus outside!

Teachers weren’t. Postmen weren’t.

JaneJudge Tue 06-Jul-21 08:27:11

Those that collect the bins/recycling weren't either and I have always thought what a risk it must have been, all the germs off those different bins!

I thought the GC was just a gesture that said the Royals appreciated the NHS maybe in a way the government don't. The Queen's late husband had to spend time in an NHS hospital not long before he died, so maybe it was personal too.

I think it's such a shame we are going to lose it. I don't know how we will pay for private healthcare

love0c Tue 06-Jul-21 08:29:11

Lucca It is called 'making a point'. Nothing more to add.