After seeing appeals on social media asking for help from 4x4 drivers when it snowed this week, I popped along to MPH after dropping someone else into Taunton. I was told to look for the site manager who had gone to A&E. I made my way to reception, who pointed me around the corner to a nurses station. I explained I was in the area with my 4x4 and asked if anyone needed any help getting back to Bridgwater. I was having a chat with a group of colleagues and we were starting to discuss arranging lifts home in the morning and the possibility of a nurse leaving early so she could have a lift with me when I was passing.
We were then approached by a lady with a clipboard who I assume from her manner and the conversation must have been the afore mentioned site manager I was looking for.
To say she was rude and came across as obnoxious is an understatement. Yes, she did say you (the hospital/nhs) were grateful for all the support last year. But then came the most shocking sentence I have ever heard "we are not letting our staff in your vehicles until we see proof of drivers licence and insurance documents".
This clearly wasn't an issue last year, and on none of the requests for help this year did it state you would need to come along with this documentation. Seriously do you think we would drive our precious 4x4's in those conditions without holding either of those legal requirements. Our priority is getting your staff home or to work safely so you (the hospital) can continue providing care for those who need it most. We are not a bunch of law breaking, money grabbing idiots. I believe last year we were hailed as heroes for everything we did.
The nurses looked devastated as I'm sure after a long night shift all they would have wanted to do was get home safely to bed. I said I was leaving as like many others I don't carry my insurance papers around with me and wasn't allowed to make any arrangements without showing them. Surely once 'your' staff have clocked off they can make their own decisions on how they get home.
The sad thing is one of the colleagues involved felt the need to apologise to me on social media for what happened. No-one should have to apologise for someone else's behaviour.
If this is the way people offering help are going to be spoken to then one day you may not have any help. We all do what we do in our own time at our own expense and do not expect to be spoken to in this way.
Maybe the site manager needs to work on her bedside manner.
"Damn right rude site manager needs"
About: Musgrove Park Hospital (Taunton) Musgrove Park Hospital (Taunton) Taunton TA1 5DA
Posted via nhs.uk
Do you have a similar story to tell?
Tell your story & make a difference ››
Responses
See more responses from Alison Wootton