It’s because they work with sick people
Radio 2 this morning. Matthew Bannister cues up his sub-Littlejohn call to housebound Little Englanders everywhere to reach for the phone and bark away about something. I paraphrase, but it went along these lines: "NHS workers are more likely than people in the private sector to ring in sick. Is that because people who work in the public sector are lazier?"
Ken Bruce, almost embarrassedly, popped his balloon with: "Or it could be those sick people they work with."
Yes, it could be that, couldn't it? (It could also be the ridiculously long hours and understaffing, but let's for a moment stick with the apparently inconceivable idea that if you come into contact with people who have contagious illnesses, then you may become ill).
No-one seems to have contemplated this simple idea. Or have they? Surely it's not difficult to understand. It's not as if NHS workers are being compared to private healthcare workers, is it? No, it's not. But, despite the simplicity of the argument against, you can expect reams of drivel to be poured out in the public-sector-hating press over the next day or so, about 'lazy' public sector workers (probably with 'gold-plated' pensions for a bonus rant).
You expect it from the likes of the Mail - in fact, here it is, look! - but the BBC? It strikes me that if you want to know where to find lazy taxpayer-funded workers, you might do well to start in a BBC newsroom.
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August 19th, 2009 - 13:05
I'm presuming Matthew Bannister was covering for Jeremy Vine, who's callers appear to be the Daily Mail readers who are unable to write, so cannot post on the Mail website and can only SHOUT DOWN THE PHONE ON RADIO 2!!!
August 19th, 2009 - 13:18
'apparently inconceivable idea that if you come into people who have contagious illnesses, then you may become ill'
I think you may have just inadvertantly uncovered anoother story there. Let's hope a lazy Daily Mail journo doesn't come here and decide to use this as proof that NHS are molesting patients sexually and picking up STDs beforwe phoning in sick.
August 20th, 2009 - 07:30
You might also add that someone working with sick people who has some form of contagious sickness – stomach upset, flu or a cold for example – should not return to work until all symptoms have passed otherwise they will simply infect the patients. Unlike other areas of work they shouldn't struggle in heroically and this typically is going add one normally two days to the absence levels.
August 20th, 2009 - 12:34
Can I put in a PS to my comment. One of the primary reasons for a high level of sickness absence derives from the composiiton of the NHS staff – it is predominately female, and largely low paid. The majority have family commitments. So a bairn goes ill and you've no-one to get to look after it. Do you;
a leave the bairn alone at home?
b call in for a day's holiday but you've none left?
c call in as a family emergency and lose a day's pay?
d call in sick?
It's obvious what the majority do and in the circumstances it's more than understandable although doubtless wrong. But what else are they to do?
August 20th, 2009 - 21:07
The Guardian had some stuff on this story and while the glib responce sounds good the two big issues are skeleto-muscular issues and depression. The former is definitly not catching…
August 20th, 2009 - 21:34
Never mind that privatized healthcare leads to a lot more sick people in general.
August 22nd, 2009 - 10:03
I'm sure you have a legitimate point about spending more time off ill because they are working with sick people, but I'd be interested in seeing a breakdown of sick leave between frontline staff and those in the backoffices (like a friend's housemate whose job seems to be encouraging nurses to blog and "digital engagement" between the hospital and community (namely running twitter and facebook pages). Sorry, got a little off topic at the end.