Raining_again

Seems to depend ENTIRELY on who your manager is. each dept is so different. Our service lead and her dept are treated fairly and we as the call centre are treated like absolute shit and thats a very common practice within admin nhs. you are introduced as your pay band before your name. I'm a mere band 3 not deserving of the "luxury" of working from home. It makes absolutely no financial sense to have paid me full pay for going on 6+ months now when i could have actually been doing things. My immediate boss is now off on what seems to be relatively long term sick (its been a month now) and i guarantee the fact im not there carrying a lot of his work is a factor. Sounds a bit like that post you applied for had someone already doing it as a temp or someone they knew that they had in mind for the position. Have seen it soooooooooooo many times in my 16 years in the nhs honestly. They have to go out and do all the interview process for legal fairness, yet they know exactly who they want and someone who isnt in the panel preps them for the interview. Actually its unusual for that NOT to be the case. More often than not you get in by agency and prove yourself worthy then you apply for a post (as i did in 2007)

Goddddd I cringe at my posts lol I had very little to be at clearly I reckon mobile devices, and maybe even computers will run entirely from a server, and hard disks will disappear. We have VDI tech in my work, its in (relative) infancy, but its very clever I wonder if @MoogleViper's internet has improved.....

Yesssssss I definitely am looking forward to my second dose, if a little nervous. I had a terrible reaction first time. Will be interesting to see if my reaction is any different this time with some level of immunity, but I suppose thats not always how it works. I will only really be able to rest easy when my immediate family get theirs. But progress is progress. My dad (65) and sister (dental nurse) have both had one, but my mum's that bit younger (59) so she has to wait a bit yet.

I am so pissed off with my workplace. My seniors are all working from home for the most part. I am considered CEV and in northern ireland, currently, the restrictions mean that CEV patients are advised not to be in the workplace. All of my (current) post involves computer stuff, that could easily be done at home. I have worked for the NHS, in that very department, for nearly sixteen years, and they are refusing to let me do any work from home. I am being fully paid, thankfully, but i am super frustrated that im not allowed to do anything. I've been very tempted to get the union involved but then its like, saying it and doing it, i would be rocking the boat big style... when i could just be quiet and take my full pay to sit at home. Pick your battles and all that? (I sure as hell got a bigger battle coming, I have voice damage and im currently on limited duties, i suspect that wont be forever and theyll try to have me fired.)

I'm still shielding, still bored, nothing to update 2nd vaccine on tuesday

You can grow them inside, mine is living on my south facing windowsill right now. I just referred to a YT video on planting lemon seeds from a lemon and managed to get a few saplings, its pretty easy to do. banana skins soaked in a bottle of water is also a good feed for them. I was at a loose end early 2020 (lol) and decided to give it a go. My plant is still very small, i believe they need a few years in the warm before they grow to a point of potentially getting any flowers/fruit. Really looking forward to seeing how much growth i get from it this summer. Kinda started it as a pet project without any assumptions that id get fruit from it, just gave it a go since it didnt really cost me anything. Peppers are also ones that do reasonably well inside.

IMO its much harder to look after houseplants than it is a garden. I have only had one outside plant death compared to dozens of indoor deaths You'd think they would be easier especially when they arent subject to the weather elements but actually a lot of that ecosystem keeps them alive (nutrients, water retention etc) when you pick the right plant for the environment.

honestly, i think everyone is, its getting really tough. I hear that they are bringin in army medics here because our health system is on its knees (northern ireland) which is just impressing on me how important it is to be careful. Stay safe buddy

i truly feel for you, and people who are looking to get married any time soon. I don't forsee big weddings being possible in 2021. My sister got married in august 2020 and was talking about an actual "ceremony" as such on their first wedding anniversary which would be august, and i'm sure even that isnt likely to happen. We all thought this would be over and done with by the time winter rolled around... how wrong we were

maybe your room will end up the same way it was by the time covid is over

I dont think that having a degree not related to your current field of work is neccesarily a bad thing - surely uni taught you more than just the very specific subject, life skills, living by yourself all that carry on? A surprising number of folk do work completely unrelated to their degree, wether its just no longer having a passion for that subject, or not finding work, or completely shifting what they wanted to do. I honestly dont know how people expect a 15/16 year old to know what they want as a career path. A lot of young guys do IT related education, and in this country there is just no demand for tech staff... unless of course you don't mind wasting away in a shitty tech support call centre for min wage using none of your skills I'm 34, i dont have any degrees, fell into my job by pure chance. story of my life lol

Completely agree with you pestneb So, the first batch in NI has been designated for NHS staff from what I gather. When I booked my first one, the vaccines were only designated for vaccinators, high risk wards and CEV staff. There was 3000 vaccines in our first batch of pfizer vacc. I personally would much rather see 3000 staff get some immunity, for the majority of staff some immunity will reduce them to not being sick at all. I do see the logic in this, and yes we may pay in reduced efficacy later on but its time to act now, hospitals are in crisis and need this. No one is going to come to any harm by having 1 vaccine rather than 2. We all still have to pay heed to all the restrictions even fully vaccinated, and PPE isn't gonna be just forgotten in a hospital setting since they still have to look after the patients who are not all vaccinated.

thats pretty shite, and sounds extremely typical of the nhs tbh

mm yeah that is definitely a possible issue...

Vaccinations are being changed from 3 weeks after the first to 10. Think its a tactic to get more people vaccinated even at whateve effectiveness one dose does (50...60%?), than a small amount of people at 95%. From a purely logical head it makes sense. I was kinda hoping to be at home suffering Side Effects 2.0 so im mildly annoyed... Are you still working for the nhs @EEVILMURRAY ? Have you been getting plenty of abuse about the delays lol

My father has worked in that sector for 25 years (transitioned from military) and he was never done reading books, learning new technology, protocols etc. It's no different to being a doctor and keeping up with the latest medical developments. It was something i considered as a career but where i live (northern ireland) it involves commute and its very very difficult to get your foot in the door here (my dad did based off his very high security clearances). You absolutely 100% CAN do it. Its tough, but its rewarding! Don't give up!

This has all been so last minute, in NI our CEV were told on the 23rd to stay home again after the 26th. (which meant absolutely no time to receive a letter to keep employmers happy. Still waiting on mine as of 4th January!). You guys in schools are left to scramble around getting things sorted. I know these things develop day by day, but this could have been predicted very easily. Also any key businesses with CEV people have to try to find cover for work absolutely last minute. So badly badly organised and these people are being paid so much more than most of us here ._.

I'M SO BOREDDDDD being at home by myself. I can be in contact with people (it is not shielding as was previously) but im trying to reduce risk to as little as possible (i mean if i'm having a dander round the supermarket and visiting people i'm causing myself as much risk as being at work...) I'm sure my heating bills will be through the roof... the gas peeps readjusted my bill to £17 a month last quarter, i doubt it gonna be that now lol It is the middle of winter, and its definitely a cold one this year. week 1 of 6 weeks is done... Looks like its not gonna change any time soon either. Occupational health have said even having the vaccine is irrelevant to the CEV stay at home advice. no end in sighttt I am aware I have some level of privilege being paid to be at home, but i am also disabled and have been exposed to a UNREAL amount of ableism in 2020 so... i dont feel bad about complaining. I suffer quite badly from migraines - was at one point having multiple per day but for the past few years its been *reasonably* stable, i'd maybe have 2/3 a month over the past few years. I cant say for sure but since I had the biontech vaccine (a couple of weeks ago) i've had SIX migraines. sigh

My understand on the kids thing is that they are, for the most part, like the vaccinated - they can still get covid, but their bodies are highly likely to be able to fight it off without becoming symptomatic, or die. Vaccines don't stop virus spread, they just protect the vaccinated from dying - hence why herd immunity is so important for weakened individuals who can not or have not got vaccinated. But on the general assumption that kids don't get symptomatic w covid, they are much much less likely to spread it to people WHEN the rules are followed. They're not sick, thereby not sneezing or coughing in your face, which reduces risk significantly. But then those assumptions also assume that everyone is following rules, staying in, keeping a distance from family they dont live with, washing their damn hands, wearing masks in public etc. I cant sit here and even say that theres one particular generation thats worse than any other - there are ignorant teenagers, all the way up to grandparents. They think itll be alright and maybe 8 times out of 10 it will... but its too late for regrets when you hit unlucky and end up in a hospital bed. I also agree w you @Julius (hi btw i dont think ive met you?) that key workers kids should be kept in school. I'm like...damn ill be so glad when i get the vaccine. but then i know i'll end up worrying about my sister (dental nurse - highest risk of transmission outside of icu) and my parents who are 65 and 59, with no health risks they are waaaay down the line to be vaccinated

I agree with this completely. We had one incidence of this and no one knew who was in the restrictions and who wasnt. And then people that live/work near the boundaries between tiers got even more confused lol. I also havent had a haircut, but i hadnt had one prob 2 years prior to covid anyway. I'd be so mad if i had short hair

the bolded part - excuse meeeeeeee - thats negligence on a serious level. I'm sure the families of these people would LOVE to know this is going on! Also negative tests mean fuck all now, you can have a negative test and be past the window for testing and ALSO you still have to maintain distancing etc even after being vaccinated as you can still catch and spread covid, especially with these mutations popping up I'm honestly so fucking pissed off, and bet every penny i got that this is a regular occurance in most homes... and we wonder why its spreading like it is

@martinist always goes to the extreme on the drunk scale... I bet he was suffering on christmas day lol @gaggle64 you need to look after this wee imp a bit better lol

Going back to a semi shielding setup after christmas - government has advised CEVs to not go to work starting from 26th for (currently) 6 weeks. Don't think I have to shield in place, obviously using caution - but I can go out for shopping. (I FULLY intend to stay in as much as possible) If my stupid bosses had authorised me WFH maybe i'd be able to actually do something constructive. fuckers

got vaccine #1 today. feel like absolute trash, every bone in my body hurts, my glands are massive, and my voice is gone. (for context, anyone that doesn't know me, i've got complex health issues) back again in another 22 days for the second. hopefully that's easier! I will certainly take what is a mild (for me) and only really slightly inconvenient reaction over getting the real deal the whole Christmas thing is mad. We have been "strongly advised" to make our plans one day rather than the original 4/5? but I only had plans to be with my mum dad and sister for like maybe 5h max. And we as a family are super careful. Even when I'm "immune" I cant go round doing as i please anyway since i can still be a carrier to other vulnerable but less vulnerable than me peeps... (like my parents) so it'd be pretty scummy of me to have been yappin on about how vulnerable I am then behaving like a dick (which i fear a lot of people will do once they know they are ok)

I have Costochondritis, (inflammation of the front of rib cage) likely as a result of spinal arthritis naproxen isn't working, further treatment involves more complex medication or steroid injections, authorised by rhematology. I'm on the wait list which is 4+ YEARS. Hoping my GP can write to rhem and have my referral upgraded, but not optimistic it basically feels like having a heart attack 24/7 and any pressure on any part of my rib cage is awful