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The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

england.nhs.uk

71–80 of 161 posts

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#71
post #57

Interesting to see the comments suggesting that we should expect the NHS to pay if there is a problem that needs solving. It seems the implication is that labour should never be done voluntarily (even in a crisis situation) in a free economy. I find it bleak that we expect our societies and markets to function, solely driven by "selfish" value-chasing individuals. As someone who has grown up benefitting from the NHS,…

We can't buy groceries, nor pay rent nor utilities with volunteer hours. So long as we're subjected to Capitalist demands, we'll be forced to demand Capitalist compensation, or perish.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then supply more funding. People are being made redundant, this should not be just for a person that is boring being inside.

Capitalism isn't the answer for everything we encounter in life. Being human is sometimes required.

Compensating workers isn't Capitalism. Compensating owners is.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#73
post #57

Interesting to see the comments suggesting that we should expect the NHS to pay if there is a problem that needs solving. It seems the implication is that labour should never be done voluntarily (even in a crisis situation) in a free economy. I find it bleak that we expect our societies and markets to function, solely driven by "selfish" value-chasing individuals. As someone who has grown up benefitting from the NHS,…

I would put it this way: If you want to ask people to volunteer their time to help essential government services, then don't also be the government that continually cuts corporation tax, income tax, and public services.

It's like the companies asking for a bailout -fine if you were running a good business and got impacted by a once in a lifetime event, maybe we should look at it. But if the reasons you've got no cash reserves to weather the storm is because you spent it all on share buybacks then maybe the risk lies with the shareholders since they reaped the rewards.

It's just another step in the cycle - cut services, cut taxes and then act shocked when the services aren't good enough to cope, and then point in every direction you can except for actually providinig the services that the government is responsible for.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#74
I think the initiative is laudable. We know that on a regular Friday or Saturday night, the NHS is already struggling with waiting time up to 4 hours in hospitals and low bed capacity. Mass COVID-19 infections would certainly cripple the NHS in no time. Yet, the problem is how do we ensure that those 250K volunteers do not become carriers of COVID-19 ?

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#76

Would it be safer for people who has recovered to volunteer?

Don't quote me on this and I don't have a peer-reviewed paper as source, but as far as I know, people can get reinfected after being infected once.

This is misinformation, immunity works like it does for everything else. The virus is new to us, not magic.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#77

Mixed feeling about this. The NHS should be funded to run some of these services. However, it a good way for people to contribute. Still worried about a slippery slope - free at the point of need. No relying on extra support. If we need it pay people to do the job.

Maybe they don't want the overhead of interviewing and taking on full employees expecting long-term employment at this time. I don't know if UK employment laws allows this (they are pretty strict) but perhaps they can issue a stipend for temporary volunteers who show up consistently.

These workers should fall under the same classification as other "gig economy" workers like Uber drivers. Whatever the relevant labor laws are in the UK, the government should be subject to them also.

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#78
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What source do you have that confirms this? Everything I've read says it is not yet determined if this is the case.

I believe you can get reinfected with a different strain of the same virus. Not the one you initially got infected with though.

> I believe

Okay, but the person you're replying to was asking

> What source do you have that confirms this?

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#79
post #74

I think the initiative is laudable. We know that on a regular Friday or Saturday night, the NHS is already struggling with waiting time up to 4 hours in hospitals and low bed capacity. Mass COVID-19 infections would certainly cripple the NHS in no time. Yet, the problem is how do we ensure that those 250K volunteers do not become carriers of COVID-19 ?

It doesn’t seem like their roles would be replacing any workers in hospitals etc. This is a call to mobilize the last miles between people at home and pharmacies?

Re: The NHS is looking for up to 250k volunteers

#80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a good idea,but would require an act of congress Edit: Or relevant funding institution for the UK

In the UK?

Act of congress is a very common idiom, and widely understood by many who have similar systems of democratic government. Don't be that guy.

Ah yes, forgot calling out pedantry hits too close to home with one of the world's most pedantic communities.

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