I was trolled horrifically for a week around New Year. I struggled to eat or sleep for a week. And now I’ve recovered, and built my confidence back up, I’d like to say something.
Do you know what type of person it takes to put a hard-fought medical career on hold, to lobby...
for others’ protection? Do you know what it takes to take a £50k loss of earnings, which will affect you and your young family? Do you know what it takes to build a cross-party coalition of 104 MPs during a pandemic?...
It takes absolute humility, and the ability to see beyond yourself, and the ability to listen, and the ability to pick up the phone to absolutely anyone in order to fight for protections for NHS staff. It takes stomaching feedback from everywhere, constantly, and taking it..
on-board. Appreciating that feedback, learning from it. It takes consensus building, and never fighting back when attacked. Day in, day out. Fighting back hurts the cause. And the cause matters, not me.
I’m in this for doctors, and other NHS staff, and patients. That’s it. Julia
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In my role as @EveryDoctorUK Chief Exec, I represent 1650 doctors. And (this is a little personal), that’s a tough job because our members hold me to account very successfully. They are a group of articulate, vocal, intelligent people. The only reason I can lead EveryDoctor...
...is because of a massive group of people advising and instructing and feeding back. And we’re small and we’re learning, and together we’re building something strong. I never worry when doctors are vocal; that feedback is very necessary, it keeps us on course....
..but I’m worried now, because doctors have become quieter. NHS staff are tired, they’re under so much pressure. They’ve been under this pressure and it’s not letting up.
If you have any opportunity to show NHS staff kindness, and support, please do that. Please...
THREAD (1/3): I’ve just found out that one region in the UK has paused all vaccinations for a week, because they cannot find the staff 😮. This is because the government have not adequately supported NHS staff- the vaccine programme is a huge, largely unsupported effort.
(2/3) Many GP practices for example are very over-stretched, with staff working extra shifts and pulling out all the stops to deliver vaccines. However, with cases spiralling, the government need to step up and support by providing trained staff (perhaps by enlisting the army).
(3/3) I’m hearing that NHS staff in the area with paused vaccines are desperately worried about vulnerable patients and are scrabbling for solutions. As soon as I know more, I’ll tweet. Watch this space. 💥🚨@EveryDoctorUK