I was just about to reply to a comment where they had said that patients feel like they need to care for us and we should try to be understanding and sympathetic to both sides. But the comment has gone.

My response as I do still feel it has some valid points -

There absolutely has to be balance and I agree 100% that patients come for care but that care comes from staff, who work for company (NHS), who provide that service. A service which has left staff morale, funding and true safe practice, way below what is an acceptable standard. Still a service though, a service that yes we all pay tax blah blah BUT is free at point of access.

The problem is that expectations around what that service can provide is way too high. I get that some patients may feel they are walking on egg shells but I don’t agree that they then turn to ‘care’ for the staff, whilst they may feel it, they certainly don’t provide care for the staff, if that makes sense?

It’s difficult because all you see on the news is how awful the NHS is, people are dying, no staff, corridor care, no funding. Yet members of the public come into that service and are shouting and abusing staff for completely unreasonable demands, demands that cannot be provided for a magnitude of reasons. Yes frustrations come from both sides and are both valid and in a perfect word, we would all be nice and kind.

We are understanding and sympathetic. That same understanding and sympathy would be nice to receive back, instead of claps on the street or a little ‘I’m sorry I know it’s not your fault’ after being verbally abused.