The now-removed video was met with intense criticism on social media.
A hospital trust has come under fire for bragging about “expensive coffee machines and snoozing pods”.
Barts Health NHS Trust has been criticised for posting a video on its official TikTok account that bragged about office staff having access to a “£1,400” coffee machine, snacks that can be “locked away”, and “snoozing” pods.
The now-removed video was met with intense criticism on social media, with some nurses claiming they cannot even get a break, let alone access these kinds of facilities.
The same trust was under fire earlier this year for reportedly slashing the hourly rates of specialist nurses that work bank shifts.
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One nurse from the hospital told NursingNotes, “Expensive coffee machines and snooze pods! My team’s kettle and toaster were confiscated because we don’t have access to a dedicated staff kitchen area.”
A junior doctor added on Twitter, “Luxury corporate offices with wellbeing rooms/sleeping spaces on every floor – your doctors are changing in toilets”.
A spokesperson for Barts Health NHS Trust apologised for the video. They said, “We’re sorry for the offence caused, have deleted the video and will look for other ways to promote our trust as a place to work.
“Thanks to Barts Charity we have improved wellbeing facilities for all staff in our hospitals, including dedicated wellbeing hubs, refurbished rest rooms, new lockers and bike racks, but we know we still have a long way to go.”
Pages of unfilled clinical shifts.
Grassroots campaign group Nurses United UK have been quick to condemn the video and the trust.
Lead Organiser Anthony Johnson said, “Take a look at Barts Health’s bank shifts and you will see pages of unfilled clinical shifts.
“They could have raised their staff’s pay so that they could recruit and retain more staff and keep patients safe. They could have provided more CPD or facilities for clinical staff, to again, get down those vacancies and keep patients safe.
“Instead, the trust that spent £130 million on its Private Finance Initiative payments last year decides to produce a glossy corporate video to advertise their offer to head office staff. All whilst their patients, who fund them, remain in under staffed wards.”
