Pick My Postcode’s Stackpot Draws

So there are

What's more, there are no less than eleven postcodes nowhere near mine... 😉

Lucky Leeds! 👍

What on earth is a fisherman's priest?

@Barrie. Thankyou. Exactly! Yes, that's what it must be, a fisherman's priest!

Now I can get my brain off the dirt track!🤭

AFAIK A billy club was a cosh used by police & military to restore order & to subdue those resisting arrest or those resisting the press gangs.

I'm not sure what you've seen Kat but I suspect that it may have been a fisherman's priest.

It's a weapon specifically designed for attacking people called Billy, Willy, Will, Bill and William.

What on earth is a billy club?

I,ll give it 110%....

Brilliant question, Em!

Like others, I hate to hear "Look" or "Listen", which is usually as has been said, a politician trying to convey something, but to me it's so confrontational as if the listener hasn't understood something but in fact they didn't even say what it is yet! Same with "I mean..." .

I listen to a news radio station rather than music, and in the morning they often have people explaining a situation (or wriggling out of one).

On Friday there was a reporter who, in a perfect English accent said "..got off of...". That grates on me.

So does people not from the London/Estuary areas saying 'fing' or 'vat' for thing or that, especially in their local accent. One of our directors has a north eastern England accent (because I'm in the NE) and he always pronounces words like that. It totally grates on me.

I feel better now for getting that off my chest, but I feel I may be judged, haha 🤭

Pacman – what, exactly, are you suggesting is a ‘reason’? I’ve already said that the circumstances I find myself in since my wife’s death are the reason I’m able to do the things I wouldn’t have been able to do before. That, however, is a world away from the idea that her death happened IN ORDER that those things would be possible. If you (and MickmeDad and tetleyt) can’t see that, so be it. I have no belief whatsoever in anything ‘cosmic’ – I’m a realist, not someone who feels the need to fabricate mechanisms to comfort myself in the face of life’s less pleasant aspects.

As for your point about needing a ‘reason for everything’, I agree for the most part. We almost always need a reason to do things, something thrown into sharp focus if you lose a partner – I’ve come to realise that almost everything in life is better if it’s done for, or with, someone else. But, once again, having a reason to DO something is a completely different thing from putting forward the illogical idea that events out of our control occur spontaneously for some pre-determined future effect.

I’ll stop now, before my head starts hurting from repeated contact with a brick wall.

"I don't mean to be funny but ..."

"Like" used in the wrong context.

This absolutely winds me up no end especially when it's inserted into a sentence more times in total than the other non like words combined.

Su.O.

I'm hoping someone says - "winds me up" as a catchphrase they dislike ;D

😂

It's not really a catchphrase but I would love to impose a 'Brilliant' tax on football commentators who would be charged every time they use the word when a mercenary who earns more in a week than most people do in a year manages to do with a reasonable level of skill exactly what he is paid to do.

Applied consistently, we could pay for the proposed Social Care system from 'Match of the Day' alone.

Agree with most of these, but Longstocking’s mention of the Americanism is one of the worst. Can’t somebody write to their education board, or newspapers or one of the Talkshow host they love so much, and explain it in words of one syllable?

"we are where we are"

"OK Guys, what can I get you?"

"Some decent service without the ghastly Americanisms would be nice!"

"Going forward" How many times a day does one hear that expression?

"Early doors"

🤔🙄

@Shyboy - That's my line when a neighbour washes their car.

@Amber - you would have to ask SWMBO

🧙‍♂️🧑‍🦯🤣

"Low hanging fruit" and "Push the envelope". Yuk.

"It's a no-brainer"

Really? Have you had your brain removed and tried this? Or are you just generally brainless?

I agree with Mick and PacMan. 💫

I like the phrase “what’s fir ye, ill no go by ye”

I agree with Mick, of course it is a reason.

I'm not sure what 'cosmic' things you believe in but we need a reason for everything, otherwise we would not do anything.

No, MickmeDad - the changed circumstances following the death of my wife are the reason I'm able to do the things I couldn't do before, but to suggest that my wife died so that these things would be possible is completely absurd.

Things DO NOT happen for any other reason than the circumstances that lead to them happening - there is no long-term cosmic plan that dictates that any event occurs spontaneously because of the effects it will have in the future. People just like to think that way because it offers them some form of comfort that a seemingly negative event was actually positive in the end. It's total nonsense.

I'm finding "Have a lovely rest of your day" to be the latest phrase that's starting to become irritating.

See you later. No they won’t because I’ll very likely never see them again.

"For Free"

You either get something for nothing/no charge, or it's free.

My bad - I work in a school and hear it often…. 🙄

I absolutely hate...

"are you ready to order guys" or "is everything ok guys" in restaurants... 😖😖

When I was washing the sales cars on the forecourt somebody would always shout, ''You can do mine next.''

I hate 'can I get' or grab.

No, you can order and wait like everyone else.

I have to disagree with P A. Everything DOES happen for a reason.

A consequence of your changed circumstances, is, indeed, a reason.

I don't know why, but I hate the word curriculum where schools often cite it.

I've mentioned before that one of my pet hates is the phrase, often used in business: "We reached out to" or "Reach out to us" – it makes me cringe.

It's like dripping molasses and so false in its concept of 'friendliness'. I am fully aware it's still popular with some, but it's corporate office waffle for contact us/you, so why not say that and stop trying to be my buddy whenever you write or call me? I find it really irritating.

Lord help me, I think I'm turning into my mother 🤣

“Everything happens for a reason”. I find that phrase and the people who use it not only irritating but also completely pathetic. Grow up – there’s no overarching cosmic plan that ties everything neatly together just to make you feel better about it all.

As an example, I do a number of things now that I wouldn’t have been able to do before my wife died, but my wife didn’t die so I could do those things, they are simply a consequence of my changed circumstances. It’s trite, patronising and complete nonsense to suggest otherwise.

Mine is "turned round and said" when describing someone's reply. Why did they need to turn around, were they facing the wrong way?

Okey dokey has always annoyed me but I have no idea why.

My one is "I hate to ask.....but"

If you hate to ask that much then DONT ask 😀

Ooh, yea.

My Bad, an utter disgrace of a phrase.

“At the end of the day”.

Petal, I hate that term. My pet hate is Happy Days, so irritating....

My bad.

What! Come on, why not just say, sorry my mistake, it really annoys me.

I'm with you, Beth8it! - both those really grate with me. Also I dislike (though I don't know for what reason!) "Keep up the good work".

PicklesTheKat - yes, meaningless, stupid expression. They'd have to have very long arms to reach out and touch me when I'm speaking to someone in a call centre in India, or even Scotland, for that matter!

When Americans say, "I could care less"> There is a brilliant David Mitchell Video about this.

LOL

"Literally," when it is anything but, as in, "I literally froze when he walked in."

Legend. Used too much for trivial things

And Before your very eyes

'Look'

Usually uttered by Politicians trying to explain their inadequacies.

"Pulling your leg" ... what has that even got to do with humour/trying to tease someone etc ...

Can I borrow you?

Any politician saying "We've been absolutely clear about this."

I dislike ‘have a nice day’ and particularly ‘Enjoy’ when it’s obviously just a formulaic habit, not genuine (restaurant staff, shop assistants etc) . What’s wrong with saying, ‘I hope you enjoy your meal’ rather than something that sounds like a gestapo order.

"It is what it is"

PicklesTheKat Thanks for that. At this point in time it did make sense to delay, so I'm happy with that, but in actual fact they should have known and dealt with this and delayed it at the end of August as it was found during a second hospital admission so they had all the information they needed back then. The way they were going to operate would be more dangerous. It was to be keyhole surgery but now is a full open surgery. It seems to not make sense but it really does when you have all the facts. So slight wait but safer in the long run.

@Rosy 2 cakes….what a dire situation the NHS is in.

I cannot believe there is not some clever clogs somewhere in the whole of the UK that can’t see a proper solution to get the NHS back on track.

I hope they cancel the interest rates on student loans or at least stop the year on year increase. Being in debt is not a good way to start your working life. 😩

Fingers crossed for no more delays or cancellations, A N N :)

Bob the NHS pension scheme is funded by the employees who pay into it and by the employers. It doesn't use investments to build a pension pot in the same way as a private pension. You do pay more into the pension as the NI contributions are reduced

MRI /CT scans are used weekends and evenings particularly in trauma hospitals. My local hospital does CTs all weekends and till 8pm at night.

The reason for nurses now being at university which started in 1956 in Edinburgh. Nurse education fully moved away from nursing schools to university in the 1990s, when a few courses were degrees but most were diplomas. In 2013 nursing became fully degree. Much of the change occurred because nursing is changing rapidly. Doctors contracted hours changed meaning nurses took on many roles Dr's had previously done, i.e. blood tests, prescribing, minor surgery etc. Therefore nurse education has to keep up with these changes.

Nurse fees cost £9790 a year in England equal to £29370 after 3 years of full time education. There is a non repayable grant of £5000 annually for all health care courses in England, meaning they payback £14370 after 3 years of training. Training for nurses is free in Scotland and Wales, but they must agree to work in the country usually for a minimum of 1 year or pay back the fees.

There are approximately 370,000 nurses working in the NHS. This does not include GP practices who employ nurses independently and these nurses are paid by the GP practice. There are 793,000 registered nurses in the UK ( of which I am currently one). These nurses work in education, training, government services and departments, nursing homes, pharmacies, private hospitals, occupational health services etc.

Vacancy rates for registered nurses in England NHS is about 21,000. The total number of professional clinical staff in the NHS is approximately 840,000.

The King's Fund state that approximately 27 % of the NHS budget goes on clinical staff pay. Total NHS budget is £257.5 billion .

Oh and my daughter qualified in 2016, and will never payback her student loan debt, as her interest rate on the loan increases every year.!

There are nurse degree apprenticeships which can be full or part time and take between 3-5 years. Many employers don't like using their apprenticeship budget for nursing apprenticeships as it easily uses up their full allocated apprenticeship budget.

Nurse education is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, who have set the standards for education since 2001. Prior to that standards were set by the General Nursing Council. The RCN are a union and do not, and have never set standards for education. They may have had input into the decision to move to a degree profession however.

As Kat said. 🤞

@ANNHope everything goes well for you both. Very stressful when you have health issues & countless appointments. 🤞

Cancelling appointments due to staff 'sickness' is a big problem. I recently received an appointment which clashed with one for my wife at a different hospital so I phoned immediately to see if I could get it changed, only to find out it had been cancelled without me knowing. They'd moved it to a different day which I started to say I couldn't make as I had another the same day elsewhere, but fortunately I asked the time and as one is 11am and the other 3pm I can do both. Between us we have six appointments over 7 days. As it is, an operation has just been cancelled after the pre op, which the wife wasn't happy with as it could be cancer, but I feel it's safer to review everything fully first as the type of operation could have caused much worse problems with a current flare up of her condition and recovery, so it looks as they'll be doing a different type of op after the team have got together and reviewed it. Hopefully it will still be within a couple of weeks, and she now understands the importance of having changed things for her own safety.

I may be wrong but I had the feeling that nursing student debt was at a lower rate, or fees were lower - I don’t think they pay as much as other students. Possibly that’s just a proposal that one or other political parties is going to bring in.

@BUAD.When, for my sins, I worked at our local hospital the pension contribution from staff was 10% of salary so when pensions might have become unfunded I don't know. I only stayed 7 weeks & that was 6 weeks too long ! The biggest problem with nursing today is the way the nurses are learning. Having to gain a qualification at Uni, then needing to repay student loans is IMO not the way to go. Newly qualified nurses are finding they can't get a contract after all their efforts. Then there's the ridiculous situation whereby the shifts they could have worked are being farmed out to agency staff. Is this because starting salaries are too high? Does that make it economical to have agency nurses? No idea but it seems nonsensical that so many potentially great nurses never get the chance because they can't afford the student debt.

A couple of NHS trusts I know of do MRI and CT scans on Saturdays and Sundays.

One big cost to the NHS is paying for staff sickness and having many staff that know just how to play the system.

Enver. Of course they're closed weekends, it's not as though anyone is ill at the weekend. I am surprised hospital patients aren't sent home then as well as even hospitals are mostly a five day week. I've worked in warehousing, hotels, security etc, all 7 day weeks but no, not hospitals, gp's, dentists etc.

It’s ridiculous that people are ill 24/7, but the people looking after them get over 30% of the time off. Likewise all that capital equipment which costs a fortune is left idle all weekend (MRI, CT scanners etc etc). The problem with the NHS is largely down to the RCN who decided about 50 years ago to change nursing from a vocation to a profession so it’s now graduates only, with all the pay that entails. Salaries are 70% of the NHS budget and nurses are about 70% of that. So how can you improve the productivity of the NHS without addressing its biggest cost ?. It’s not a vote winner ! Add in the cost of unfunded pensions.

When my Dad was in hospital (and they let him fall and break his hip) he needed physio every day, but the physio department was closed at weekends. I know people need time off and they are overstretched, but there must be some ex NHS staff who cannot work full-time, but might like a job at weekends.

Our local NHS Health Centres & pharmacies normally close at weekends, except for seasonal vaccination appointments in a small wing.

For anything else, use the hospital. Good thing my Health Centre is next to A&E in the hospital grounds where many buses stop.

AFAIK the hospital has at least 4 OPD's & 3 X-ray depts.

Nobody is forcing you to use it, Bob.

They always forget what the S stands for in NHS

A week a go today I had an appointment with GP, but when I turned up I was told all appointments where cancelled due to an IT failure.

Not sure if the Doc' was plugged into the mainframe, but apparently can't work without PC support ?

Couple of hours later I receive a call to say my appointment had been rescheduled at the local NHS Walk in for 3.45 the following day, Saturday.

I was a bit surprised it was that time on a Saturday, but I gladly accepted.

Saturday morning I receive two calls from a local number but no one speaks, odd. Then about 13.30 I receive a third, this time they leave a message.

'Please call to rearrange your appointment for an earlier time'.

I spent the next hour calling the number, with no response.

I took the chance, just turned up and was seen right away.

Apparently, other than me she had no appointments after 2Pm.

O, and the phone doesn't accept incoming calls at a weekend !

I had an appointment with a nurse who told me that I needed an appointment with a GP so I went immediately to reception to be told that I needed to phone tomorrow or do it online because they'd turned the computer off at 15:00.

Almost as daft as my last experience. Took advantage of the Boot's hearing check to find one ear needs a hearing aid. Called in at my doctor's surgery to get a referral to the audiology department at the hospital and was told I need to phone at 1.30pm.

🤣