‘Just stop it’ as tearful York nurse condemns shoppers – The Yorkshire Post says

The critical care specialist had just completed a gruelling 48-hour shift looking after the seriously ill when she stopped off at a supermarket to stock up on supplies.

And what did she find? Empty shelves. At the end of a week which has seen Britain at its best, and worst, The Yorkshire Post makes no apology for repeating part of the 51-year-old’s emotional outburst. “There’s no fruit, there’s no vegetables and I just don’t know how I’m supposed to stay healthy,” she said.

“Those people who are just stripping the shelves have basic foods you just need to stop it because it’s people like me that are going to be looking after you when you are at your lowest and just stop it, please!”

Our country’s NHS heroes deserve better than this. So, too, do the elderly and vulnerable as some stores set up so-called ‘silver hours’ so the most needy can purchase food and other suppliers. Yet, while the supermarkets are, rightly, taking on thousands of extra staff to cope with the crisis, it will be to no avail if society does not respect the work, and needs, of nurses like Dawn.

And while her words will, hopefully, resonate far and wide, the regret is that an intervention like this ever had to be made. Let’s hope Dawn never has to repeat it because people have changed their behaviour and that stores help such staff deal with the practicalities of the food shop so they can concentrate on what they do best – treating patients and saving lives.