So, what happened today?

[monkeybarry]

Had it join a call with senior civil servants who moaned about interims doing their jobs..
It was hosted and managed by an interim and I was asked to provide a number of answers to the subjects they raised and I’m an interim...
I did have to remind them at the end that the reason there are some key interims in the organisation is that they don’t have the skills or motivation already in place and are unlikely to attract the right people if the whole philosophy towards nee blood doesn’t change
Now got a call tomorrow with the SCs2 to explain the issues I’ve seen in the organisation
Amazing... they lay me a lot of money to do a job and 18monthsnin they finally realise I know what I’m doing

Well someone has to.
If you had done your job an interim wouldn't have to.
Oh, what you mean is your unhappy about an interim exposing how little of your job you did?

Ok, shall we move to agenda point 1, unless there are any further queries?

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Well someone has to.
If you had done your job an interim wouldn't have to.
Oh, what you mean is your unhappy about an interim exposing how little of your job you did?

Ok, shall we move to agenda point 1, unless there are any further queries?

Yep
Pretty much
Some lovely people ... but farking lazy

 

[markysimmo]

Around 2.3 tonnes of cocaine worth £184m has been found hidden in a shipment of bananas from Colombia.

Ten men, aged between 21 and 56, were arrested following an armed raid at an industrial estate in Tottenham, north London, on Thursday after the delivery of 41 pallets.

The National Crime Agency, which carried out the investigation with the Metropolitan Police's Organised Crime Partnership, said the drugs could have been worth £184 million if sold on UK streets

The cocaine had already been removed by Border Force officers at Portsmouth International Port on Sunday, after the consignment arrived on a cargo ship from Columbia the previous day.

Met Police Detective Superintendent Simon Moring said the operation had "resulted in one of the UK's biggest ever seizures of cocaine - around 2.3 tonnes".

"This significant seizure means that these dangerous drugs cannot reach the streets of London and beyond, where they have the potential to cause great harm to people and communities," he said

 

[markysimmo]

Just had an amazing DM from Danish hahahah

 

[scaramanga]

Around 2.3 tonnes of cocaine worth £184m has been found hidden in a shipment of bananas from Colombia.

Ten men, aged between 21 and 56, were arrested following an armed raid at an industrial estate in Tottenham, north London, on Thursday after the delivery of 41 pallets.

The National Crime Agency, which carried out the investigation with the Metropolitan Police's Organised Crime Partnership, said the drugs could have been worth £184 million if sold on UK streets

The cocaine had already been removed by Border Force officers at Portsmouth International Port on Sunday, after the consignment arrived on a cargo ship from Columbia the previous day.

Met Police Detective Superintendent Simon Moring said the operation had "resulted in one of the UK's biggest ever seizures of cocaine - around 2.3 tonnes".

"This significant seizure means that these dangerous drugs cannot reach the streets of London and beyond, where they have the potential to cause great harm to people and communities," he said

clams. Don't they realise the effect that has on casual users?

 

[Glenda's Legs]

Had a lovely walk today. Sun shining, warm temperature, woodpecker drumming, birds singing. It felt like a beautiful spring day. Coupled with a Covid jab in the next few days and the (slow) easing of restrictions now on the horizon, I feel quite upbeat for the first time in a while. Amazing the difference a bit of nice weather can make.

 

[markysimmo]

Had a lovely walk today. Sun shining, warm temperature, woodpecker drumming, birds singing. It felt like a beautiful spring day. Coupled with a Covid jab in the next few days and the (slow) easing of restrictions now on the horizon, I feel quite upbeat for the first time in a while. Amazing the difference a bit of nice weather can make.

Really helps with mental health doesn't it !!!
The first lockdown I actually enjoyed, it was boiling hot, work was quiet, I was sitting outside drinking most afternoons, had a brilliant tan haha

 

[Glenda's Legs]

Really helps with mental health doesn't it !!!
The first lockdown I actually enjoyed, it was boiling hot, work was quiet, I was sitting outside drinking most afternoons, had a brilliant tan haha

It really does make a huge difference. I've been in a bit of a rut since Christmas really - not making the effort to go out, feeling lethargic because I'm indoors all the time, can't be bothered going out because I feel too lethargic. Vicious circle. I feel like today has snapped me out of it.
I know what you mean about the first lockdown - it was glorious working from home. It sounds like where I work won't have us going back to the office much before the summer now anyway, so I'm hoping for a repeat, weather wise.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

It really does make a huge difference. I've been in a bit of a rut since Christmas really - not making the effort to go out, feeling lethargic because I'm indoors all the time, can't be bothered going out because I feel too lethargic. Vicious circle. I feel like today has snapped me out of it.
I know what you mean about the first lockdown - it was glorious working from home. It sounds like where I work won't have us going back to the office much before the summer now anyway, so I'm hoping for a repeat, weather wise.

I hope the upbeat mood continues tomorrow @Glenda's Legs...and the sun shines on your side of the @Glenda's Legs household divide.

 

[P.D.]

Had a lovely walk today. Sun shining, warm temperature, woodpecker drumming, birds singing. It felt like a beautiful spring day. Coupled with a Covid jab in the next few days and the (slow) easing of restrictions now on the horizon, I feel quite upbeat for the first time in a while. Amazing the difference a bit of nice weather can make.

I felt the same, amazing what weather does for our mental state. Looking at the forecast into it's similar so hoping this is the start of spring. 1st lockdown had such amazing weather hoping we get the same again this year.

 

[billyiddo]

Today i had a Sunday Lunch that i started cooking on Friday...

Beef Short ribs cooked for 48 hours in the sous vides then seared & glazed in a Guinness gravy - was immense.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Been trying to buy Transformers Recue Bots for my youngest
Turns out some are as rare as BitCoin and priced accordingly...

 

[Glenda's Legs]

Had a text from my GP surgery saying I have a medication review appointment by telephone on Wednesday this week. Nothing I have arranged or been told about before this text and no actual time for the appt, other than "in the morning."
So phoned the surgery :
Me : I've had this text about a telephone appointment on Wednesday. Is it correct ? (have my covid jab then so maybe it's a mix-up in texts).
Surgery : Yes that's correct, you have a telephone appointment.
Me : What time will it be?
Surgery : The doctors don't give out times for telephone appointments.
Me : OK, but in that case I might not be able to take the call as I might have a work call when she rings (or be at my covid jab appointment).
Surgery : Do you want me to re-arrange it?
Me : Yes, if it can be for a specific time.
Surgery : Doctors don't give specific times. It is usually early, around 9am.
Me : OK, I'll book some time in my calendar for 9am.
Surgery : I didn't say 9am, I said around 9am.
Me : OK, but please let the doctor know that I might not be able to take the call.
Surgery : Do you want me to re-arrange it?
Me : That's only worth doing if it can be for a specific time, otherwise it will be the same situation whatever the day.
Surgery : Doctors don't give a specific time.
Me : Ok, but I might not be able to take the call.
Surgery : Do you want me to re-arrange the call?
Me : Arrgggghhhhhh!!

I appreciate that everything is working differently at the moment, but please have some understanding that not everyone can just answer a call at the drop of a hat.
I am at least working from home. If I were in the office, I'd need to know so that I could find an empty meeting room or office.

 

[markysimmo]

Had a text from my GP surgery saying I have a medication review appointment by telephone on Wednesday this week. Nothing I have arranged or been told about before this text and no actual time for the appt, other than "in the morning."
So phoned the surgery :
Me : I've had this text about a telephone appointment on Wednesday. Is it correct ? (have my covid jab then so maybe it's a mix-up in texts).
Surgery : Yes that's correct, you have a telephone appointment.
Me : What time will it be?
Surgery : The doctors don't give out times for telephone appointments.
Me : OK, but in that case I might not be able to take the call as I might have a work call when she rings (or be at my covid jab appointment).
Surgery : Do you want me to re-arrange it?
Me : Yes, if it can be for a specific time.
Surgery : Doctors don't give specific times. It is usually early, around 9am.
Me : OK, I'll book some time in my calendar for 9am.
Surgery : I didn't say 9am, I said around 9am.
Me : OK, but please let the doctor know that I might not be able to take the call.
Surgery : Do you want me to re-arrange it?
Me : That's only worth doing if it can be for a specific time, otherwise it will be the same situation whatever the day.
Surgery : Doctors don't give a specific time.
Me : Ok, but I might not be able to take the call.
Surgery : Do you want me to re-arrange the call?
Me : Arrgggghhhhhh!!

I appreciate that everything is working differently at the moment, but please have some understanding that not everyone can just answer a call at the drop of a hat.
I am at least working from home. If I were in the office, I'd need to know so that I could find an empty meeting room or office.

Doctors receptionists are on the whole arseholes and think they are something special

 

[Bullet]

Had a text from my GP surgery saying I have a medication review appointment by telephone on Wednesday this week. Nothing I have arranged or been told about before this text and no actual time for the appt, other than "in the morning."
So phoned the surgery :
Me : I've had this text about a telephone appointment on Wednesday. Is it correct ? (have my covid jab then so maybe it's a mix-up in texts).
Surgery : Yes that's correct, you have a telephone appointment.
Me : What time will it be?
Surgery : The doctors don't give out times for telephone appointments.
Me : OK, but in that case I might not be able to take the call as I might have a work call when she rings (or be at my covid jab appointment).
Surgery : Do you want me to re-arrange it?
Me : Yes, if it can be for a specific time.
Surgery : Doctors don't give specific times. It is usually early, around 9am.
Me : OK, I'll book some time in my calendar for 9am.
Surgery : I didn't say 9am, I said around 9am.
Me : OK, but please let the doctor know that I might not be able to take the call.
Surgery : Do you want me to re-arrange it?
Me : That's only worth doing if it can be for a specific time, otherwise it will be the same situation whatever the day.
Surgery : Doctors don't give a specific time.
Me : Ok, but I might not be able to take the call.
Surgery : Do you want me to re-arrange the call?
Me : Arrgggghhhhhh!!

I appreciate that everything is working differently at the moment, but please have some understanding that not everyone can just answer a call at the drop of a hat.
I am at least working from home. If I were in the office, I'd need to know so that I could find an empty meeting room or office.

I don't think you are being fair here.

The doctor will call a series of patients in a row and cannot be sure if they will get through to each person or how long each call will take. They may aim for 3 mins but could be 8 mins for someone, who knows.

So they will just call each person (including you) when they can, somewhere around 9am but could be before or after that... your job is to take the call if you can. If you can't, they will try again some time.

What else do you expect them to do, arrange a specific time for each person like 8:47 and cut people off after 3.33 minutes to move on to the next person?

 

[scaramanga]

Doctors receptionists are on the whole arseholes and think they are something special

I had a conversation with one recently that went like this:

Me: I'd like to make an appointment for my son please
R: We can see him in three weeks
Me: I'd like an emergency appointment please, I need him seen today
R: We don't do emergency appointments here, the shortest we can do is three weeks
Me: My son had an emergency appointment 6 months ago at this surgery
R: We don't do emergency appointments here, we can see him in...
Me: But I spoke to you and arranged it. I phoned this number, spoke to you and spoke the very same words I did at the start of this conversation. You then informed me I'd need to turn up around 5pm and be prepared to wait.
R: We don't do emergency appointments here and never have done.
Me: How is that possible? You are the person that arranged one for me before
R: We don't....

At this point I hang up and call back, speak to the other receptionist and get an appointment for 5pm that day.

Doctors' receptionists are basically the people who grew up wanting to be traffic police or traffic wardens but qualified for neither.

 

[Bullet]

I had a conversation with one recently that went like this:

Me: I'd like to make an appointment for my son please
R: We can see him in three weeks
Me: I'd like an emergency appointment please, I need him seen today
R: We don't do emergency appointments here, the shortest we can do is three weeks
Me: My son had an emergency appointment 6 months ago at this surgery
R: We don't do emergency appointments here, we can see him in...
Me: But I spoke to you and arranged it. I phoned this number, spoke to you and spoke the very same words I did at the start of this conversation. You then informed me I'd need to turn up around 5pm and be prepared to wait.
R: We don't do emergency appointments here and never have done.
Me: How is that possible? You are the person that arranged one for me before
R: We don't....

At this point I hang up and call back, speak to the other receptionist and get an appointment for 5pm that day.

Doctors' receptionists are basically the people who grew up wanting to be traffic police or traffic wardens but qualified for neither.

Are you sure it was the same person, or is the above incorrect, sounds like last time perhaps it was the other receptionist?

I believe receptionists try to fend people off to triage the truly urgent cases e.g. my wife was very worried about my son, who had a small patch of eczema and the cream wasn't working. It felt urgently important to her, but probably wasn't the most urgent case in the village that day.

 

[scaramanga]

Are you sure it was the same person, or is the above incorrect, sounds like last time perhaps it was the other receptionist?

I believe receptionists try to fend people off to triage the truly urgent cases e.g. my wife was very worried about my son, who had a small patch of eczema and the cream wasn't working. It felt urgently important to her, but probably wasn't the most urgent case in the village that day.

Definitely the same person, very distinctive voice and "personality"

There's a very fast and effective method of triage. Stuff that's important to me is urgent, everything else isn't.

 

[a spur from swansea]

My surgery has the system askmygp, where you log in, click on the name of your gp, tell them what's wrong, then you either get an email back or if you left your mobile number a call back, the system is open from 8-11am,you get an answer after it closes at 11.

No need to talk to those wicked receptionists lol...

 

[markysimmo]

Lovely day so far, sunshine, nice walk, been to see a wedding venue

and good to see this didn't get overturned too

Shamima Begum, who left the UK for Syria to join the Islamic State group as a teenager, will not be allowed to return and fight her citizenship case, the Supreme Court has ruled.

The court said in a unanimous ruling that her rights were not breached when she was refused permission to return