How are you coping.

RE: How are you coping.

Beats — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 15:58:28 GMT

[quote userid="9515" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220913"]

Beats said:
before paying a sum equivalent to their month's mortgage to the RCVS

!!! £364 RCVS fees - my monthly mortgage is £1394 !!!!! No way equivalent. I am not sure what size mortgage £364 a month would get, but round here not even a shed! The park homes (fancy name for trailer park) sell for over £300,000!

[/quote]

My monthly mortgage is less than £364 a month

I live in a 4-bedroom (converted) semi.

Have you thought of re-locating ;-)

[though the health service has a few fairly large holes in it if that affects your current judgement!]

RE: How are you coping.

Richard Carter — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 11:04:45 GMT

they sitting at home with nothing to do with no concept of contagious disease - nice trip to vets to break the boredom

RE: How are you coping.

Julie Innes — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 20:31:58 GMT

In practical terms, we are coping ok. Lots of measures in place, minimising risk.

Struggling with 2 things:

1. Not being able to give the same level of care we are used to

2. Speaking to clients who seem to have parachuted in from Mars and are still calling up "just to arrange an appointment to have my dogs nails clipped". How can they be thinking about their dogs toenails in the midst of all this. I'm finding that hard

RE: How are you coping.

Dinu Catilina — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:33:17 GMT

[quote userid="9515" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220913"] I am not sure what size mortgage £364 a month would get,[/quote]

A nice two bedroom semi around here or even 3 bedroom if you don't mind being stabbed.

RE: How are you coping.

bob lehner — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 13:37:12 GMT

[quote userid="7638" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220923"]Has he gotten rid of all the bugs?[/quote]

Hope it wasn't infected with a virus...

RE: How are you coping.

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 10:44:37 GMT

[quote userid="5012" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220850"]Day 5 of isolation. Had a conversation with a spider today. Seems a nice chap. He's a web designer. [/quote]

Has he gotten rid of all the bugs?

RE: How are you coping.

Sarah Keir — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 08:55:09 GMT

[quote userid="12930" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220812"]before paying a sum equivalent to their month's mortgage to the RCVS[/quote]

RE: How are you coping.

Sarah Keir — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 08:52:54 GMT

[quote userid="6550" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220810"]

It does go to show that the locum option is not necessarily the better option compared to employment. Not sure anyone could have foreseen the drama that is unfolding.

Sadly the self-employed are not considered the priority, a downside of tax saving. As the tax savings are not that wonderful it is going to be a high price that some pay.

[/quote]

Most vets do NOT become locums for the money, despite what some think! I took a pay cut to locum and (was) working longer hours and more days than as an employee. But I am also not a career locum, I am doing it while looking for the best fit job. It is always good to see someone else's view - have a read https://www.sarahthevet.com/2020/03/08/why-are-so-many-turning-to-locum-work/

RE: How are you coping.

Julieg — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 16:33:05 GMT

Was due to change jobs leaving my current position 1st May starting new job 1st August with locum work inbetween. Currently furloughed and unlikely to get any locum work given the current situation so considering non vet work in the interim to cover rent/bills. There are a lot of people worse off than me so trying not to whittle.

RE: How are you coping.

Lucy Fleming — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 16:03:53 GMT

Clive are you sure you're ok? This can only be a cry for help...

RE: How are you coping.

Clive Ansell — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 15:57:22 GMT

Day 5 of isolation. Had a conversation with a spider today. Seems a nice chap. He's a web designer.

RE: How are you coping.

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 15:15:50 GMT

[quote userid="6550" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220844"]

I have good family support, always there on tap!!

Thanks anyway!!

[/quote]

Fab, in that case, is anyone up for a game of Mornington Crescent in another topic?

RE: How are you coping.

Bob Russell — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 15:05:19 GMT

I have good family support, always there on tap!!

Thanks anyway!!

RE: How are you coping.

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 15:03:43 GMT

[quote userid="6550" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220839"]I have to say this has been the worst year of my life[/quote]

That was 2016 for me - I lasted till June. Drop a line to Vetlife (or even ring them) if you haven't yet. Don't suffer alone.

They're here for you. Rooting for you, Bob!

RE: How are you coping.

Bob Russell — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 14:47:59 GMT

We had a stupidly good day yesterday from the figures. Did not seem to be doing that much work. Still pretty grim. Pleased that everyone around me is being realistic in a surreal world!

I have to say this has been the worst year of my life for more than one reason and this is the 'icing on the cake'. Still only March. Suspect gibbering wreck by May!

When you don't think things can get worse ..........

RE: How are you coping.

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 14:09:05 GMT

Neil Wheadon Clive Ansellfixed the reply button on the locum's forum, thanks for pointing it out Clive.

RE: How are you coping.

Julie Innes — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 13:48:39 GMT

We are coping, but it's been very stressful.

3 staff self-isolating, 1 high risk so not coming to work. Lots of part time staff, some don't qualify for sick pay, some do. Trying to furlough some staff, but not sure who will be back after self-isolating and who to furlough! Payroll was a nightmare this month, as paying people for work they might/ might not be doing, trying to work out who was sick and coming back, who to furlough. Eventually paid everyone something with the caveat we may need to sort it out and adjust next month, when hopefully we will know what is happening and what they should have been paid!

Trying to adapt our way of working also feels stressful, as is trying to deal with clients who blatantly feel that life should just go on as normal, regardless. Hugely anxious about the next few weeks for our country as a whole and for our poor NHS staff. Not gonna lie, have had a few meltdowns over the last couple of weeks, and have lost a lot of sleep. Money will also be a worry- I am a director/ employee of my limited company, so I have a "salary" which is peanuts, but which I top up with dividends from the business, as advised by my accountants. What this means, however, is that I am not self employed, and can only get 80% of my "salary", which won't even cover our mortgage, never mind anything else! However i have decided not to worry about money for now, to get through the next few weeks/ months. If i have a business at the end of it, well and good. If not, I'll still be employable and we won't starve to death!

The most important thing is the health of my family, friends and countrymen. Money and other woes cease to matter in the face of a crisis like this, to be honest

RE: How are you coping.

Beats — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 11:32:13 GMT

would it help (either actually or symbolically) if the RCVS announced they would not be penalising members for late payment of fees in 2020 up to, say, 6 months late? Or even just one month late with no penalities?

I expect some will be waiting to see this week whether they will indeed be working as a vet next week before paying a sum equivalent to their month's mortgage to the RCVS. The mortgage payment of course may have been deferred if they had time this week to organise that and could get through to their bank.

EDIT - I've just checked the website and it appears currently can be paid up to 30th April without increased charge, I'd thought was increased charge after 1st April

www.rcvs.org.uk/.../

RE: How are you coping.

Jill Butterworth — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 11:28:51 GMT

I'm not in practice at the moment, but am concerned for friends who are, as they seem to be showing signs of severe stress.

RE: How are you coping.

Bob Russell — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 11:22:33 GMT

It does go to show that the locum option is not necessarily the better option compared to employment. Not sure anyone could have foreseen the drama that is unfolding.

Sadly the self-employed are not considered the priority, a downside of tax saving. As the tax savings are not that wonderful it is going to be a high price that some pay.

RE: How are you coping.

Neil Wheadon — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 11:14:03 GMT

[quote userid="5012" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220801"]can it be moved back to the Locums group?[/quote]

Maybe leave it in both places as a problem shared?

I guess that locums are in a similar position to employers (READ ON) in that we are not PAYE and many are not self employed so no help as yet and owr income has fallen through the floor. For employers you have the worries of a larger business, employees etc, so our problems pale in comparison, but with 15% of vets not employed directly there is a significant part of the veterinary workforce who are affected and some I fear quite badly financially.

Neil

RE: How are you coping.

Joyce Whitehead — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 10:13:43 GMT

Yes I’ve been the same Bob, I was starting to make retirement plans and wonder if now they will end up being closing our business. Hopefully not but those are my 3am thoughts. We have put some staff on furlough, but not any vets, we are splitting into 2 teams and working alternate weeks providing we stay well. They are difficult times for us all.

RE: How are you coping.

Clive Ansell — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 10:07:40 GMT

Reply button was there but would not respond to commands. tried reopening browser and a different computer - just wouldn't work.

can it be moved back to the Locums group?

RE: How are you coping.

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 10:03:12 GMT

[quote userid="5012" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28981/how-are-you-coping/220791"]I have restarted this thread afresh, cut and pasting Neils's OP, because I could not get the original to respond to replies. Gremlins[/quote]

hmm - Clive Ansell, Neil Wheadon posted this in the Locums group, open to locums only, and you have now reposted in the open group, open to everyone! Not sure what you mean by 'could not get the original to respond to replies'. Do you mean that you could not see a reply box? (I could!). Or something else?

RE: How are you coping.

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 09:57:02 GMT

Home office for me since last week and going on next few weeks, as far as anyone knows. Daughters home from school, weather is bad, so everyone's got a bad case of cabin fever!

May that be the only fever we get!