Let our NHS heroes eat
Supermarket chiefs urged to help key workers as panic buyers empty shelves again
BY RUKI SAYID and LUCY THORNTON SUPERMARKET bosses are facing growing calls to create exclusive shopping hours for struggling NHS staff as selfish panic-buyers continue to pick shelves clean.
Tesco and Marks & Spencer unveiled dedicated slots after a video by critical care nurse Dawn Bilbrough begging hoarders to be considerate went viral.
And her plea has been backed by the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Physicians and union Unison, which are telling supermarkets and the Government: “More must be done.”
Dawn, 51, who works in an intensive care unit in Leeds, West Yorks, was tearful as she told of finding aisles of empty racking as she tried to buy a few items after a two-day shift.
While she was saving lives, coronavirus fears fuelled scenes of chaos across the land with people queueing outside supermarkets and cash and carries from the early hours to stockpile.
In an emotional appeal that shamed the culprits, Dawn said: “I’ve just come out of the supermarket – there’s no fruit and veg.
“I had a little cry in there. I’m a critical care nurse and I’ve just finished 48 hours of work and I just wanted to get some stuff in for the next 48 hours.
“I just don’t know how I’m supposed to stay healthy.
“Those people who are just stripping the shelves of basic foods – you need to stop it because it’s people like me that are going to be looking after you when you are at your lowest. Just stop it. Please.”
Tesco has now said the hour before official opening every Sunday will be a shopping slot exclusively for NHS staff, with ID checks to keep out hoarders.
The firm said: “We know those working for the NHS may be finding it hard to find time to shop at the moment.
“So from this Sunday we’re going to introduce a special hour for NHS staff as a thank you for all they are doing. All we ask is they bring ID. We will be asking all other customers to be respectful and to shop in the usual hours.”
M&S is setting aside its first hour on Tuesdays and Fridays “for our brilliant NHS and emergency workers”. The chain will also be asking for ID to stop stockpilers.
Speaking yesterday on ITV’s This Morning Dawn, from York, said she was “overwhelmed” by the response to her plea. She said: “I understand the fear
but we are not a Third World country. People need to have a bit of awareness and remember other people actually need to survive this virus.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has repeatedly tried to assure the nation there is no shops supply crisis, said: “I stand with Dawn. I think she has put it better than anybody else could. It’s vital that people act responsibly.”
But the message continued to fall on deaf ears as thousands carried on stockpiling. Yesterday, we revealed how stunned shoppers branded panicbuyers “locusts” after shelves were stripped bare, sometimes in 30 minutes.
We told of how staff were abused over queues and purchase restrictions – while there were reports of shoppers fighting and attacking workers.
The Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Physicians have now urged 12 major chains to create priority shopping times for all frontline workers.
In an open letter referencing Dawn’s video, the RCN said: “Sadly, her experience is far from unique.
“Health and care professionals are faced with empty shelves. Our frontline staff ensure the health and wellbeing of our country and we must do all that we can to support them in their efforts.”
Union Unison welcomed the move to help NHS staff. But chief Dave Prentis said: “The time has come for ministers to take more decisive action to avoid key workers and vulnerable people being without food.
“While some supermarkets must be praised for setting aside time, the initiative is patchy and doesn’t account for shift patterns. More must be done.”
According to trade magazine The Grocer, we splurged £124million on essentials in the first week of March – compared with £66.6million last year.