Key workers are reportedly being turned away from supermarkets despite efforts to prioritise those on the frontline
A carer and and an NHS worker say they couldn’t get in to Aldi’s priority shopping slot as a surgery staff member said she was refused entry to Tesco because she worked at ‘just a GP practice’.
Marion Kilmurray says she was denied priority access to an Aldi in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, yesterday after she went in to buy bread for an elderly client.
The frustrated carer went on to film a tearful video following the ordeal, begging for carers to be treated as frontline workers too.
The footage quickly went viral and Aldi to apologised. As the clip begins, a furious Marion can be seen sporting her carer’s uniform filming from her car.
She rages: ‘Absolutely fuming just been turned down from Aldi, Wishaw because I am not a key worker what the f*** is my uniform. Fuming. This uniform doesn’t count.’
Marion Kilmurray (pictured) says she was denied priority access to Aldi and Belinda Brown (right) said she suffered a similar case in Liverpool
Belinda Brown (pictured) said that she was told she had the wrong type of NHS ID to use the prioritised entry system
‘I went in to get bread for an elderly woman who can’t come out of the house because she has to self-isolate and I can’t get her bread because my uniform doesn’t count. Well guess f***** what my uniform does count.’
Marion then breaks down in tears, adding: ‘I’m absolutely and utterly sick, tired. They’re are f****g carers out there working there best.
‘Working 24 hours a day to try and help and what thanks do we get slapped in the f***** teeth sent away from every shop we attempted to get into this morning.
‘No way now somebody else can come on this front line and you go and do it because we’ve had a f**** enough. Carers f*** count take note guys. Carers f***g do count. We are out here working are a**s off risking our lives.
The Aldi supermarket in Wishaw (pictured) failed to grant the carer priority access despite her turning out to get food for an elderly person
‘Do I want to be out here working? I’m trying to raise a family, look after a family plus trying to shop for people, washing and dressing people.
‘I’m risking my life and my family’s life so get a grip and somebody do something about this. Carers do f***** count. It’s ridiculous.’
An Aldi spokesperson said: ‘Carers are very welcome at all of our stores and we recognise the vital role they play in our local communities. Mrs Kilmurray wasn’t turned away from our Wishaw store so we are looking into what may have happened and are trying to contact her.’
Marion posted the clip online, where it has since clocked up over 71,000 likes. Her video prompted outrage from social media users.
Rita Marie Farndell wrote under Marion’s post saying: ‘Your uniform certainly does count.
‘The Government needs to change this.You’re doing the most wonderful job. I’m sorry this has caused you so much upset.’
Michele Kyle added: ‘You do count Marion and a brilliant job you do, disgusted with Aldi not what I would have expected from them, stay safe hen and take care.’
And Yvonne Cole said: ‘Heartbreaking Marion and shocking behaviour by a big retailer.
‘I hope this goes viral everyone should share. You are amazing and worth just as much as anyone else.’
Aldi has promised early access for emergency workers on a Sunday when they can enter stores 30 minutes before official opening time. However, the policy only defines NHS, police and fire service staff as key workers.
Meanwhile a hospital worker was left ‘humiliated’ after she was turned away from an Aldi store when she tried to get priority in the queue.
Belinda Brown had gone to an Aldi store in Liverpool, with her husband Ronnie before starting her shift on a coronavirus ward.
Although she’s normally happy to queue with other customers, on this occasion she was in a rush and decided to take advantage of Aldi’s policy of giving priority to key workers during the Covid-19 crisis.
But a security guard refused her entry – grabbing her NHS ID off her before telling her it was was the ‘wrong’ type.
Belinda’s son Allen Weston said the incident had left his 59-year-old mum ’embarrassed’ and she couldn’t understand why she’d been turned away.
It came as doctors blasted Tesco for turning away and humiliating an NHS worker because she was from ‘just a GP practice’.
The woman’s surgery has slammed the supermarket for leaving her ’embarrassed, humiliated and made to feel worthless’.
The Salisbury Medical Practice – one of the largest in the Wiltshire city – posted a withering attack on Tesco about the incident on social media.
The GP practice blasted: ‘Rest assured we will not discriminate against ANY of your staff who come to us for care.’
The staff member was queueing up for the special NHS hour – where the first hour of trading is dedicated to healthcare workers – at Tesco.
Many supermarkets have been giving extra time to NHS staff to buy food, who are working hard to protect the public from the coronavirus.
However when she got to the front, she was grilled by the staff member on the door as to why she was not wearing a lanyard or uniform.
The woman – who provides catering to GPs and support staff – produced a letter from the practice’s management as evidence.
However the security guard turned her away, saying she was from ‘just a GP practice’.
The medical centre said: ‘Unfortunately, a member of our staff was left embarrassed, humiliated and made to feel worthless in front of a queue full of people over the weekend for priority shopping at Tesco in Castle Street, Salisbury.’
It continued: ‘As a GP Surgery, we have contact with over 95 per cent of the population.
‘Our GPs, nurses and support staff are at the frontline with patients enquiries, home visits, processing prescriptions, urgent care etc.
‘Not all NHS staff wear scrubs and we are encouraging staff to stay safe and not wear their lanyards outside of their workplace due to reports of these getting stolen.
‘This particular member of staff is working extremely hard to provide lunch and much needed refreshments to all our clinicians and support staff to enable them to keep providing the best care they can in these challenging circumstances.’
It urged Tesco to accept letters from the practice manager as a form of ID for the special trading hour.
The GP surgery has not named the staff members. On social media people rushed to slam the superstore.
Helen Dowse said: ‘How sad that you have had to post this Salisbury Medical Practice. You are all doing a wonderful job supporting the community – thank you.’
Nurse Jennifer Bennett said: ‘We are absolute encouraged not to wear our uniform out in public.
‘Especially in supermarkets due to infection control and hygiene. So disappointing from Tesco. Sorry your staff member had to endure this.’
A Tesco spokesman said the store manager has apologised to the member of staff.
He said: ‘We are very sorry to hear about this. We want everyone to feel welcome in our stores.
‘The manager of our Salisbury Metro store has contacted the GP practice to speak to the staff member and personally apologise.
‘We know how hard all NHS staff are working at the moment in many different roles and we want to thank them for everything they’re doing.’