Responsibility

 

We’ve recently acquired a new hybrid car which has a speed limiter on it. It automatically reads the speed signs and slows down to prevent you from exceeding the limit.  

We were driving along the A2 to the GC and suddenly the car slowed from 50 to 20 mph. There was a 20 sign which hadn’t been removed after roadworks.  I immediately contacted Highways England explaining how dangerous it was and that if anyone had been travelling behind there would have been a very nasty accident.  

The reply was ‘it’s not our responsibility, at this point the A2 becomes part of TfL’s responsibility’.

I found it so hard to believe that they wouldn’t even bother to inform TfL about such a dangerous sign.   

I then contacted TfL, it took three emails and eventually a very sharp Twitter message before it was finally removed. And no acknowledgement whatsoever.

Another friend  had a similar thing on the boat going from Leeds to Mirfield. A lorry had come off the M62 & part of a safety barrier was blocking the Navigation. (Miraculously lorry driver not injured). But Canal & River Trust said Navigation would be closed for a week! When her husband protested, they said it was Highways England responsibility. Highways England referred them back to C&R Trust!

Fortunately her husband’s 40 years as a bridge engineer came in handy & he knew which words would trigger action, and the Navigation was re-opened the next day. 

So why is this such a common experience and is it new or was it always the case that jobsworths were in the majority. 

It’s not so much people sticking to their defined roles that’s the problem (working within your competency matters) but the unwillingness to think beyond their own remit and help a customer/client/ patient find the person or department who can actually do something to help.  

“I’m sorry I can’t help you, but I know someone who can” & then acting on that goes a very long way to counteracting a negative impression and making things run smoothly.

But I think that unwillingness to deal with an issue and even pass a message on is an aspect of modern day service that still takes me by surprise though it is so commonly encountered now. People have to feel valued in their role and they just don’t. 

I hear lots of stories of staff leaving the NHS for example because they are not listened to, or bullied by managers or senior staff, this inevitably affects how they interact with patients who then behave negatively towards the staff and it becomes a vicious circle. 

People’s perception of the NHS in particular is changing and largely they no longer feel grateful, but let down  by a system that should be doing better for them. 

Experiences like these just shouldn’t happen & lack of funding isn’t an excuse or reason for swerving responsibility. 

All of it is demoralising for those who work in the system & leads to a couldn’t care less attitude. If you see the system not working on a daily basis, and you personally can’t do anything about it, is a grim situation to be in. 

Everything,  it seems,  is done on a shoestring, often by employees who are poorly trained/ not equipped to handle non- standard situations helpfully/ usefully/ sensibly.  It is so often someone else who's responsible although there are a few exceptions who need to be treasured and affirmed.