IT’S hardly a newsflash that a highranking politician might be somewhat disconnected from the real world.

But health secretary Jeremy Hunt reiterated that in spectacular fashion last week by suggesting there was a ‘Monday to Friday culture’ in some parts of the NHS.

It strikes me as deeply worrying that the man apparently most qualified to manage the country’s health sector seems to think every doctor in the UK hangs up their stethoscopes at 5pm on Friday and puts their feet up until Monday morning.

As resident health reporter at your Worcester News I’ve had the privilege to meet and speak to many of the hardworking people across the county’s hospitals, doctors surgeries and elsewhere. During this one thing has been made abundantly clear – not one of them works what might be thought of as a standard shift.

Of course health staff across the country didn’t take it lying down and took to Twitter this weekend to bombard the health secretary with pictures and messages using the hashtag #ImInWorkJeremy.

The trend became so widespread that Mr Hunt used the hashtag himself to publicly thank doctors – just doctors, mind – who were working during the weekend.

I suspect whoever manages his PR needs a holiday.

Surely Mr Hunt doesn’t really think the NHS isn’t equipped to deal with people getting injured or becoming unwell on a Sunday morning?

While Mr Cameron and his mates may have the luxury of putting their feet up over the weekend, some of us actually have to work for a living.

Whether you’re a police officer, firefighter, taxi driver, shop worker, cleaner, plumber, waiter or, yes, even a journalist, there aren’t many jobs left in this day and age which work on a standard Monday to Friday, nine to five rota.

The only profession I can think of in which everyone downs tools at 5pm on the dot is banking. Enough said.

Maybe Dolly Parton should update her iconic anthem to ‘Working nine to five but also sometimes six to two or 12 to eight and the odd evening not to mention weekends’.

Catchy.