My pregnant wife recently returned from a check-up at the hospital with the news that they now have a no flowers policy. We are supposed to contact friends and relatives to ensure that they don’t send or bring any flowers during our happy event. I wasn’t sure if this was a penny pinching scheme to reduce cleaning costs or if there was a more serious reason. Imagine my horror to discover on the hospital website that flowers present a risk to health and safety. I have flowers in my own home. How awful do you think I feel that in my desire to bring some cheer to my beloved and brighten the house a little, I’ve exposed young son and wife to danger? Yet, I still don’t know the precise nature of the hospital's discovery. Is information being withheld to prevent public panic? I have a friend who works for a funeral directors. He hasn’t been told anything about this new hazard. There's still plenty of flowers in the gardens I’m expected to walk past every day. Is it just flowering plants that present a menace or are fruit and vegetables equally dangerous? Until I hear more I’m going on the Atkins diet and staying indoors. You can’t be too cautious where health and safety is concerned.
Last edited by Matt; 22nd July 2009 at 02:24 PM.
I'm trying to think of all the accidents and diseases caused by flowers in hospitals down the years. Can anyone help me out?
How about someone in the next bed with severe asthma and a pollen allergy?Originally Posted by Mulder
I wonder if this is widespread or just one hospital going nuts.
One reads about lots of supposed H&S bannings, usually just invented by the tabloid press or perhaps by one individual organisation, but suddenly claimed to be UK or EU law by churnalists.
I'm not aware of a connection between asthma and flowers. A pollen allergy would obviously be a problem but does this affect many people? More than previously? More than would be allergic to disinfectants or latex (both of which are big problems for healthcare workers with asthma) or the hundreds of other things that you find in hospitals?
Careful! What about nut allergies!
See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/25...tal-wards.htmlI'm not aware of a connection between asthma and flowers. A pollen allergy would obviously be a problem but does this affect many people? More than previously? More than would be allergic to disinfectants or latex (both of which are big problems for healthcare workers with asthma) or the hundreds of other things that you find in hospitals?
'Prof Brian Lipworth, head of the asthma and allergy research group at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, described the move as "completely over the top".'
'Prof Hugh Pennington, a leading microbiologist, said there was "no risk" involved in hospital visitors bringing flowers, which had a therapeutic effect for patients.'
'If we surrender to all this over the top health and safety nonsense, we condemn ourselves to live impoverished lives.' Mulder
I wonder how often 'health and safety', 'data protection' and so-called 'anti-terrorism' legislation are used as an execuse to hide what is really operational convenience at the expense of good service.
Last edited by Mulder; 22nd July 2009 at 04:39 PM.
I wanted orange juice and sparkling spring water - after everyone had gone I realised hospital water is truly skanky!
Ban flowers and make everyone bring juice I say!
or this:
http://ediblearrangements.co.uk/Arra...ory=&Occasion=
No reason to ban but I suspect information like this has been used to justify actions:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez
Yeah, what is it about hospital water? Shouldn't it taste exactly like the tap water in the area, or do they do some extra processing? I could only describe the hospital water as tasting like damp cardboard ... it even left your skip smelling like damp cardboard after you washed with it. I never used to drink mineral water until I was faced with hospital water as the alternative.I wanted orange juice and sparkling spring water - after everyone had gone I realised hospital water is truly skanky!
Matt,
Enjoy, over the internet you can't get hay fever
Or chocolates obviouslyI wanted orange juice and sparkling spring water - after everyone had gone I realised hospital water is truly skanky!
Ban flowers and make everyone bring juice I say!
or this:
http://ediblearrangements.co.uk/Arra...ory=&Occasion=
URGH! Chocolate is nasty, it gets stuck in your mouth and won't go away!
We could publish a paper about this -- we've discovered a woman who doesn't like chocolate! Must be a genetic mutation.
URGH! Chocolate is nasty, it gets stuck in your mouth and won't go away!
Although I can see the funny side, something inside me starts to fume when I hear this sort of stuff. It is actually the exact opposite of what we are trying to achieve - a little thought, intelligence and critical thinking. I can't help thinking that it is someone's job to come up with this sort of crap. Personally I would cover the bloody ward in flowers and then see what happens.
Congratulations, by the way Matt, all the best to your growing family.
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