March 6, 2008
Occasionally, I like to do something nice.
Yesterday was one of them.
"Hi," I said to the privately-contracted PR guy from the local hospital trust (because you're now no longer suppposed to speak to anyone involved in the actual provision of health care, lest they be off message and say bad things about Shiny Disease-Free Hospitals Where All Staff Are Happy).
"Hi," he said.
"Remember the leap year baby we took a photo of last week? At your suggestion?"
"Yeah."
"Well, the picture was so good we used it on the front page. I thought it might make a nice memento for mum and baby so we've printed up a high-res version of the splash and laminated it for it."
"Oh, right, that's nice."
"Yeah, well, don't get used to it. Consider me feeling out of sorts."
*chuckles*
"So I just need an address to send it to."
"Okay. Shouldn't be a problem. I'll come back to you."
That was yesterday.
This morning, I email a quick reminder. The reply says: "Oops - forgot. Give me a few minutes."
At midday, another email: "Hi Justin...just waiting for them to get back to me. I have chased. I think there’s an issue about sourcing an address from patient records, but I have explained how innocuous this is! I’ll let you know what’s what as soon as I know."
And finally at 2.35pm: "Hi Justin, I am so sorry to be a complete pain in the rear end, but I’m afraid the Trust won’t release the address (even to me!). Therefore they have asked if you can send it to them and they will very gladly send it on to the Wrights.
It needs to go to:
*Name of mum*
c/o
C McC
PA to J G
DM for WCS
?? floor, Duchess of Westminster Wing
Arrowe Park Hospital
Arrowe Park Road
Upton
Wirral
CH49 5PE
Thanks for this – it’s a really nice gesture.
Best regards
Mark"
So there's the NHS in all its glory, folks: Why have just the layer of bureacracy when you can have four instead?
Parp!
