Those Crazy Brits

This story is just too good to post snippets.

From The Sun Online:

Apology over unicycle doc

HOSPITAL bosses have apologised to the mother of a six-month-old boy who waited two hours for treatment while a doctor rode up and down a ward on a unicycle.

Paula Dadswell had taken her son James to her local general hospital with suspected gastroenteritis when she spotted the medic pedalling the machine around a ward.

The same doctor later walked over to examine the child and was confronted by his furious mother who demanded to know what was going on.

She claims the doctor went 'bright red' when she challenged him about the cycling.

Ms Dadswell, a Post Office worker, later contacted health chiefs at South Tyneside District Hospital and received a letter saying they apologised for any upset caused by the incident but stressed that the youngster’s treatment had never been compromised.

A spokeswoman for South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust said today: 'The child in question was not neglected and his care was not compromised in any way.

Except that they had to wait two hours for the idiot.

'Of course we are sorry if distress was inadvertently caused to his mother and we have offered her our apologies.

'But let’s also remember that we should try to make hospital wards less intimidating places for patients, particularly children and not apologise for making a stay in hospital as happy a time as possible.

Yes. Hospitals are such happy places.

'We regularly provide diversions that are not directly related to medical care.

We have involved musicians, artists and others in trying to create a
friendly and warm atmosphere and on a day-to-day basis the staff of our children’s unit make every effort themselves to provide a welcoming and happy environment.

'This is an important part of the overall approach for caring for children at what is a vulnerable time.

'Many parents have commented favourably on this approach and indeed about the unicycle.'

Ms Dadswell, 33, of Jarrow, South Tyneside, said: 'We took one look at the doctor and said 'you must be joking'.

'His face went bright red.

'We had been asking for someone to see James for two hours and we had even told the doctor that he probably shouldn’t be cycling around in case he hurt someone.'

The youngster, who had been having problems digesting his food, did not have the gastroenteritis suspected by his family, and made a full recovery."

Ahhh, the wonders of socialized medicine.