When a joke goes too far

[Willzzz]

I'm sorry, the NHS don't have a computer system? When I say take their contact details I don't mean on a scrap of paper.

Now because of those idiots, alot of relatives will now simply be told due to confidentiality, they are unable to know about their relatives sick condition. How thoughtful...

No, this isn't it. No organisation has a data protection policy because of pranksters, there are far more common and far more important reasons.
That would be like saying cars have windscreen washers in case some one pisses on your car, it might happen, but it's not the reason we have them.

In actual fact relatives are probably the most common reason why it exists. Families have feuds, they have fallings out, they have break ups, they may even have court orders against each other.

[Saracen]

I'm sorry, the NHS don't have a computer system? When I say take their contact details I don't mean on a scrap of paper.

How exactly will a computer system verify that the person on the phone is who they say they are? Or are you going to get nurses to start quizzing relatives to vet them? I ring in and say "I'm the Queen, and I want to talk to my granddaughter", and the nurse checks, and sees "Queen" on the approved list, asks for my address as confirmation, and I say "Which one? Right now, I'm at Buckingham Palace".

Okay, the example is facetious, but the point is not.

If a relative that you don't want to know anything rings in, all they have to do is say they're a different relative, just like all a twerp from a radio station has to do is pretend to be a relative. A list of contact details is not going to do it, unless it comes with a list of security questions, and then we're back into the scenario of busy nurses, and I repeat, nurses, not admin staff, having to start looking up details on a computer, and on a system that currently doesn't exist at that, and start auditing callers with security questions, before they'll tell you "yes, your Mum is still alive this morning"?

It's just not real-world practical in a hospital. So currently, they rely on most people having the common sense and simple human decency to to prank-call a hospital. Sadly, those seem to be qualities lacking in certain radio presenters, though most, I'm sure, are not so crass and insensitive as to do that.

[Willzzz]

You just check the phone number. If the Queen isn't calling from the Queen's phone then you don't let her through, or you say "I'll get someone to phone you back in just one moment ma'am".

I can't believe this doesn't already exist, what if a patient dies? You don't have their contact details on the computer? You have to wait for them to phone you before you let them know?

[jim]

You just check the phone number. If the Queen isn't calling from the Queen's phone then you don't let her through, or you say "I'll get someone to phone you back in just one moment ma'am".

I can't believe this doesn't already exist, what if a patient dies? You don't have their contact details on the computer? You have to wait for them to phone you before you let them know?

There's a big difference between next of kin and concerned relatives.

[Saracen]

You just check the phone number. If the Queen isn't calling from the Queen's phone then you don't let her through, or you say "I'll get someone to phone you back in just one moment ma'am".

I can't believe this doesn't already exist, what if a patient dies? You don't have their contact details on the computer? You have to wait for them to phone you before you let them know?

So, if my outbound number is blocked? And it is.

And if I want to check from my mobile?

Or my office phone?

Or if I'm staying with relatives.

Or out, visiting friends, and want to check in?

But you STILL have very busy nurses faffing about looking up relatives details on a database. They really are often very busy. Compassion for relatives seems to go along with being a nurse, but they can do without all the administrative hassle of trying to security-vet people before they can give basic information on status.

There is an opportunity cost to nurses wasting time checki9ng out databases, and that is that they aren't applying patient care. Consideration for relatives is one thing, and, up to a point,, is a priority (but not, clearly, above patient care). It's part of the job. Running security procedures to try to weed out crass and tasteless radio journalists isn't. Hence, why you do not prank call hospitals ..... if you've any common sense or decency. Sadly, these radio idiots are apparently significantly deficient in at least one of those, maybe both..


Besides, Snooty is right, and hospitals (at least, the last couple where I've asked) will ONLY record next of kin, and only one contact for that. If there are, for instance, two children, you have to agree between you who the contact should be. Been there, had that argument.

[Willzzz]

Then give them your mobile number, etc.

If I want to look up a person on the database at work it takes mere seconds.

Does the NHS really have such a useless system that it can only record one contact and one number per contact? Which decade do they think it is?

[csgohan4]

Then give them your mobile number, etc.

If I want to look up a person on the database at work it takes mere seconds.

Does the NHS really have such a useless system that it can only record one contact and one number per contact? Which decade do they think it is?

Your assuming everyone has access. What about the bank (locum) nurses that come for a shift here and there. Why do they need access to patient records? Doctors do most of the ordering of bloods and chasing up of these results. At this time, the electronic patient records only generally record Next of kin, not the endless list of friends and immediate family. Who do you think will enter these in if this ability existed? Are you going to pay for extra ward clerks to do this? They are busy as it

[peterb]

Then give them your mobile number, etc.

If I want to look up a person on the database at work it takes mere seconds.

Does the NHS really have such a useless system that it can only record one contact and one number per contact? Which decade do they think it is?

Regardless of the NHS's IT systems, the fact is that the two DJ's made a hoax call that they thought was funny.. You state that the butt of the 'joke' was the Queen, who probably would never have been aware of it, under normal circumstances, but they were either reckless to, or unaware of, the effect of ringing a hospital at 5am would have, assuming that their brain cells registered the time difference.

But as jokes go, if this one (a funny voice) was meant to amuse the Australian audience, then the real joke is the thought that they might find it funny.

[Hicks12]

At the end of the day you dont prank Hospitals... why do it? Its so immature and childish, they couldnt even come up with a prank all they did was call up and claim they were some one they werent.... last time I heard a prank it would generally go , can you find my relative, his name is XXXXX something funny when they work out what they said.

You dont go and call say you are this person I want to know how patient is doing, disgusting [Insert whatever bad word possible] these DJs. could you imagine your proposed system in practice? Ok guy comes in off ambulance, who is your contact list???? Em theres marge which has a mobile number 93904823904823908490234803284, home phone 2309230-349-2349-39, and then theres pat who has a landline with 340-3940-9, his mobile is 349340-93-493 then he may actually use a friends number and call from his which you will need to look at my phone for that!. Oh yeah and while doing this the guys bled out and died.

Why cant you comprehend that your idea is terrible and that its the fault of the DJs that we have stupid systems, the NHS is strict enough on its staff why add stupid unfunny jokes. Would it be to far if someone pranked you at work and pretended to be the hospital and told you that one of your family members has died and the other is critically ill come in quick? Yes I bet you would be pissed if you werent told they were joking, even then I would be peed off as its not funny.

[Willzzz]

I can't believe you guys are serious? You think if it wasn't for prank callers we wouldn't need to check who we were speaking to, that the entire rest of the country is trustworthy and honest and would never take advantage? Because that's bollocks, there's a whole host of people you can't trust and a radio DJs make up a tiny insignificant percentage of that.

An emergency situation is different, although I would imagine that contacting next of kin is actually a high priority.

Anyway as we all know this 'prank' wasn't connected to an emergency at all. They could have been taking full care of Kate while her husband gave the receptionist a few details.

And the fact is that the suicide had nothing to do with the fact that the deceased worked at a hospital, she could have been working in any number of places and had the same reaction. The reason this ended in tragedy was not because of it being a hospital but because of outside, personal and cultural factors.

Yes it's easy to judge in hindsight but we've all made stupid decisions at one point in our lives. Something that seemed harmless at the time but turned out to have unintended consequences. Yes they made a bad call, but we're all human.

[csgohan4]

I can't believe you guys are serious? You think if it wasn't for prank callers we wouldn't need to check who we were speaking to, that the entire rest of the country is trustworthy and honest and would never take advantage? Because that's bollocks, there's a whole host of people you can't trust and a radio DJs make up a tiny insignificant percentage of that.

An emergency situation is different, although I would imagine that contacting next of kin is actually a high priority.

Anyway as we all know this 'prank' wasn't connected to an emergency at all. They could have been taking full care of Kate while her husband gave the receptionist a few details.

And the fact is that the suicide had nothing to do with the fact that the deceased worked at a hospital, she could have been working in any number of places and had the same reaction. The reason this ended in tragedy was not because of it being a hospital but because of outside, personal and cultural factors.

Yes it's easy to judge in hindsight but we've all made stupid decisions at one point in our lives. Something that seemed harmless at the time but turned out to have unintended consequences. Yes they made a bad call, but we're all human.

You forget this was done during a night shift with skeleton staff. Cognitive function is also affected by lack of sleep.

Even if your a non medic seriously, what did you expect if you made a prank call to a hospital???? You think every one will have a good laugh and be hunky dorey. People can lose jobs over this. People in hospital generally act in good will and expect this in return. If you do things like these, hospitals will now be less forthcoming should your relative be critically ill and your not given information. Well Blame the DJ's then.

Also how did the suicide have nothing to do with working in a hospital??? Your work as a nurse, get put under fittness to practice order, get banned, no work, no money to support family, shame of losing your job. Not able to be employed as a nurse... ever.

If you were a dust bin man, get sacked fine, go to another council. You don't seem to understand the magnitude of losing a job in the health care sector do you? You cannot use your current work circumstances and clone into this case, that is naive.

Finally.. yes people make mistakes, but when you know your making a mistake at the time, that is not making a mistake but intentional harm. Especially given the radio's history with the 14 year old

[Willzzz]

I'd be pretty concerned if medical staff were working with impaired cognitive function, there's a lot worse that can go wrong than forwarding a call.

Hospitals should be exactly as forthcoming before and afterwards. If something is important it is always important, you don't wait fro something to go wrong before you start taking it seriously.

Who says she was going to lose her job? And if she was then why isn't your anger directed at the people who wanted to sack her?

What if some 'pranksters' had got hold of info on nuclear weapons? What would the most serious thing be? That some guys had thought it was a good prank or that we had gullible morons in charge of nuclear weapons? I would be far more concerned over the lax security procedures. It would be a incredibly foolish thing to do as a prank, worse than calling a hospital, but I'd reckon they'd done the country a favor.

[csgohan4]

I'd be pretty concerned if medical staff were working with impaired cognitive function, there's a lot worse that can go wrong than forwarding a call.

Hospitals should be exactly as forthcoming before and afterwards. If something is important it is always important, you don't wait fro something to go wrong before you start taking it seriously.

Who says she was going to lose her job? And if she was then why isn't your anger directed at the people who wanted to sack her?

What if some 'pranksters' had got hold of info on nuclear weapons? What would the most serious thing be? That some guys had thought it was a good prank or that we had gullible morons in charge of nuclear weapons? I would be far more concerned over the lax security procedures. It would be a incredibly foolish thing to do as a prank, worse than calling a hospital, but I'd reckon they'd done the country a favor.

Your missing the point here. Do you function at 100% when you do night duty ??? no-one does and frankly the last thing on their minds is 'Am I being called by some Aussies 1000's of miles away trying to pretend it's the Queen for a laugh' You save your energy for important stuff like... I don't know... Saving lives.

Why would all my anger be directed at the people that wanted to sack her???? Who made the phone call again??? who had the right mind to 'prank' a hospital for fun???? Frankly those DJ's deserve everything they get now and I hope they lose their jobs, lets see how they like it when some stranger messes up your life for no reasons than for some cheap laughs and some ratings on some amateur radio show... Seriously?????

We will never know if Management put pressure on her as they clearly denied, but I reckon they did and covered it up. HR and management have pencils pushed so far up their backsides it's unbelievable

In regards to your example, your far more concerned with hospital protocol not being adhered to, rather than the loss of a dedicated member of the healthcare profession. Says it all doesn't it??

[jim]

Then give them your mobile number, etc.

If I want to look up a person on the database at work it takes mere seconds.

Does the NHS really have such a useless system that it can only record one contact and one number per contact? Which decade do they think it is?

I really don't understand how you think this is a workable system.

How on earth is the NHS meant to run this database? Are we supposed to go to our GP and give them a full list of everybody who might try to contact them in the event of an emergency, plus their contact numbers? Are we then supposed to go in every time a number on that list changes? Frankly, I don't know if the NHS even has a single contact number that works for anyone other than myself on my records.

And this will all need to be pre-emptive, since people often go into hospital without the ability to stop at the front desk and fill in a lengthy "checking-in" form.

And then, of course, as Saracen points out, when someone's mother is sick with worry and wants to know whether her kid is dead or alive, she's told that she can't have any information because she's calling on her mobile and they've only got the landline. Or vice-versa.

I can see what you're getting at, but it's just totally infeasible.

[Aidoc]

It must really suck to be the Radio DJ's, they didn't know the nurse would take it so seriously.

[csgohan4]

My other bug bear is that they tried to contact the hospital for permission to air the clip. What do you think the Hospital will say.....??? Go ahead we like some bad publicity, have a laugh at our expense. So stupid and totally indefendable. Yet they aired it anyways despite not getting hold of anyone.... Incompetant muppets