Shetland – clinical waste sack found blown into ditch

NHS Shetland is launching an investigation after a Vidlin resident found a medical waste bag in the ditch near her home last week.

The bag was labelled NHS Grampian and bore a hazard symbol. The lady finding it was understandably angry that nearly a week later the bag was still there.

It was labelled ‘path­ology dept.’ and ‘cytology unit’ on it and ‘clinical biochemistry/hae­ma­tology’ and ‘danger of infection’ in big letters.

After something of a run-around between NHS Grampian, Orkney, the Gilbert Bain Hospital there were promises that it would be removed, and some uncertainty whether it was a sample bag or a clinical waste bag.

With what seems to be an attitude of deny it first, then investigate, the official response was that it was a sample bag of the type that might be sent by post – not that that is permitted by Royal Mail so I guess that was bunkum. Moreover, the lady reporting the find said it was “about the size of a pillowcase”, and a waste sack comes to mind rather than something fallen of the back of the Postie’s bicycle!

Health service investigation after bag full of medical waste found in ditch

 

But it’s Shetland. There is some wild weather and it’s not impossible that a stray bag blew away from an insecure location. Then again, it may have been a laboratory sample bag, however unlikely. But that too should not have been blowing across the island.

It’s not the end of the world, is it. At least not until someone takes the trouble to report it, gets a whole lot of bullshit in return, and it takes days to deal with the problem.

 

 

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