Sanitary products in hospitals

This is beginning to sound like a couple of toddlers arguing.

Anyway to get back to the point, sorry everyone, I'm glad they are being supplied.

I agree with Chewbacca that the hospital shouldn't be expected to provide sanitary ware free, except in an emergency. The one group of women who should be given them are those who have no family or friends visiting who can bring these items into hospital.

So ditzy how exactly is that going to work? Busy staff instead of just going to the cupboard and giving out SP, ask several questions to determine the eligibility or otherwise of the woman’s need to receive free SP ( meanwhile womsn having stuffed toilet paper in her knickers bleeds onto sheets which staff then have to change). Having established that the woman’s partner is coming in tomorrow, Staff then ask how many pads women needs until husband arrives, then goes to cupboard to get required number ( of course woman may be lying re menstrual flow so to be on safe side just gives woman one pad at a time - when woman needs a fresh pad she can ring the emergency bell in the toilet and a member of staff, having nothing else to do, will immediately appear and provide SP - however, she will of course have to establish again that woman is entitled to receive the SP) Then husband fails to bring in supplies next day ( he was busy taking children to school, nursery, etc) . However he gives his wife money to purchase SP. Hospital shop is closed so ward can sell SP to woman. Staff fetch SP from cupboard and find pretty cash box and cash book. Woman then pays for SP - staff write it in the book and provide receipt. There’s not enough change so staff has to ask around colleagues for change for a £2 coin. Then staff have to lock up book and box in designated drawer and replace key in appropriate place. Unfortunately in the middle of doing this, a patient needs urgent care and key is not put back in right place. Next day staff spend 40 minutes ( luckily they are not busy) hunting for key as woman needs to buy another pad. So yes, that will all work brilliantly and be a super efficient use of staff resources compared with the really really stupid idea of having a range of SP in a cupboard that staff access for women who are menstruating.

Very well summarised MaryEliza

.......or a worse case scenario

Don’t get me started on how charging for hospital meals would be even more cost effective ?

What about if surgery has caused bleeding? Or a woman’s period starts unexpectedly?

I have had both happen it’s good that sanitary protection is now going to be provided.

Having worked as a nursing auxiliary, I'd say maryeliza's got it right.
That's exactly how it would be.

The Daily Mail managed to recruit a huge gang of volunteers to help the NHS at Xmas. www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6456701/amp/More-11-000-people-sign-NHS-volunteers-three-days.html
(Wonder how that went)

Maybe appeals for money is the way to go, next?
No extra hassle for hard-worked ward staff, with that.

"What about if surgery has caused bleeding?"

Neither tampons nor slim line pads would be appropriate for that sort of vaginal bleeding.

FarNorth the money it is going to cost is tiny. When they are provided free it will be no hassle for ward staff to give them out when women request them - no questions need to be asked.
The DM campaign did not recruit volunteers - it was to encourage people to apply to their local trusts to be volunteers. They would then be interviewed, police checked and trained. I wonder how successful it actually was? It’s unlikely the fruits of the campaign if any have filtered through yet anyway.

UrmstonGran - may be ok for you - but for many it would be an issue. Most people coming in for a planned procedure would allow for this, but if you are brought in unexpectedly, it could be necessary, certainly more necessary than a man's razor! There is also the issue of the fact that many at the poorer end of society struggle to afford these basics. Especially the out of work, sick, low paid and homeless. And I work for finance in the NHS, so not keen to chuck money around unecessarily! This comes under ensuring basic dignity.

I meant general appeals for money for the NHS. It could do with some and those rich people who buy designer handbags & posh cars could probably bung it a few quid.