To be offended by this poster at work

[FuzzyWuzzywasaWoman]

I work in a hospital, and noticed today somebody has laminated and put on a notice board a poster promoting hand washing, but it says " if you're OCD and you know it wash your hands" I know, I know, it's supposed to be lighthearted but I have a friend who was debilitated with OCD and it's not just a bloody hand washing obsession.

The poster was on full view of patients as well as staff, and I couldn't help but think it somehow made light of a god damn awful condition. AIBU to be offended on behalf of OCD sufferers, or is just something people would find funny?

[TramadolDaze]

Huh? Is it an official poster or a joke poster? I say 'joke' but try as I might I can't find anything even a tiny bit funny about it.

[Hawkmoth]

Was it a real poster or some Tosser thinking they are funny?

I would take it down.

[FuzzyWuzzywasaWoman]

It looked like an official poster, I thought some misguided tosser had done it at first...I work with a few. But on closer inspection it had some official looking NHS details and a date on the bottom.

I did take it down to be honest, but I couldn't find out where it came from, and one of the porters told me he'd seen it in various other places around the hospital I'll speak to Matron tommorrow, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't being a total kill joy.

[zatyaballerina]

Seriously???!!! yabvvvu.

[FuzzyWuzzywasaWoman]

Care to explain why Zaty?

[SPBisResisting]

That's incredibly stupid of them

[NakedPanpipeLady]

No, I don't think you're BU or a killjoy FuzzyWuzzy. It's even worse if it is an official poster as I would then take it as the NHS finds OCD funny and those who suffer from it a sitting target for piss taking. It would also suggest IMO that they believe OCD is not a 'real illness'.

[ScarIettOHara]

Posters promoting hand washing are ridiculous enough without offending the mentally ill.

Take it down.

[Justforlaughs]

I think that people are a bit quick to get offended on behalf of other people. If you are offended on your own behalf, then that's one thing, but don't second guess what other people will be offended by.

[SPBisResisting]

Would you say the same if it was "long queues in the surgery? Getting a bit psychotic waiting?"
"Forgot your last appointment like you're dementing?"
(I'll never work in marketing!)

[SPBisResisting]

"Chin up chuck it might never happen"

[ageofgrandillusion]

Are you offended OP? Or do you think somebody with OCD might be? If the latter, let them complain. If the former, well, why?

[TramadolDaze]

Obviously some kind of joke

[Rubydoo80]

Well OCD is an illness.
You wouldn't see a poster taking the mick out of a disabled person, or someone with cancer would you?
YANBU and I'm glad you took it down.

[LollyPop87]

I am glad you took it down - thank you. I have OCD, and whilst I wouldn't be offended as such, I would feel incredibly sad to see a poster like that in a hospital.

Its something I find hard to talk about, so would feel so hurt if I felt like a place of care was having a joke about it.

I'm glad someone like you was there to take it down - YANBU.

[susiedaisy]

I don't understand it, is suppose to be amusing/educational/ is it directed at staff or the general public?

[LollyPop87]

(and, for what it's worth, my OCD has absolutely nothing at all with washing my hands).

[Paninfinitum]

OP, there will be a diversity practice ,and certainly the hospital is bound by the Equalities Act 2010. One of the 'protected characteristics' there is mental illness. If you wish to enquire and comment on the case which managers will listen to, I'd couch it under the EA.
Whoever put it up has no place working around vulnerable people.

[ZadokTheBeast]

I've got diagnosed, long-standing (but well managed) OCD. I'd be fucking furious at this. I hate that 'OCD' has become some sort of lazy shorthand for 'fastidiously hygienic'. As if all it's about is washing your bloody hands. I've NEVER had a handwashing thing. My house is a bloody tip too by the way and I don't go around placing my cushions in a particular way either. Stupid, lazy, insulting, insensitive, ignorant shite. I would be complaining in the strongest possible terms. FWIW!!

[FuzzyWuzzywasaWoman]

A bit of both tbh ageof, I just thought it was inappropriate in a hospital setting especially where vulnerable patients (or staff) could see it and think that perhaps the nhs endorse OCD as some kind of laughing matter. I think SPBis sums up what I feel in her/his alternate examples. Would it be funny to joke about PND or diabetes on a poster?

I'll try to find another poster tommorrow to get the details and try to link. It did look quite official. I'm sure someone had the best intentions when they put it up, but still....

[Paninfinitum]

Here is a one page guide to the Equalities Act

To be effective in speaking to managers they need pointing in this direction. Just saying it's crass, ill-informed and rude will only get you so far. If you complain, best wishes.

[ageofgrandillusion]

I accept the poster could be offensive although wont pretend to know that much about OCD, other than that it can be very debilitating. However, i am struggling to get my head around how one can be offended "on behalf of" another group of people. YOU either find something offensive or YOU dont. You cant take offence by proxy. So YABU.

[FuzzyWuzzywasaWoman]

Thanks all, loads more posts while I was tying. Sorry to hear about other people suffering, my friends OCD had nothing to do with hand washing either. I think perhaps that's why it's bothering me even more. Thanks Panin for the information.

Susi it was a picture of hands washing with the phrase above it, I think it was supposed to be promoting hand washing for staff???

[ageofgrandillusion]

Sorry, cross-post fuzzy.