To think this is rubbish customer service from this cafe

[MerryInthechelseahotel]

Dd 21 was coming home for the weekend from university and was a bit early for her train. She went into a chain cafe near the train station and bought a coffee and went to sit down on the chair.
Unknown to her there was a syringe and needle on the chair and the needle stabbed her leg.
She sent a text to me but when I didn't respond she text her friend who is a student doctor.
She took the syringe to two men serving drinks and told them what had happened.
They asked "are you ok?" And told her to leave the syringe with them in case someone comes back for it. That was it.

She left the cafe and phoned 111 as her friend had advised her and was advised to go to A&E and they took blood for comparison with bloods they will take from her in 6 months time and also started her on a Hepatitis B course of injections.

I suggested she write a complaint to the head office as the men who she talked to didn't know the seriousness of it, didn't take her name and address, hadn't checked the seat beforehand.
She wrote an email not blaming the men as such but saying what had happened and the reply she got was appalling.
They said the needle had a cap on it it didn't obviously otherwise she wouldn't have got jabbed. She has a photo of it too with their napkin underneath it.
They said they had checked the cctv and it had taken her 12 minutes from sitting down before going to the counter to report it (that's because she text to see what she should do)
They said the men said she had said she was fine but that's because she didn't feel unwell.
Would you feel angry if this happened to you or one of your children? What would you do or suggest for her to do?
Thing is she's not a confrontational type of person and if they had apologised she would have felt better but they didn't apologise at all.

rotherasharp.co.uk/needlestick-injuries/?utm_term=needlestick%20accident&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt-KG3s-n4AIVDPlRCh0tpQubEAAYASAAEgI6oPD_BwE

YANBU. I worked in restaurants, bars and coffee/food places in my student days. In this situation I’d have told the manager immediately and they’d have likely logged it in the accident book, offered first aid if applicable and if not then certainly advice on what to do plus profuse apologies to say the least.

Sounds like the staff were dozy and didn’t really give a fuck.

Absolutely chase it up. People on here saying ‘not sure what else could be done’ is just wrong imo. We do clean the chairs in my restaurant, it’s hygenic. Here are things I would do as a non first wider working in a restaurant if my manager wasn’t around - Accident book, offer to call 111, apologise, offer a refund, offer the number/email for my manager/head office. They would of been trained for emergency circumstances even if not first aid trained themselves. And sorry if I’d of got stabbed by a loose needle I’d want/expect those things, if it was your child stabbed by this needle coming home knowing she could have a multitude of things wrong with her I hope you’d all be a bit more supportive then, rather than saying ‘what did you expect them to do’.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-45944394

That’s pretty crap

Yes presumably they had an accident book. Im not sure that a and e did everything they should have done either!

Plus they should not have taken the needle. Needle should have gone to a&e so they could test what it was used for.

So loo brushes are the work of the filthy devil and contaminated used needles fine?

They should have a first aider & an accident book to log the incident in. That is absolutely abysmal customer service.

Aridane

That’s Mumsnet!

I'm pretty sure this isn't an addict. They're not going to be so idiotic as to inject themselves in a public place! It's more likely to be a diabetic, who may have tested their bloods and needed some insulin.
And if the staff were expected to have seen the needle, why didn't the girl? It's not like they are minute!

I was just thinking the same Soonto, OP I don't think your DD should worry too much, I'm sure her results will come back fine.

They should probably have an accident book, but I'm not sure of cafes need to have them.

A diabetic are usually very conscious of their needles. They have sharp boxes and everything and very well aware of disposing of them

I can’t see a diabetic leaving a needle on a seat in a cafe

Might be worth a call to the relevant Local authoritys environmental health team for advice? They’re responsible for hygiene ratings in food establishments.

Perhaps the needle simply fell out of someone's bag?

What does your DD want to happen? The Head Office are not mind readers, you know. The staff clearly aren't trained to know what to do in the case of discarded syringes and if a new policy ensuring this is what your DD wants then why on earth hasn't she suggested it to them?

Thanks for all the responses and lots of suggestions. I will get dd to read the thread. I know some of you were asking "what does she want?" And I think she just feels it's a big thing that's happened to her and yet they have just dismissed it. I was not saying the two men, who incidentally were middle aged so old enough to have more life experience than her, should have administered first aid but should have logged it at the very least.
Someone indicated A&E could have done more. Can you elaborate please?

klopptomist the needle was uncapped. Surely you wouldn't have an uncapped needle in your bag and if you did you would need to be careful.

What do you want them to do?

Your poor daughter. The place ought to be closed down. Go to the papers

How over dramatic, I doubt OPs daughter went to a crack den for a coffee

OP, can you post the photo of the syringe (with any identifying names on the napkin obscured)? The type of syringe may give an idea of what it was originally used for. Hope your daughter is ok, PEP treatments can be unpleasant

Has your dd been given anti-viral medications? They are called PEP.

The syringe is an insulin syringe but in A&E they said it doesn't mean it was used for insulin.

It was good to read in the link someone posted of the same thing happening to a toddler that it's never happened that someone got HIV from a needle stick injury.

No she's not had any medication apart from the vaccs for hep b

AnotherOriginalUsername

Crack den? Google McDonalds and syringes. The paper, ot fb page, is the easiest way of warning the public.

There seems to be an awful lot of people on this thread that think needles lying around are just one of those annoying everyday things.

McDonalds call the police for similar incidents.

Amazing really isn’t it

Like a PP said

Toilet brushes, oh you are completely filthy. It wouldn’t even darken my doorstep. How dare you even mention one near me

Needles. Oh well. These things happens. Don’t be such a drama queen

No she's not had any medication apart from the vaccs for hep b

Did they not discuss HIV post exposure prophylaxis (PEP)?

Crack den? Google McDonalds and syringes. The paper, ot fb page, is the easiest way of warning the public

Warn them of what exactly? An incident occurred, the hazard was removed. Yes there should be some sort of internal investigation (OP it should have been recorded in their accident book as a legal requirement) but I can't see what "the public" need warning about exactly?