Anyone else disgusted with state of toys in hospital and GP clinics?

[moominsmummy]

I am really grateful that they put toys out for the LO's but most of them are really disgusting and I end up wiping the grime off a toy with babywipes so DS can play with it. It just seems ridiculous that the "clean hospitals" thing doesn't extend to the toys - are they supposed to do anything about it?

i imagine they are full of bad things and if you are not ill when you go in you will be before long...

i do try and donate old books though to our a&e or gp surgery

Having worked in several out-patient clinics that provide toys - yes they are supposed to be cleaned in hot soapy water once a week! (all part of infection control). I have to say very hard to keep them though, they tend to go for walks and never come back!

agree, the "decent" toys get stolen. We are not supposed to have soft toys that can't be washed any more. The alternative is no toys at all, really, you can't expect the NHS to fund regular replacements for toys that are stolen.

they are usually donated by staff who get very upset when they disappear.

My local hospital has very good and very clean toys. I've watched them do the cleaning routine, and they are very thorough.

I regularly donate hard toys that can be sterlised and washed between our local hospital and the Children's in Birmingham. I am often dismayed at the state of some of the toys when we go for appointments and worry about the germ aspect, so always have some antibac hand gel with me.

It must depend on the hospital I think? I have recently been in to our local one overnight with DD and was very impressed with everything on the children's ward including the state and cleanliness of the toys. Shame they are threatening to close the ward down due to lack of funding. I agree with you about toys in gp surgeries though, generally pretty grim looking.

My hospital send the play specialists round to each area with hard toys once a week to wash down the toys and check they're not broken and our staff will check daily and clean things if needed in between.

What does bug me is that some parents are quite happy to abandon the toys their children have spread far and wide without thought for those on crutches or dodgy on their feet. Oh, and let them play in the corridor where they may get flattened by porters pushing beds or trolleys.

Cant speak for GP's surgery, but on my various placements,, if there was any toys they would be cleaned every day for infection control

I have done a voluntary stint on tyhe childrens ward with the play therapist people and they cleaned all toys that went out onto the ward before they went to the next child. they also went and cleaned the A&E toys - what ws left of them(!) regularly. However it did mean a couple of hours not working with the children.

I'm changing the theme a bit but when i was pregnant the hospital waiting room only had one crappy old magazine in it (about 30 women waiting). I thought i'd be kind and donate some so one day i bought about 12 mags and put them on the table while i was waiting and cheerfully watched the ladies pouncing BUT about 20 mins later a lady (who didn't see me bring them) picked up about 5 of them (the most expensive ones) tucked them under her arm and left!!!! I suppose this is why there are no nice toys!