Patients own books, magazines and toys reduce cross-infection and relieve boredom in waiting rooms

During the recent Swine Fever outbreak, many surgeries removed magazines and toys to help prevent cross infection. Many have continued this practice.

Waiting anxiously in a waiting room can be extremely stressful. If your appointment is routine, it can also be extremely boring.

So, try and remember to bring a newspaper, magazine book or game with you to relieve the boredom.

You can also suggest to the surgery staff that they provide other forms of entertainment which don't carry a cross infection risk. A fish tank is an obvious example.

A word of warning: try and avoid the harrowing personal stories in some magazines if you think they may upset you!

Jill