As we approach the end of our extended recreation period here in Spain, I am reminded that I promised you, dear reader, some rumination on this topic. So I take you back to one of the first views I shared with you when we arrived here !
Every time we come here, we half expect to see one or other of them has fallen, but no they remain firmly in situ. Some are as upright as the Queen’s Guards at Buckingham Palace whilst others are bent like the lovely lady I meet walking her dog! I say this in the loosest of terms as you will discover! I don’t know her age, I just know her as a lovely lady who smiles and cheerily passes the time of day with me when we meet. She cannot stand upright, and walks stooped over, but supported by, her wheeled frame with a seat. Well of course you will say , what else would she have? She’ll need that if she struggles to walk . Yes dear reader, but the seat is occupied by her little dog who she “walks” round the block every day. It gives a whole new meaning to walking the dog!!
Now where was I – ah, yes , the chimneys! Certainly in the UK , the wonky chimneys would be either repaired or removed I’m afraid – and all on account of Elf and Safety! So I got to thinking ( always dangerous I hear the DB say!) The Health and Safety legislation we have in the UK derives from the European Union does it not? So what’s happened. Clearly in Spain it is interpreted differently! I mean, the chimneys are a prime example, but take the tree pruning that occurs opposite our bolthole.
Now these trees aren’t giants , but they are about 3-4 metres tall ( in fact they are a large version of a common house plant( the oleander ) in the UK ) However they clearly require pruning here! Now in the UK men/ women in helmets, goggles, steel toe capped boots, chain mail gloves ( and possibly more armour!) would arrive to carefully wield their chain saws in order to prune said trees. Here, not a bit of it – two council workers turn up with chain saws, wielding them in a manner that would impress Luke Skywalker! Are there goggles! No! Helmets? No! Chain mail armour ? No! You see where I’m coming from?
Then our friends from a village along the coast told us about the following . They have a house in the church square of a nearby village, and in March this year the four bells were sent away for refurbishment and the tower was cleaned and repaired at the same time !
Then it was time for the bells to be replaced in their resting place!
Now at this point dear reader , you may be thinking – the area has been cleared, there is a police cordon ………no, this is Spain, and I quote from our friend “ There was a big ceremony, with a speech from the Mayor, the Town band playing and a demonstration of the bells while still on the ground – very loud, and then we all stood in the square just a few metres from the crane as it lifted them up to the top of the tower. I stood well back but the schools kids were sat very close!!!! Can you see the man hanging over the edge at the top of the tower in the picture? Elf & Safety – what?”
So there you have another fine example of Elf and Safety in Spain!
I dare not tell you in detail dear reader, of the vintage motorcycle race that occurs annually in Oliva- for you would be sure to say “ Enough!” – and then proceed to lie down in a darkened room or go to the pub ( whichever soothes you the most!!) Suffice to say that persons upon motorcycles ( I cannot in truth say whether it is the rider themselves or the bike that is vintage!) speed around a circuit. This is not in the country, no! It is more like the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix around an extended part of what we call “ the new town”. Before you ask and before you go and lie down – no, no substantial rubber tyre barricades, protective walls, marshals , just a few straw bales scattered around with a bit of plastic ribbon in between……….
The DB has also just reminded me of the San Juan festival held here on June 23rd each year! Before I continue I must tell you that ANY festival/ celebration here involves fireworks- and whilst we in the UK admire the amazing displays in the night sky, here the noise is what matters, day or night bring it on!! I remember saying to some friends of ours when we first came out here regarding San Juan “ Oh , we’ll watch it from our roof terrace” “ You won’t see anything then, it all goes on at the beach!” Perplexed , the DB and I ventured to the beach on said night. Imagine my surprise then , no shock horror actually,when I was met by a man running along the road with a throne of fireworks around his head – each one lit! Anyone on the HSE in the UK will now require hospital treatment…….
So, I am wondering about the EU and it’s Heath and Safety Legislation . I am in absolutely no doubt that when we go to work or go about our daily business, we should feel that we’re safe to the best of anybody’s ability ie our employer, the local council even the government of the day. However, I also feel that each and every one of us has a responsibility too. I had the privilege of working in our wonderful NHS – and was a clinical manager of a small service. For those of you who puzzle over the words clinical and manager in the same sentence, let me tell you that I was a clinician but had the responsibility of managing our service ( I will always be eternally grateful to my exceptionally efficient friend and service secretary Ann, and my lovely colleague and friend Marg who made my role and work an absolute joy!) As part of my role I had to attend compulsory training – well, all health professionals have to attend annually or biannually depending on the subject ( yes I know – I can hear you “ And what does this have to do with Elf and safety” Patience dear reader ( or in my case, patients dear reader!) I had an email informing me I was to attend Equality and Diversity training and to choose a date- well, I was sent more dates than there are in the desert. I chose one and duly phoned the training manager – “ Ah so that week then” she had the misfortune to say. “ A week” said I “ I have clinics booked, there is no way I can spare more than one day.” “ Take it up with your manager then” was the reply. So I duly did and needless to say, I didn’t attend the course. I’m afraid I believe in a very straightforward approach to Equality and Diversity – treat everyone as you would wish to be treated. Kindly and with respect – and any issues you don’t understand with particular religions, faiths, cultures- ask the person in front of you, your patient. Equality and diversity training is mandatory for all staff but I’m not impressed- if it was doing what it was supposed to be doing, how could one of my lovely Afro-Caribbean patients who underwent a mastectomy ( total removal of a breast) for breast cancer have been given a pink prosthesis? You can see that I am sceptical about some mandatory training – what happened to common sense? Basically someone in the upper echelons of the Trust ticks a box and all is well- we’ve met a target……( but we haven’t necessarily met all patients’) ….
Don’t worry I’ll get back to Elf and Safety soon enough, but you must know that the Health Service is close to my heart ? (Groan will go the DB, don’t get her started…) I was brought up in it and am surrounded by family who have dedicated their lives to it , so feel I am justified in commenting.
Anyway , back to Elf and Safety, as I said I was a clinical manager. Our role involves bandaging large and heavy legs, helping people move around our clinic , and in general looking after the people who seek our help etc. So in line with EU legislation ( remember where this started??) I carried out risk assessments ( according yo HSE requirement) to alleviate to the best of my ability, any injury or harm to my patients or my colleagues. However, when I was asked to provide a risk assessment for the use of Tippex, ……….what can I say, other than to make a plea for common sense to prevail! We certainly have a compensation culture in the UK – whatever happens it is always someone else’s fault. Do we ourselves have no responsibility? Of course we do and there needs to be a more balanced view. On that note I leave you for today …..only to say the DB took a tumble on Sunday. He was up on the roof terrace – I was downstairs in the kitchen- but it was my fault, because I’d asked him to get the washing in………. No more to be said!!!!
Until next time …….
Camino Romero 