If it's going to snow, it might as well snow properly

Just what kind of chaos can 2 inches of snow cause a hospital?  

Well first let me calm down a bit.  It wasn't chaos.  But it did put a bit of strain which illustrates how modern life is interwoven in a way that would make life complicated during another petrol crisis or pandemic.

Firstly, the staff.  Commuting was a problem, mainly because you're relying on others driving carefully in a snow-proofed car.  If they don't - the road's blocked as they jackknife or spin on the frozen snow.  So no-one knows how long it will take them to get in, or even if it's worth them trying.  And that's before we consider the closed schools, forcing parent off work.

Secondly, the patients.  We weren't able to discharge patients on account of the risk to their transports as they cross the hills into Lancashire.  Our hospital, to the dismay of our infection control teams, runs at a very high occupancy rate - so where are the new patients going to be put?

Thirdly, the drugs.  Our delivery vans were also delayed by the icy roads.

Thankfully it wasn't too bad, but it could have been worse.  For one, I could have been a nurse.  Several wards reported the night shift nurses being delayed getting home in the morning and having to set off early to get back for the following night - having had much reduced sleep. 

 Other places in Northern Britain (as the London-based media call us) had it worse and our local disruption only lasted 36 hours at most. 

 Ok.  I admit it.  I'm just bitter that I didn't get the chance to build a snowman :(