A hospital has come under fire for giving elderly patients tambourines and maracas to use to call nurses in an emergency
Instead of an emergency button, elderly patients in the West Wing of Cardiff Royal Infirmary we given tambourines to use to call for help in an emergency.
In some of the rooms a set of maracas were also in place, in case the tambourines broke.
The hospital said that the musical instruments were introduced after patients said that they were 'too scared' to go into the day room at the hospital in case they fell over and couldn't call out for help. They staff tried to use bells, but they were too heavy for the patients to lift.
An angry relative of one of the patients told the Daily Mail: "It is ridiculous. These people are pensioners not members of the Monkees or Mick Jagger.
"Where is the dignity in asking old and frail people to bash on a tambourine if they are in trouble? It makes the NHS look like a laughing stock."
The hospital have apologised, and have promised to install a 'proper' emrgency alarm system.
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