The Blackberry has finally arrived in the NHS.
Hailed as the ultimate gadget, it seems to be more the new "girl toy" to me.
"Look at how it keeps beeping!!"
"I can't believe the amount of emails I get - it so proves that I needed one."
"No, I can't do that week, fully booked" as heads bang together over a Blackberry to set the next meeting.
Is this another way of saying look at how busy I am or look at how popular I am? Managers have forever felt the need to justify themselves. Is this a device they now have to justify owning?
A classic moment was when a consultant sat on the cover of someone else's Blackberry for a whole meeting, which led to a discussion about covers. I wondered what the incubation period for a baby Blackberry would be.
Now the men are demonstrating a very different attitude to the new toy: "yes, it's great, thanks". I wonder if partners are asking for permission to own these. We'll have to ask Samuel. Are they really revolutionary or are they adding to the miseries, with partners constantly disappearing to check emails, "just in case"?
Well, all I can say is I am categorically not having one... unless it's the right shade of pink, with a matching cover and comes with adequate rehab provision for this new addiction.
11 Readers' comments