Hospital folk are great, and quite simply the best workers around.

Both my sisters are nurses and they are without doubt the most underpaid people in the UK, that is, after Friday columnists.

What is a complete shame though is the rules they have to follow.

I know rules are there for a reason but it is these silly rules that make the ordinary people of this planet lose their minds.

Take for instance my recent experience at a hospital.

My mate breaks his toes while playing football and is hurried off to the accident and emergency department.

He didn't go straight away like a typical bloke, he endured a whole night of pain and anguish before he realises something was wrong.

The accident and emergency department hasn't really changed that much over the years.

Oh, it looks better and smells better, but there is always a guy sat there with a bandage round his head and three people who seem to have nothing wrong with them whatsoever.

Maybe they just like sitting there to make up the numbers when it is quiet.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity he is then seen to by the medical staff, who bandage his two little piggies together and send him on his way.

There is one problem though - he can't walk. He can hop but he can't walk.

"Can I have crutch please?" he politely asked.

"We don't give crutches to people with toe injuries." came the reply.

"Gary Lineker got a crutch in 1990!"

"Gary was playing in the World Cup at the time."

"But I can't hop home!"

There is a slight pause before that immortal line...."It's the rules."

I love that line, it has got me out of a pickle on many an occasion.

However, when it comes to someone's precious toes, a little bit of common sense should be used.

If someone cannot possibly walk or exert any type of pressure on the foot they should be given a crutch.

The problem was, the hospital didn't have enough crutches to give out.

But if one can't walk what does one do?

After a little 'conversation' the staff decide that the best way to get rid of this bloke is to give some good pain killers.

"Hop...don't hop..now you won't be able to feel anything anyway."