When April Fool’s Day comes round, do you scan everything you read and view looking for the fake news or the obvious wind-up? Do you enjoy the frivolity that the day brings or do you think – grow up, it’s not funny and it’s not clever! I am in the former camp. I enjoy fun at work. It is a stress buster. People who laugh together, usually work very well together and in my experience, are highly productive. But should a serious organisation like the NHS get involved with japes and pranks? Does it detract from our gravitas, or does it show a human side to the organisation – which after all is all about humans.

As an ex-nurse, I can tell you, a lot of pranks and teasing happens in the NHS. Which student hasn’t been sent to an orthopaedic ward in the middle of the night for ‘a long weight’ and got it. Yes, a long wait! Haha!

Or taken a call about a spoof patient called ‘Mary Christmas’ on Christmas Eve! Next of kin Joseph, obviously! I think you have to weigh it up and see what is going on. A serious or worrying story about health care or your organisation in the media or in-house would signify that it would be wholly inappropriate and insensitive to even contemplate the use of humour. But on an average day, I think it adds warmth and fun to everyday activities.

So this April Fool’s Day, notices appeared on photocopiers across our headquarters stating that the copiers were now voice-activated and that staff could simply speak instructions to the machines instead of pressing buttons.

As my office is close to a copier, I envisaged hours of fun hearing colleagues give the copier instructions – and being my helpful self suggesting maybe they needed to speak louder for the copier to work! The joke was on me of course, because I was in meetings most of the morning and missed out on all the fun. And apparently, there was a lot of fun! I tweeted about it later in the day on the ELFT account and got lots of hearts! And a few face emojis with tears pouring out of their eyes! A few brave souls confessed they were going to speak to the printer until someone said it was an April Fool. People enjoyed the craic! Which just goes to show, everyone needs fun at work – especially serious organisations