Closed petition Ban pink mouth sponges in England as they are in Wales

Closed on 17 February 2022

The Government should ban the use of oral swabs with a foam head. They are on the medical device alert in England & are now banned in Wales because the foam heads of oral swabs may detach from the stick during use, which can present a choking hazard for patients.

Because hospitals continue to purchase pink mouth sponges and healthcare workers continue to use them, sometimes in ways which can increase the risk of the device failing and causing choking, for example by soaking them in liquid before use which can affect the strength of the foam head attachment, which could cause harm despite the medical alert.