hospital pass

Noun

hospital pass (plural hospital passes)

1. (literally) A pass (for schools, military, etc.) exempting one from regular activities, to instead visit a hospital for treatment
2. (Australia, Ireland, UK, figuratively) A poorly executed pass to a team-mate, who is likely to lose the ball as a result. (Originally rugby union, where the recipient of a hospital pass is a sitting duck for a hard tackle.)
   • His first touch was horrid – a hospital pass to Juliano Belletti – but from that moment on his eye-catching football was wonderful to witness.2009 (23 November), Mark Fleming "Kakuta puts rare talent on display", The Independent (London)
   • Flood popped out a careless off-load deep in the French 22 to allow a clearing kick to snuff out the danger, and when Nick Easter tried to rumble from deep within his own 22 his hospital pass to Tuilagi triggered another knock-on.2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France
3. (broadly) a promotion or delegation which is likely to end in failure or ignominy; a poisoned chalice
   • Having identified a problem, he took no action to deal with it. Lacking the courage of our convictions, he gave a hospital pass to the Bank of England, which then had little option but to step in and raise interest rates1997 (23 July) Gary Streeter, Hansard HC Deb vol 298 c980
4. (figuratively, Ultimate Frisbee) A throw that stays in the air long enough that it allows too many people to get underneath it, increasing the risk of injury and a trip to the hospital.