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Original poster

Prince Philip

999 replies

Biscoffaddict · 20/02/2021 18:01

Just head that Prince Charles has been to visit him in hospital due to ‘exceptional circumstances’. He’s never visited him in hospital before and apparently left looking emotional. It doesn’t look good does it? I wonder how this will play out given the pandemic?

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LemonRoses · 01/03/2021 19:38

Lots of private hospitals do cardiac surgery.

No a few in major cities do but most don’t. Many do angiograms but not much more. Most do basic elective surgery on otherwise well and low risk patients. Very few intensive care facilities and even fewer have specialist intensive care.

Most private hospitals do not have 24 hr doctor presence. They usually have a resident medical officer (junior doctor) on call on the site.

KEV11 has a four-bed intensive care unit, but it is highly unlikely the HRH would be subjected to intensive care management.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 01/03/2021 19:43

'KEV11 has a four-bed intensive care unit'

Does it really? A real one or just a plush carpeted recovery room? I can't imagine a private hospital having the 24 hr hour medical and nursing staff experienced enough to work in an ICU. In our local private hospital the slightest post op hiccup gets shipped out stat.

Coronawireless · 01/03/2021 19:46

@LemonRoses

Lots of private hospitals do cardiac surgery.

No a few in major cities do but most don’t. Many do angiograms but not much more. Most do basic elective surgery on otherwise well and low risk patients. Very few intensive care facilities and even fewer have specialist intensive care.

Most private hospitals do not have 24 hr doctor presence. They usually have a resident medical officer (junior doctor) on call on the site.

KEV11 has a four-bed intensive care unit, but it is highly unlikely the HRH would be subjected to intensive care management.

Depends on the private hospital. Those that do cardiac bypass and other major surgery have fully equipped and staffed ICUs with 24-hr in-house medical cover. It is simply not accurate to state otherwise.

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The royal family
TheCatWithTheFluffyTail · 01/03/2021 19:47

KEV11 has a four-bed intensive care unit, but it is highly unlikely the HRH would be subjected to intensive care management.

I’d be surprised if any 99 year olds would be in fairness.

Coronawireless · 01/03/2021 19:48

And of course the overnight medical cover will be a junior doctor(s). Do you think consultants stay overnight in NHS hospitals?

ItsSnowJokes · 01/03/2021 19:48

My mum was in a private hospital (under an NHS contract) and had open heart surgery and ICU afterwards. Some hospitals do have the facilities but not all. The nearest one to here is 30 miles away in a major city.

SilverBirchWithout · 01/03/2021 20:14

@Coronawireless

And of course the overnight medical cover will be a junior doctor(s). Do you think consultants stay overnight in NHS hospitals?
There will always be registrars on call in NHS hospitals. As others have said private hospitals are fine for very routine elective procedures, and minor monitoring. Most health professionals would recommend avoiding private hospitals for anything but minor operations. They don’t have the facilities, knowledge, or skills to deal with anything complex or emergencies. Most don’t anyone beyond very junior cover over night.
AnnaMagnani · 01/03/2021 20:15

There's ICU that can manage a selected population after elective cardiac surgery and ICU that manages emergency admissions needing ICU of all diagnosis.

They are not the same and do not have the same level of skills. Practically no UK private hospitals have an ICU that would look like an NHS ICU. A few would have some that can manage post op patients after particular operations. Most have nothing and send you straight over to the NHS.

SilverBirchWithout · 01/03/2021 20:19

Anybody who has ever experienced what it is like to have Pneumonia (as I have) would very likely disagree about it being anybody's friend. It's incredibly painful, terrifying and can give you flashbacks years later. In days before there was so much access to pain relief and palliative medicine, perhaps it was better than being left to die of cancer for months/years, but it's not a kindness of nature.

I’m sorry to hear about your awful experience.
However for many elderly patients at the end of their lives with terminal illnesses, pneumonia with well-managed pain relief is a gentle and calm end.
Both my parents and FIL were dying of cancer and at their end of their lives - pneumonia was a blessed relief for all 3.

LemonRoses · 01/03/2021 20:28

The KEV11 has 24 hour consultant cover in intensive care. It is not suitable for anything other than elective care of usually well patients.

Many NHS trusts do have on site consultants cover in many areas including critical care. Some have on site paediatric consultants, emergency department consultants and anaesthetic consultants.

A bit irrelevant, as HRH is not likely to be going to intensive care anywhere.

Helpmyhair2019 · 01/03/2021 20:32

@Coronawireless

And of course the overnight medical cover will be a junior doctor(s). Do you think consultants stay overnight in NHS hospitals?
Yes I do! I will never forget an amazing heart consultant who stayed with my father throughout the night and kept him alive with major heart surgery
SilverBirchWithout · 01/03/2021 20:39

Without unnecessary speculation, I suspect the King Edward VII will not have much expertise in palliative care.

I also wonder whether St Barts has better space and access to allow more discretion for any family visits.

titchy · 01/03/2021 20:43

I also wonder whether St Barts has better space and access to allow more discretion for any family visits.

Seriously? Does an NHS hospital mid-pandemic have better visiting facilities than one of the most expensive private hospitals in the country? Hmmm hard to say...

BoreOfWhabylon · 01/03/2021 20:43

@SpringisSpinning

Alexis so sorry you had to witness that awful end to life.

Why oh why do we think it's OK to force people, each other to suffer at end like this! It will be you and me one day folks. Then our dc dying long agonising deaths.. When there is absolutely no hope of recovery. Its in humane and barbaric.

Re Philip.. I can't see what they can do to fix such an ELDERY man.

It could be something as straightforward as him requiring the insertion of a cardiac pacemaker. Not an uncommon thing in the elderly. The oldest patient I ever had who required one was 100 (and that was approx 30 years ago).

Some things are relatively easy to treat, once diagnosed properly, but It could be anything. We don't know and have no need to know.

Philip has always struck me as extremely pragmatic. I'm sure he will have made his wishes known regarding any proposed treatment.

SilverBirchWithout · 01/03/2021 20:48

@titchy

I also wonder whether St Barts has better space and access to allow more discretion for any family visits.

Seriously? Does an NHS hospital mid-pandemic have better visiting facilities than one of the most expensive private hospitals in the country? Hmmm hard to say...

Of course it has.
Benny11Letters · 01/03/2021 20:49

I've been to Barts for various reasons and there are some back entrances to the main building (with the wards) where a discreet visit would be possible and for side streets to be blocked off from press/public. The ward floors have a lot of space and one or two of the single rooms I saw were very large and could easily accommodate a family visit if needed.

Last spring they were full up with Covid patients, but I don't know about now. Given the space in the hospital and how it is laid out, it was possible to block off the lifts to the covid wards. Lot of back working corridors and lifts too. Its a beautiful hospital, though, and very clean - he will be well looked after.

wintertime6 · 01/03/2021 20:58

I can't help but think the current situation with Prince Philip and the upcoming Meghan and Harry interview is going to result in Meghan and Harry coming off even worse than they do already. It will be all eyes and ears on their interview, them telling the world about how terribly they've been treated, and if something does unfortunately happens to poor Prince Philip it's all going to come across as very self absorbed on their part.

Coronawireless · 01/03/2021 21:04

Registrars are junior doctors.
Registrars do stay overnight in certain private hospitals if indicated.
Consultants work through the night in NHS hospitals when needed but do not routinely stay overnight “just in case”.
A medical professional who advises never to go to a private hospital clearly doesn’t know what they are talking about.
I have a lot of experience of working in both NHS and private.

SophieB100 · 01/03/2021 21:10

Regardless of what hospitals do, and what registrars/consultants do - we are talking about an elderly man (very elderly) who will be getting the very best treatment available. He is being treated for, and has been treated for an ongoing infection. Infections can cause stress on the heart, and this man has been transferred to a hospital which specialises in heart treatment.
He is in the best place he can be right now.
I wish him well.

Coronawireless · 01/03/2021 21:17

@SophieB100

Regardless of what hospitals do, and what registrars/consultants do - we are talking about an elderly man (very elderly) who will be getting the very best treatment available. He is being treated for, and has been treated for an ongoing infection. Infections can cause stress on the heart, and this man has been transferred to a hospital which specialises in heart treatment. He is in the best place he can be right now. I wish him well.
Sure, and apologies for detailing the thread. I just don’t understand why people post so authoritatively on subjects they know very little about. Maybe 20 years ago private hospitals were for the worried well but that is less and less the case.
Coronawireless · 01/03/2021 21:17

Derailing

LoveYourUsername · 01/03/2021 21:26

@GetOffYourHighHorse

'KEV11 has a four-bed intensive care unit'

Does it really? A real one or just a plush carpeted recovery room? I can't imagine a private hospital having the 24 hr hour medical and nursing staff experienced enough to work in an ICU. In our local private hospital the slightest post op hiccup gets shipped out stat.

That's a very silly point to make.

Family member had major op there and I can tell you they have ICU facilities.

Itawapuddytat · 01/03/2021 21:26

Years ago I gave birth attended by a registrar very very late at night in an NHS hospital, just saying....

I wish PP well, as I'd wish anyone in hospital be well and as comfortable as possible.

LoveYourUsername · 01/03/2021 21:27

ICU facilities that thankfully were not needed, but they do have them @GetOffYourHighHorse

ImAncient · 01/03/2021 21:29

The Wellington in St. John’s Wood has icu - a relative had surgery there.