Pick up after sedation - 10th Dec - Spire London East hospital

[Melonorama]

Hello, I’m hoping someone might be able to help! I’m attending Spire London East hospital in Woodford, Ilford (nearest tube station is Redbridge on Central line) on Wednesday 10th December for a minor procedure under sedation. With sedation, you need someone to collect you from the hospital.

This has been organised at very short notice and so sadly I have nobody to collect me. I have neighbours who can check in on me once I’m home if there’s any issues - but would any lovely mumsnetter be able to meet me at the hospital at 1pm on Wednesday 10th to say they’re accompanying me home? Once I’m outside I’ll get an uber home myself, so it’s just to turn up at the hospital so they can release me.

I’d be eternally grateful!

Just walk out yourself, the hospital can't keep you hostage.

Tell them a friend is meeting you at the door and walk out.

Thats my plan B - my only concern is that it’s a private hospital and my health insurance is covering the costs, and so if I walk out ‘against medical advice’ that it would invalidate my insurance approving to cover the costs?

I don't know about insurance

But if you phone a local taxi company, they will come into reception and collect you. Certainly, my cab company would. Then you just say a friend is collecting you.

There will be loads of people who don't have someone to collect them. In reality, I can't imagine they stop you going.

if anyone was picking you up, they'd all have the same issue with parking so most people would want to pick you up outside. That's likely to be the biggest objection of the taxi company. Unless this hospital has a car park that is sympathetic to people needing to nip in and collect someone?

I know the hospital but my car isn't ulez friendly and it's well within ulez. The parking is fine as far as I remember as it's a private hospital. If you use a cab company rather than uber and speak to them, I expect they could come in to collect.

Thank you - there is free parking at the hospital of 150 spaces.

The advice from my pre-procedure assessment was that I need to have someone collect me, accompany me home and stay for 24 hours. Obviously I’m not asking that of anyone and I’ve had this type of sedation & procedure before so I’m sure I’d be fine to travel home and stay by myself, but I’m just worried they’ll keep me in hospital for longer if nobody ‘officially’ collects me or will cause issues with my insurance if I walk out.

On previous occasions I’ve always had someone come to my hospital room so that I can leave, but sadly don’t have anyone who can do this for me this time.

Do you know anyone at a local church who could help you out with this? Although I suppose there might be safeguarding issues.

Can you sign something? To absolve them of responsibility for the fact that you're leaving on your own? I don't know how private insurance works.

I'm totally sympathetic to your situation as I can imagine being in it but I'm afraid this is not something I can do on a practical level.

would a private care agency take a couple of hours work? So you'd have to pay them to come and collect you and I guess escort you home.

In my hospital you can get a taxi home and have someone meet you at home. I really doubt the staff have the time or inclination to look into it any further than you giving your word tbh

Thanks for the kind responses. Unfortunately the hospital is 1.5 hours away from me so don’t know anyone or have links in the local area - I could look into private care but I assume they would then have to come home with me which I don’t think I need (or particularly want)

I totally understand what people are saying about just walking out, but I’ve been having procedures & operations in private hospitals over the past 18 months, and they always escort me down to the door. I can’t quite remember whether on the consent form for the procedures you sign that someone is coming to collect you and escort you home.

I was last in this predicament a few months ago at a hospital a lot closer to my home, I was honest with them and said I had nobody to collect me and they refused to do the procedure under sedation. For this particular procedure that I need on Wednesday, I can’t have it done without sedation and I can’t postpone it as my private medical expires this coming week.

It’s very much a desperate situation having to ask for a kind strangers help on the internet, but I’m so worried about the plan of ‘just walk out’ would go against the medical advice and therefore invalidate my insurance, meaning I’d have to pay out of pocket.

Tell them your niece/friend or whatever is coming to stay at your house, but unfortunately doesn't drive, so can't come and collect you. You're going to get a taxi home and she will meet you out of the taxi at the other end.

Though, are you absolutely sure you want to be home alone against medical advice? I know it's unlikely anything bad will happen, bit there's still a chance. Awful as hospital stays are, if you really don't have anyone, you'd be safer staying in.

I live a few miles away. I don't have my own transport but could meet you and "collect you" if you like, if it really is sedation and not an actual general anaesthetic. I live alone too but luckily have a sibling who lives near and we collect each other from procedures as needed, so I know the problem. PM me so we can swap necessary contact details.

OP - Further to my post above, have sent you a PM.

That’s ever so kind, thank you. I’ve just sent you a PM back - thank you ever so much

I had a procedure in a private hospital. My dh was waiting in the car right outside as didn't want to go into the nearby car park as it was only a few minutes. They refused to let me out and he had to properly park and come inside to get me.
They are very strict.

Just wanted to express my gratitude and huge thanks to @mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork - a truly kind mumsnetter who took time out of their day to come and collect me. This is such a wonderful community and it’s so heartwarming that this lovely individual was able to help me out just from this post. Thank you ❤

That's wonderful!

How lovely of her. Thank you Mrs Raffia

How lovely. Hope the procedure went well OP

How lovely.