Would you make a complaint to the hospital.....

[Silvercoconut]

I have regular colonoscopies due to ulcerative colitis, for reasons of waiting lists this time it was outsourced to a local private hospital and not my usual.

I also have rheumatoid arthritis and pretty severe spinal stenosis, the hospital was totally aware of these conditions, so somewhat relevant.

I had previously informed them that I wasn't able to be collected till approx 5pm, they said that was ok, colonoscopy was at about 11.45 am.

Had the colonoscopy with sedation, as I always do, and to my horror after approx 40 mins in recovery I was escorted to a hard chair in the corridor to wait for my lift. Previously I've always gone back to the bed on the day ward, so was surprised.

Bear in mind I was still woozy from the sedation, extremely uncomfortable with my back issues, found myself drifting off back to sleep upright and twice nearly fell off the chair. They of course insisted that I had to remain until my lift arrived, so I sat there for three and a half hours at which point I got totally fed up and told them I was going to call myself a taxi home whether they liked it or not, so I signed the relevant forms and off I went.
Totally unbothered as to whether there would be somebody at home.

I'm really actually quite angry about the treatment after and don't feel it was up to standard.

What has happened at your previous appointments? Has several hours of bed rest following the procedure been built in to the schedule?

With kindness OP, I don't think complaining will get you anywhere. It is quite a big ask for them to keep you on a bed for 4-5 hours longer than needed because you cannot get a lift.

Yes, complain, because they were aware of your conditions and should have said if they weren't going to keep you.
It's not ok to say everyone else was fine-they should have told you, and what if you'd got badly injured?
The next person they neglect could be very vulnerable.

I have always, ALWAYS gone back to a bed on the day ward to recover a bit more from the sedation.
Didn't see a bed the whole time I was there. I understand not having a bed for 4 hours whilst waiting to be collected, but I think to sit in a corridor on a hard chair immediately after is not on.
They were also aware in advance at what time I'd be collected.

So if you could have got a lift back earlier, would you have been able to go home? I’m not sure if it’s their responsibility to find you a bed if you haven’t sorted a lift until hours later or if it’s normal to be in hospital for hours later. When I had mine with sedation I went home pretty quickly afterwards but had sorted my lift to be there ready so I’m not sure if that would be different to what you normally have arranged

Yep, always gone back to a bed, had a snooze/rested an hour sometimes a bit longer, until fine to go.

I would have been perfectly happy to sit on a chair for an hour whilst waiting, but not so soon after the procedure.
To sit upright on a hard surface for hours, after being pumped full of air is very uncomfortable, and that's not even taking into account spinal issues

If you feel that regardless of the lift situation you needed more recovery time (in a bed) before being discharged, I think it's reasonable to contact the hospital to make that point. Maybe best not to muddy the waters by raising the lift timing issue.

You didn’t know how busy the dept would be and how many procedures they had booked so while I do sympathise and agree it must have been an uncomfortable experience I think you shouldn’t have presumed. You could have arranged an alternative or rearranged appointment to a more suitable time

No, needling a bet for health reasons. The OP was in recovery, not just waiting. The hospital chose to ignore that.

We so do not want privatisation.

I'm not sure. Were they clear at the outset that you could be collected within an hour of the procedure? Did you let them know explicitly that usually you need to lie down for a few hours afterwards?

When I had my colonoscopy at a private hospital I could easily have called a cab and gone home on my own but they wouldn't let me. I had a room and waited there to see the gastroentorologist and until DH collected me at 5ish. They brought tea and sandwiches.

I am a great believer in advocating for yourself. I had to phone 111 yesterday and get an emergency prescription sent to my local pharmacy. When the doctor was rude and patronising about the medication I was asking for I did not hesitate to tell him I considered his manner unacceptable. He did have the grace to apologise.

I have regular gastroscopies curtesy of the NHS always under sedation. At the last one they told me I couldn’t have sedation because that meant I
would need a bed to be available for up to 4 hours whilst I recovered and there weren’t any. I told them I wouldn’t have it done without sedation as it was urgent they found me a bed to recover in.

They would need your bed for the afternoon list.

I'm informed them at what time my lift would be coming.
I did not specify the I needed to lie down afterwards as I always have done.
I never saw a bed at any point not even when I arrived, I was ushered into a cubicle my belongings put in a laundry basket and I sat and waited to be called in for the procedure.
I didn't see a doctor after the procedure either, saw no one, was just handed some paperwork in an envelope and told to sit on the chair until collection.

Well that is what usually happens when I have colonoscopies at my usual Hospital! I always always have sedation. So I was very shocked!!

Hence why the OP told them when she would be collected…do people just not read things?

”Well that is what usually happens when I have colonoscopies at my usual Hospital! I always always have sedation. So I was very shocked”
@Silvercoconut I would be too it usially takes me about 2 hours to fully recover from sedation. I know that the hospital is often desperate for the bed/trolley I lying on but I’ve never felt rushed off it.

My sibling has frequent colonoscopies, she has never been taken to a day ward to lie down afterwards. They call me when she's had the procedure and I go and collect her so she is sitting waiting in the waiting area when I arrive. It's not their fault you didn't have someone to collect you for several hours and it's likely they didn't have a bed free?

With sedation you should have been taken out of the procedure room into the recovery area on a bed. That's true for every patient having sedation for a scope, be it gastroscopy or colonoscopy, and regardless of other conditions.(Obviously not for several hours, but initially at least till you were more alert). If that didn't happen, I would complain.

Yes you should complain.

Well done you for having some sense of self-worth - your treatment wasn't acceptable.

To many people on this thread excusing this treatment.

Is she she sedated?

Stop being so ungrateful they are HELPING you.

Yes

I have endoscopies under twilight sedation several times a year. I've had in excess of thirty, my last being the other day. I'm ready to go home around an hour after the procedure finishes, which includes an NJ insertion.
I'd contact PALS if I woke up to find myself in a chair. I have Osteoporosis, meaning the consequences of a break are far worse, but it's dangerous for anyone and I'm surprised you were left alone in such an unsafe manner.
whilst I wouldn't expect a bed all day (I'm also Diabetic so am always first on the list), I would complain if this happened on coming round.

The NHS paid for the procedure, not for a bed. You could have either paid for a bed yourself, or paid for a taxi.