To wonder why the whole family need a fun day out at outpatients?

[Welshmaenad]

I'm at fracture clinic, on my own (sob!) yet every other patient seems to be accompanied by at least three family members. Not only is the main waiting area packed but as patients are called through they ALL get up and trek into the very limited clinical waiting area. I'm currently standing up because a small boy in plaster has been followed I to clinical waiting by mum, dad, small sibling, baby sibling in pram and someone I presume is Aunt Maud or possibly a middle aged woman they found on the street and dragged along for the party.

Surely one companion is sufficient in all but the most exceptional of circumstances?? What's the appeal of an orthopaedic clinic waiting room when clinic is running an hour late? What is WRONG with these folk?

Because there isn't room! What if everyone bought 10 relatives with them? And we need to be able to do our job without tripping over someone's entire extended family and their dog.

If someone is dying or seriously ill then that's understandable. But 14 relatives do not need to turn up for a broken arm.

Yes, Hillingdon and when they've confirmed a diagnosis of meningitis, you don't care about the one attendee that much. And neither did the staff, they were fabulous with all 5 of us intruders.

What's the issue!! You don't need a shed load of people. The waiting rooms aren't big enough. Some people are very selfish and if they and their extended family are there first they see no reason to move along.

They were their first!

In my case, the issue was my son had meningitis with spreading non blanching rash and uncontrollable temperature. The NHS were fabulous. And asked us if we wanted to call anyone.

So are you saying caff that everyone should take everyone else along to A and E? In all cases is that ok?

They also saved my son's life, so thank God we have this service.

No, I'm not Hillingdon. But I doubt that the people in the waiting room were told, when my youngest son was critically ill, the reason WHY my relatives were being allowed in.

My DD was admitted to the childrens hospital in rather dramatic circumstances last year. She was 6. Dh and I both took her to A&E and stayed with her, despite no other children to look after etc. We both needed to be with her, and to hear what the drs were saying. I suffer with anxiety, and was struggling with what was happening, so my DM and step dad came to support me. We were quiet, respectful and tried to be as unobtrusive as possible. Shame the other bed across the ward weren't.....they had phones, ipads and an entourage of loud, sweary people. BUT......there was a little girl, about 3/4 years old, totally ALONE as mum had to go home to look after the other kids. I know which I would prefer to see..........

I don't think under your circumstances anyone would have an issue caff. It's all the hurt fingers etc and people cluttering up the waiting rooms because they can that annoys people.

The entitled people with lots of family members who allowed my DS and I to have sit on the floor because they were there first are the ones that need to be moved on.

I think people see it like an outing - say like going to the theatre. It is interesting and exciting for some people. Also some people feel intimidated by all those posh dockers and need cavalry.

When my DS was admitted to the ward there were some family members from the bed opposite who decided to turn on the TV in the ward loud! At midnight!! They should have been chucked out, I spoke to the nurse and she actually did move us to a side room but have some people really no idea?

Are people deliberately being obtuse? It's been said quite clearly that it's the plethora of people at outpatient clinics and loud, noisy visitors on wards who are the problem. No one has said that family/friends should not be there when an individual is seriously ill!

Just relating to the op, my dm had to drive me to the fracture clinic with a broken ankle. She was also the childcare. Hence 5 of us in waiting room. Simple.

Actually, though, I think it's very reasonable for both parents to want to be at a child's appointment in order to discuss with the doctor and not hear the information second hand, ask questions, etc. And if there are siblings, what are you meant to do with them if you both go? I think we're lucky that when we've all gone en masse to a child's appointment the professionals have been understanding. I wouldn't take along random extra adults though, grandparents and extended family!

I don't drive so either DH takes DC or he takes me and leaves me there.

When I took DS3 for his vaccinations one couple had both Grandmothers with them. The Mum didn't like needles so wanted the Dad to take the baby in but wanted her Mum to wait with her so she wasn't alone. The Dad didn't want to take the baby alone so brought his Mum.
The four of them were all crying, the baby seemed to be unscathed.

Way - quite right! But for every serious case in A&E as in Caffs situation there are a raft of others who do what they do because no one stops them.

Put signs up and nurses can make exceptions for people like Caff

Anyone who has spent a day in a hospital with four bored children will know it isn't a fun day out like the theatre!

I take my partially sighted mother to all her medical appointments, more often than not with two DC in tow.

I bet we piss people off in hospital clinics/ GP waiting rooms but I don't give a frig, I'm looking after her to the best of my ability and will not put her through the humiliation of hospital transport/chaperones.

I hope she never needs to go to the fracture clinic!!

I think some people need to get a grip. All these people around because one doesn't like needles, one cannot look after a baby, one can't drive and it goes on...

yanbu

why would anyone want to hang around in a hospital unless it's necessary.

Depends what your going to the theatre to see.

Lives are boring. Supermarket visits with family in tow are highlights. Sorry, but surely they realise there are other ways!

I think some families see it as a day out. First of all there's the excitement of the car ride, then there's the drinks & snacks machine and the excitement of finding the right change. All the bright lights. A free telly on Mute. Getting to go out late at night. The list is endless.
Too much excitement.

Tbh, I'm not too bothered what anyone thinks. We would both go to big reviews even if we could both drive because guess what? We both care about our children's health and have every right to be involved in discussing the way forward.

If both of us can go to ds's appointments, we do. It is much easier to manage him and no extra seats are taken up as he will be wandering about with one of us following him.