To think people should be banned from taking someone with them to medical appointments unless they need assistance (and then just one person)

[CurdinHenry]

Sick of standing waiting for appointments while one girl sits on her arse with her five boon companions in the waiting room because people can't do anything by themselves.

Hospitals need to be focused on helping the actual patients - the patient can do just fine with one person accompanying them. That is sufficient support for their appointment.

Expecting hospitals to waste resources to accommodate multiple people coming along with one patient is absurd.

It’s not as if these other people can’t support the patient outside of the hospital.

Also have some consideration for those going through their own difficult time who prefer a more peaceful waiting room rather than one that is loud and busy since entire families have turned up.

Some "rules" NHS might consider, but will they? -

One accompanying person only in A+E and outpatients, unless more are required for mobility/other purposes.

Males to stand in maternity waiting rooms if inadequate seating available for women attending.

No speaker phones or audio without earphones/headphones anywhere in the hospital building.

Add to the list if you want 😊

Bring as many as you like but only the sick person gets a chair

How do you know this when an MRI is investigative? She wouldn't even know the outcome until after the appointment when its reviewed by the consultant and radiographer. Or are you better qualified than the Doctor that referred her, the radiographer that administered it, and the Doctors that reviewed it? and do you also have access to her full medical history?

I hope she doesn't consider you a friend, or do you just prefer making stuff up for MN?

No fish and chips please.

Of course there are always going to be exceptions to having a one person per patient policy, but it’s a good starting point. I’m sure those who are caring for someone who needs two people alongside them, are perfectly capable of making a judgement call about whether they can stretch the rules. I had to ignore plenty of arbitrary rules when I was caring for my mum with dementia because common sense told me that not supposing reasonable adjustments for people like her could be dangerous. I think the OP is referring to people who turn up with several family members or friends. When I was in A&E with my son last year there was a group of six adults (and one baby), only one of whom was the patient. There should, at the very least, be a rule where patients (and, by extension, their carers) are given priority when it comes to seating availability.

The medical facilities should enforce this.
DS has a lot of hospital medical appointments, it’s one adult per child unless they need to speak to both parents. I rarely see a group. Maybe two parents and a sibling at most.

I once got an MRI because I hurt myself doing the splits.

Exactly this. I was stuck abroad in a hospital by myself and the a&e was chaotic thanks to people bringing whole families with them. Most of them were not children,or I’d have completely understood.

I was sat next to a man who was there with a woman and 3 other men. All looked over 50 but no more than 60.
I don’t actually know who was the patient.

I ended up feeling extremely stressed due to sensory overload which didn’t help what turned out to be a serious illness. It was actually a relief when I was admitted to the relatively quiet ward 🤣

Well you could have had, haematoma, ligament injury, dislocation, tendon rupture, nerve irritation or compression.....

Doctors need to rule all of these out, sounds like luckily you didn't have serious injury....but you could have, so it only become 'not serious' after the fact, which is my point.

I think the point is that if people want an actual rule with any teeth, it isn't the judgement of the loved ones caring for the person who has dementia that'll matter, it's the judgement of whoever is expected to decide whether they meet the criteria and turn away extras for those who don't.

If what people actually want is something any of us can decide doesn't apply to us in our circumstances, it's not really a rule.

Mostly I agree with you but it does depend on individual circumstances that we’re not always aware of. I accompanied a close female relative to some cancer appointments recently. Her husband also came. He provided emotional support but couldn’t take in and remember complex information due to neurological issues. She also struggles with complex info due to dyslexia. So it did genuinely feel like we were both needed.

It depends how staff are at your appointment though. I reluctantly brought my husband to my last appointment as they often don’t listen to me. It’s cringey but they actually appeared to take on board what l said. I know l shouldn’t have to take my husband but in the NHS 🤷‍♀️

DH is a doctor and really dislikes patients coming on their own. They are often too busy processing the emotional response to actually listen to the information being given and it’s best to have someone who can actually pay more attention. Both parents attending for patients in their 40s onwards is quite common. Five is completely ridiculous but does happen for some cultures.

This - and the people saying “just ask for a seat” are absolutely clueless. If they were decent they would see someone standing there and offer a seat. The fact they haven’t done that suggests a great likelihood they think it’s acceptable to be sat down and you will come up against a some resistance and even possibly abuse for asking for a seat.

Do you people know how long waits in A&E are?

If someone is that inconsiderate to be part of a large crowd unnecessarily taking up space in a waiting room - do you think they will happily give up their seat to stand up for 4+ hours - because yes that’s how long you might be waiting.

Or are you better qualified than the Doctor that referred her

😂😂

Did you ever consider that perhaps the reason I know is because I know the person and I know why they needed the MRI.

I’m sorry that you can’t fathom that not all MRI’s are for serious issues.

I did have an injury! My point is that I knew I had an injury so I got an MRI to find out what kind. It was really painful. But there wasn't an anxious wait for results. I wasn't there thinking, oh god, what is it going to show.

I would not class that MRI as for something serious. I would assume that many MRI are for soft tissue injury rather than looking for growths or whatever.

Yes, that's right - last heard of in Huckleberry Finn 😃

4 hours wait in A&E is nothing.

Ask the staff to remind people to give up their seat for patients. it's not that hard.

A large crowd is a bit overkill, but completely BU to think you can police who people need for support.

i agree not 5 but patients are actively encouraged to bring someone with them to complex medical appointments. It’s known that people only retain around 20% of what they are told and sometimes even less if they receive bad news during the consultation.

I don't see a problem with that tbh, regardless of how serious it was.

I agree with this! I went alone to the appointment where I was diagnosed with a life threatening brain tumour that needed surgery, and all I can remember is the word DIE. I could die before the op, during the op, after the op and that what was screaming in my head. I needed a follow-up call with the specialist nurses to clarify everything that didn't stick.

I hate these, one rule for all and minimise everything MN threads.

My mum has recently had a lot of hospital appointments. My Dad goes with her because she is his wife and he wants and needs to understand what is happening to her. I go with them to support my Dad, who has mobility issues and needs looking after. Fortunately the hospital staff have a lot more understanding and awareness than you do.

I hate it too. One person going into the appointment is fine but there is often more thsn one person and they stay in the waiting room during the person's appointment.

I think that’s the problem. So many people don’t see an issue with an adult taking multiple people with them unnecessarily with them to medical appointments.

It wasn’t for anything serious.