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.

For many people, as soon as they hear bad news from the doctor, their mind freezes and they don't register or remember what the doc says after that. So very important for a loved one to be in the room with them if they want, for emotional support and also to remember what the doctor said!!

Are you going into the appointment? If not then stay out of the waiting room. I have reduced mobility and often can't sit down because some bloody relative is sitting in a seat.

I’ve been in A&E where whole families are with one person. There is nowhere for ill people to sit.

I once did it on a lunch break from wfh, I had to pop in to drop a blood pressure monitoring machine off, so decided to pop in and have a quick sandwich, and then I could get back to work as soon as I got home.

I was at an appointment a few weeks ago, there was a young couple, early 20s eating fish and chips in the waiting room. There was some really sick people there looking really nauseous, staff seemed really afraid of saying anything. Whole place stank.

You should absolutely complain about this! As a grown woman with previous trauma I insist on a female sonographer (and wait 12 months!) Hopefully if enough people do complain Trusts will get off their arses and do something about how women are being pushed out of certain roles in the NHS due to privatisation and lack of flexibility

I never got this either. At work we have blokes taking time off to be at every uncomplicated midwife appointment. I’d never have dreamed of asking my husband other than for the big ones and have had complicated pregnancies. I also went for an operation under general on my own (got picked up). It’s galling when you can’t sit as the person who the appointment is actually for!

I'm sorry that you can't fathom the difference between investigation (not knowing) vs Outcome/Result (knowing After the event)

Earlier this year, I woke up unable to walk. I was sent from one hospital to another. There was an 111/2 hour wait. DH got me into a wheelchair and I told him to go. I didn’t know that staff won’t push you through to the room. We’d have had to have five of us there after school.

Totally fine to have someone accompany you to an appointment.

Multiple people (unless it’s children because of childcare, both parents being present for a childs appointment if needed etc) is ridiculous.

The MRI wasn’t for anything serious.

At some point, you’re just going to need to accept that.

Oh the snobbery here!

Went to A&E a couple of months ago, a guy in there with four companions. He was able to walk, talk. It was busy and they took up lots of the chairs.

Indeed. All on their mobiles saying ‘ We are in A and E’.

I have been in A&E and in outpatient waiting rooms where there have been large families in the room accompanying the one patient and taking up all the seats. It was very noisy and stressful.

They would get a porter to push you.

Yes but why does it concern you at all?

It harms no one.

Maybe it was distracting during the wait.

Well, yes, they should be limited to one companion/helper but not banned entirely.

Hope this is not a veiled racist post though, as I’ve only seen extended families from one particular demographic arrive en masse to medical settings. It’s annoying when there are lots of people taking up all the waiting room space/seats intended for patient use, perhaps talking noisily as they are effectively a crowd but - other than lots of signs in the waiting area limiting companion numbers and reception staff enforcing it - am not sure what can be done about it?

I have to be honest but restricted visitors is the only thing I miss about Covid. Having one parent rather than 15 relatives was bliss. I often ask the child who they’ve brought with them up from a&e to try and determine who the parents are, it’s crazy. If a child’s broken their arm, they don’t need 10 relatives with them. It’s not a day out.

I was in A&E last year with a newborn and was told only one parent could stay with the child. My husband was parking the car at the time as he'd dropped us at the door. It was standing room only in the waiting area but I managed to find a small child size plastic chair to sit on.

In the kids play area next to me there was a man and woman with their 6 children, at least one was a teenager. Only one of them needed medical attention. I complained and they were asked for all the extra family to leave. They didn't and pretended they couldn't understand English (after I'd heard them all speaking it).

It doesn’t concern me in the slightest.

I just think it’s fucking ridiculous.

Probably best contact NHS England then, get them to revoke Martha's Rule, as there will never be a second person to ask for a clinical review.

Five seems excessive but one is fine. In fact often you’re not supposed to drive after or need moral support.

That's not going to happen, given my life was saved by an incidental find on an MRI.