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.

My trust is really strict on accompanying adults. No support for day surgery or scans.

I wasn't allowed anyone to sit with me for day surgery. I'm a nervous patient. No idea why, I'm normally a reasonable human being. I get upset very easily in hospital setting, especially where anaesthetic is involved.
That particular time I was treated quite cruelly and had a panic attack (luckily when they were doing my obs. So they HAD to address it)

I am now advised to have someone with me as they can calm me down, but it's a shame that people turning up with extended family and being unsociable has meant the rule is generally enforced.

They should be told to wait outside until the patient is being seen, maybe 1 person can wait inside but staff should be telling any non-patients they cannot occupy seats.

i think it’s understandable for parents with under 12s, especially tiny babies.But not parents and granny and sibling.

If lots of children then one parent should stay home with the others. I have spent years in A&E waiting rooms with one of my children who has severe asthma and whole families make it very very difficult for others without realising themselves (noise, unhappy siblings, toys being bashed around, parents getting harassed and shouty) but I wouldn’t have though twice about one child and two parents.

Try coming to our local A&E where the entire family comes along.

Staff should put a stop to it, security staff if need be.

Taking a crowd with you - shouldn't be allowed. Taking just one person - should be, regardless of whether you need 'assistance' or not. Just think for a minute about why someone might need moral support for a medical appointment.
In A+E it would be an absolute blessing if people were limited to one companion, and it was enforced.
If the patient is a child then I think it's different and maybe two companions, usually the parents, should be allowed. But - no dragging the rest of the kids in - in that case one parent needs to stay at home, or a minder needs to be found.

That's what should happen every time, staff should not be intimidated by large aggressive groups.

One was a teenager. I would expect the teenager to handle it.

In my native country 6 children wouldn't be allowed A & E. If parents fail to make arrangements for them social service will.

Well then the Op is BU because some people can't manage on their own. I still think taking five people with you is over the top

Trust need to put an end to it. And provide security staff for it.
Don't thrown nurses to the lions.

Yep, absolutely. I was just differentiating between children's vs adults appts - children usually likely to need more people accompanying them than adults

Children’s A & E seems to be a family outing with all the kids, grandparents, a few aunties and uncles brought along. It seems to be a particular demographic that do this.

Others people's companions were a problem for me in the Chemo ward. There were groups of 4 or more. Not enough space for them all. The noise was terrible, having to Q for the loo, the flights over chairs. Lack of privacy.

Hope your biopsy is clear.

I'm saying YABU @CurdinHenry because I have never seen anyone with five mates/five people, at a medical appointment! I only ever see a person on their own, or with one adult companion. And of course if it's a mum of young children, she will have her children with her. Do you suggest that she leaves them on the car park, or at home unattended?!

Many people need someone with them as some medical appointments are scary and daunting, and some people get anxious and need support.

.

Let me guess, the lower working classes? 🙄 Coz the upper working classes and middle classes and upper classes NEVER do it.

SMH!

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nope not a class issue I think more a religious group / demographic

Eh? What religious group?

One person is generally fine, we don’t know what that person is going through and I think it’s harsh to expect someone to hear particularly bad news alone just so you can have a seat in the waiting room. Nobody should be bringing five other people along.

Tell who ?
The Dr walk into the back of the waiting room shout your name and wait for you to join them , if your not quick the walk off presuming your not there .
The reception is on the opposite side and has a glass screen that is hard to hear through when your checking in , there is no way the receptionist would hear the doc's calling plus they are far to busy to keep a eye on everyone's toilet breaks

I’ve been in a&e with my 5 kids and their dad once or twice- one of my sons had an injury at the park that required immediate medical attention (severed finger) so I had no choice but to bring them all with me. Another time we were there because another son had a seizure that didn’t stop, he couldn’t maintain his airway without me holding his head, so my husband drove us there so the others had to come too. Believe me i’d rather not have 5 autistic kids in a&e either.
But YANBU if it’s a routine medical appt.

Maybe she should be doing cartwheels, who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️

My one has notices saying ‘one only’ and they rigorously enforce

Yes, this has happened to me. The receptionist told someone's fit and well husband and/or friends to let me sit down, as I was sitting on the floor (I was in the middle of dose dense chemo, no way could I stand).

of course they would .

And a 13yo would be absolutely fine with 5 young siblings at home. Of course.

What country is that out of curiosity?

What’s wrong with that? It’s not like they all went into the scanner with her