Would you go to the hospital on Christmas Eve?

radiotrickster

My mate works in a hospital and say there’s appointments happening on Christmas Eve this year.

Apparently last year, their last clinic was 20th or 21st December. Twenty people were booked in and only four turned up.

Would you bother going for an appointment on Christmas Eve? Can’t imagine not wanting to reschedule tbh

randomspud

If I needed to go, I'd go.

If I could afford to postpone then it obviously wasn't all that urgent anyway.

TheValeyard

I usually just go to hospitals if I need to go.

Bicyclette

My Mum has been to a Warfarin Clinic on the 23rd or 24th December. She will probably be at one this year too.

Del2005

Christmas eve is a normal working day. No wonder we have huge waiting lists if they stopped doing procedures 4 days before Christmas. What other stupid practices are they doing that could reduce the waiting lists if stopped?

branie2

I would, if I had an appointment, or I was visiting someone there

Widdershins

Same as any other day to me.

ednwireland

got ill on a bank holiday weekend Saturday . when your properly ill it's not a choice.

corner of hells

ednwireland wrote: »

got ill on a bank holiday Saturday . when your properly ill it's not a choice.

You must have been really Ill , cause most Bank Holidays are on a Monday.

Disclaimer, I know what you mean.

whisky_galore

You gotta go, you gotta go.
Xmas is only for kids anyhow.

Princess Calla

Of course I would, I'd also go Christmas day if I needed.

Ted_YNWA

If you are sick enough you will go to the hospital as soon as you can.

You can have the dinner anytime, your health can't be postponed.

Fr_Dougal

God no. I’d rub a bit of Xmas pudding on whatever part of me hurt.

I mean i dont think death would hold off just because it's xmas so yes if i needed to

Deebles McBeebles

No one has ever died on the day of Our Lord's birth. Fact.

riffmongous

Considering all the appointment letters we got that we couldn't even remember at first why we were getting them since they were about a year too late.. yeah no chance I'd wait on a rescheduling on public

People just not showing up for their appointments on Christmas Eve or any other time without cancelling or rescheduling slows up the public system for everyone else - who would probably be delighted to take those slots. People not showing up is a big factor in waiting lists.

If I was on a public waiting list for an appointment, I'd go whenever I was asked to if possible. It's a service that's abused and taken for granted by a minority that has a knock on affect on the majority.

fussyonion

Are you talking about A&E or attending appointments?
Either way, yes, of course I would.
If I needed to go to A&E I wouldn't care what day it was! And if it was an appointment, then yeah, sure it's only Christmas EVE.

Peregrine

I've been on a waiting list for something for so long, I've forgotten about it. Yes, I would go. Or have the decency to let them know I can't go so someone else can go.

Mrs OBumble

Yes - I did. Was a great day for a an outpatients appointment, fully staffed but hardly any patients bothered turning up. Almost no wait, and everyone in a pleasant mood.

odyssey06

Candie wrote: »

People just not showing up for their appointments on Christmas Eve or any other time without cancelling or rescheduling slows up the public system for everyone else - who would probably be delighted to take those slots. People not showing up is a big factor in waiting lists.

It isn't a big factor. The real factor is that there just isn't enough capacity.

Even with a perfectly managed waiting list and an easy to reschedule appointments system our waiting lists would still be disgraceful.

angel eyes 2012

fussyonion wrote: »

Are you talking about A&E or attending appointments?
Either way, yes, of course I would.
If I needed to go to A&E I wouldn't care what day it was! And if it was an appointment, then yeah, sure it's only Christmas EVE.

Well don't go near a certain Northside A&E tonight. Just walked out after sitting in the waiting room after 7 hours waiting. Maybe if I waited longer they might see me by the time Christmas Eve comes along.

gifted

Unfortunately you'd be amazed at the amount of people who turn up at hospitals around the 22nd or 23rd of Dec with their elderly mother or father....and then call back up 6 or 7 days later to collect them....

Wesser

if the doctors cancelled a clinic... theyd be labelled as lazy by Leo.... remember that bit from last year?

Strumms

Waiting lists are long as fûck... by just not turning up you are doing your bit to keep them long and in fact longer. It’s an inconvenience for sure but go, get seen. Not ideal but hey..

angel eyes 2012

angel eyes 2012 wrote: »

Well don't go near a certain Northside A&E tonight. Just walked out after sitting in the waiting room after 7 hours waiting. Maybe if I waited longer they might see me by the time Christmas Eve comes along.

Fortunate you can actually walk out. If it’s not that urgent best to try the minor injury clinics or GP out of hours service.

Dakota Dan

TheValeyard wrote: »

I usually just go to hospitals if I need to go.

One time my elbows swelled up and I went to the doctor a week before Patrick's day, she gave me antibiotics and said if they didn't work by Patrick's day she'd be sending me into hospital to go on the drip, as I had a herd of cows to milk and mastitis problems with the same I was thinking they better fcuking work. Sure enough by Patrick's day the swelling was still there so I said i'd wait and two days after the swelling went down. Milking cows rule your life.

angel eyes 2012

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Fortunate you can actually walk out. If it’s not that urgent best to try the minor injury clinics or GP out of hours service.

Thanks, minor injury clinic wouldn't accept me as it's a medical issue. I phoned DDoc at 2.00pm and their next appointment wasn't until 9.00 tonight and the doc said she would just send me directly to A&E anyway.

Don't mean to derail thread but moral of the story is try not to miss any public appointment as it has a knock-on effect elsewhere in the hospital.

angel eyes 2012

angel eyes 2012 wrote: »

Thanks, minor injury clinic wouldn't accept me as it's a medical issue. I phoned DDoc at 2.00pm and their next appointment wasn't until 9.00 tonight and the doc said she would just send me directly to A&E anyway.

Don't mean to derail thread but moral of the story is try not to miss any public appointment as it has a knock-on effect elsewhere in the hospital.

If it’s any comfort at all, Private emergency departments are no better than public ones-I’m a pro here

angel eyes 2012

[Deleted User] wrote: »

If it’s any comfort at all, Private emergency departments are no better than public ones-I’m a pro here

Oh no, that's what my next move was for tomorrow morning.

Edgware

No point going. Bruce Willis and Chuck Norris will have A and E all filled up

rossie1977

If I needed to go to hospital that bad the day in question would mean little

wakka12

Yes, christmas spirit wont stop a heart attack

_Brian

Plenty of people waiting long time for appointments would be happy to go.

Christmas Eve is a very regular day for lots of people, life goes on.

Plenty have to work all day, some the night and some Christmas Day too.

Abba987

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

No one has ever died on the day of Our Lord's birth. Fact.

Except poor george

Abba987

I would assume these are routine appointments not a&e visits. Either way still go. Most people by the time they receive any appointment will be delighted

Tom Mann Centuria

Christmas eve is actually nice in our local hospital, they have carol singers going around, Father Christmas visits the wards, its a really nice atmosphere. So being there for an outpatient visit would not be too bad at all. Its a couple of hours out of a day, and your health is your wealth etc.

spurious

All the time wasted by staff getting charts out etc., for people who don't show up. I used to see it regularly in the out patient gynae clinics which didn't have long periods (fnarr, fnarr) between requesting and getting an appointment.

If I ran the place those sorts would be right back to the back of the queue. No excuse for not letting the hospital know they won't be coming, unless they are dead.

Hopefully the swiftqueue process will cut back on the no shows.

Strumms

spurious wrote: »

All the time wasted by staff getting charts out etc., for people who don't show up. I used to see it regularly in the out patient gynae clinics which didn't have long periods (fnarr, fnarr) between requesting and getting an appointment.

If I ran the place those sorts would be right back to the back of the queue. No excuse for not letting the hospital know they won't be coming, unless they are dead.

Hopefully the swiftqueue process will cut back on the no shows.

100%, well said, by just not showing you are wasting valuable time and resources and potentially pissing around with the health of other people. It’s NOT the thing to do... just go, get it over with. It’s an inconvenience yes but so be it....

Victor

One year, I went to hospital on Christmas Day itself!

In fairness, I was suffering from a concussion after slipping on ice during the 'Big Snow' in 2009.

BalcombeSt4

Yeah if I was dying I suppose I wouldn't have much choice whether it was X-Mass eve or April Fools.

The last time I went after a mild anxiety attack I had to wait for a doctor to see me before I could sign out & go home, but after waiting for 4 hours on a hard wooden chair & people all around me, and no money or phone on me I said **** it & asked the lady at reception to ring me a taxi.

BalcombeSt4

Abba987 wrote: »

Except poor george

And all the male children under the age of 2 slaughtered by King Herods men in Jueda. A tradition still carried on by the IDF in Gaza every year.

Omackeral

I'd go but I'd make sure I checked in on Facebook with a vague status just so everyone could hit me with them "hope ur ok Hun" messages.

Gynoid

gifted wrote: »

Unfortunately you'd be amazed at the amount of people who turn up at hospitals around the 22nd or 23rd of Dec with their elderly mother or father....and then call back up 6 or 7 days later to collect them....

Thats rotten.

Hoboo

Gynoid wrote: »

Thats rotten.

It's also up there with the African woman pram/bus story.

Seoda1

Yes, if that’s when they give me the appointment, then I would go. God knows when you’d get your next one if you didn’t show up

Gynoid

Hoboo wrote: »

It's also up there with the African woman pram/bus story.

I dont know what that means.

Tom Mann Centuria

gifted wrote: »

Unfortunately you'd be amazed at the amount of people who turn up at hospitals around the 22nd or 23rd of Dec with their elderly mother or father....and then call back up 6 or 7 days later to collect them....

You certainly see an increase in "acopia" as reason for admission close to Christmas, I'm not as optimistic that they'd only be in 6 or 7 days though, once they're in, it's much harder to get them out. Mobility disimproves, mental state can deteriorate outside their own environment. Sometimes I wonder how the families managed for as long as they did looking after challenging needs/behaviours for so long, maybe having to sort stuff for the festivities just pushes them over the edge. Maybe.

/the best uncynical reply I can muster.

Gynoid

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

You certainly see an increase in "acopia" as reason for admission close to Christmas, I'm not as optimistic that they'd only be in 6 or 7 days though, once they're in, it's much harder to get them out. Mobility disimproves, mental state can deteriorate outside their own environment. Sometimes I wonder how the families managed for as long as they did looking after challenging needs/behaviours for so long, maybe having to sort stuff for the festivities just pushes them over the edge. Maybe.

/the best uncynical reply I can muster.

That's a good point.

Wanderer78

Tom Mann Centuria wrote:

You certainly see an increase in "acopia" as reason for admission close to Christmas, I'm not as optimistic that they'd only be in 6 or 7 days though, once they're in, it's much harder to get them out. Mobility disimproves, mental state can deteriorate outside their own environment. Sometimes I wonder how the families managed for as long as they did looking after challenging needs/behaviours for so long, maybe having to sort stuff for the festivities just pushes them over the edge. Maybe.

Never underestimate the effects of carer's burnout, unfortunately since we offer poor supports to families of the elderly, expect unethical, and possibly immoral outcomes

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I woke up on Xmas eve and I had an unnatural vomiting bug. There was no controlling it. I rang chemist and they told me to go to a&e. They had me on a drip all day, and that evening the doctor came back around and said the day that was in it, he was letting me go home, but if I wasn’t improving or if I got worse I was to go straight back in. I was so unwell I didn’t care whether I was kept or not. I was brutal sick all over that Xmas but I didn’t bother going back in.