UK Hospital Checkout Procedure

evila_elf

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Maybe I don't have the search terms down, because Google is being less than helpful.

The situation:
Patient has been blinded. He is being released from the hospital into the care of a friend.

I assume there will be paperwork. Friend fill it out before? Or they both fill it out together on the way out?

I know in the US they like to make you leave in a wheelchair, even if you are capable of walking. What about the UK? Could the blinded man be permitted to walk out under his own steam, or would he be forced to use a wheelchair until he gets outside?

Knowing about the wheelchair is the biggie for me :) Any extra is a bonus!

Thanks! You all have been so helpful in the past. I love this place!
 

Old Hack

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I've never been wheelchaired out of hospital here. I have had to be collected by someone, but have walked out of the ward with them.

Usually a doctor has to discharge you, so you have to wait for the ward rounds before you're released, but on some wards specialist nurses can do it so patients can be discharged at any time of day (and just this morning on BBC Breakfast there was a story about patients being discharged in the middle of the night, which is attracting some attention but I've never seen it happen).

In my experience, one completes the paperwork on arrival in hospital, not on discharge. Signing releases and consents to surgery, that sort of thing.

Last time I was in hospital--a couple of weeks ago--I had to wait for the pharmacy to send up the medications I needed to take home with me before I could go. These medications were all supplied free: I didn't even have to pay the usual prescription charge.

I hope that's a help.
 

evila_elf

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Perfect! I'm on the right track after all!

Thank you so much!

I've never been wheelchaired out of hospital here. I have had to be collected by someone, but have walked out of the ward with them.

Usually a doctor has to discharge you, so you have to wait for the ward rounds before you're released, but on some wards specialist nurses can do it so patients can be discharged at any time of day (and just this morning on BBC Breakfast there was a story about patients being discharged in the middle of the night, which is attracting some attention but I've never seen it happen).

In my experience, one completes the paperwork on arrival in hospital, not on discharge. Signing releases and consents to surgery, that sort of thing.

Last time I was in hospital--a couple of weeks ago--I had to wait for the pharmacy to send up the medications I needed to take home with me before I could go. These medications were all supplied free: I didn't even have to pay the usual prescription charge.

I hope that's a help.
 

Becky Black

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You definitely won't go out in a wheelchair, unless you actually can't walk. I wasn't even wheelchaired out with my foot in plaster. :e2beat:

I suppose they considered it practice on the crutches. If I could get out of A&E and into the taxi with them I was okay to go home. ;)

And paperwork really is minimal in a British hospital - for the patient anyway, because there's no billing involved for the vast majority of patients.
 

Priene

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Though it's not usual, I did once get wheelchaired out of hospital. Mind you, I had just...ah, you probably wouldn't want to know.
 

Buffysquirrel

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I remember being wheelchaired INTO hospital. After they stitched me up I was allowed to walk out again.

The paperwork's completed at the hospital's end when you leave. Your bit is when you're in the ambulance or at the desk. They want a lot of details about your previous conditions and what medications you're taking and anything you're allergic to. But if you're an in-patient you can't leave without you're discharged unless you leave 'against medical advice'.

Afaik, the whole wheelchair thing in the US is the result of insurance companies trying to mitigate the risk of suing. Doesn't happen here. (The wheelchairs, I mean, not the suing. The suing does happen, sometimes)

Your patient would probably leave with a bunch of referrals, though.
 

dpaterso

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Just adding that a wheelchair can be requested -- the ward will phone hospital porters who will come and wheel the patient out (to the reception waiting area, for a patient ambulance/taxi/whoever's waiting to pick them up and take them home).

-Derek
 

Mr Flibble

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Yeah, not much paperwork on the way out, usually. The doc says you're good to go, you go.

However, if being discharged into care of a friend with something like this, they may well take a record of friend's address for follow ups (for instance, when my Mum was discharged after her stroke, physio and Social Services were made aware and were on hand to help with adjustments, both physical and mental. This may also be the case with blindness - depends if it's going to be permanent perhaps. The may inform the Social, and possibly a charity to help with adjusting to being blind)