I must start by saying that the actual care and service from the doctors and nurses was lovely. However, the checking in system at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital was very confusing for me as a normal, healthy 42 year old, never mind someone with less than normal mental abilities.
Dad had an appointment in the geriatric clinic. We arrived at the front desk and was told to check in at the self checking screens by a lovely lady in a blue jumper. We did this with the help of another man, also wearing a blue jumper. He told us to wait in the purple chairs and look out for my Dad's name on the screen, we did this and was sent to waiting area 3. At waiting area 3 there is a sign on the right saying Reception 3 but also Sleep and lung clinic, we were not there for lungs or sleep, on the left is a sign saying Waiting area 3 so we sat on the left.
After half an hour of waiting and no call from any of the nurses I enquired at the desk in waiting area 3, (not Reception 3) to see if we were in the right place. "Have you checked in at the desk over there?" pointing to the desk named Reception 3, "No, we haven't been told to" I said, the nurse's reply was, "How do you expect them to know you are here?". Considering we had checked in at the self scan and were then told to go to waiting area 3, we assumed that we had already checked in. We were not the only ones to be confused by the signs, judging from what others were saying.
Also, it would be helpful if a beep or a sound announced that a name had popped up onto the computer screen on the wall. Lots of people missed their name on the screen, because it just popped up and then went and if you weren't paying attention to the screen you missed it.
We wasted half an hour of the staff's time, as well as our own, because we were not given clear instructions on where to go or what to do when we got there. What is the point of the self scan system, if you still have to report to reception? Why not put the self scan at the area you have to go to and check in there.
"Confusing checking in"
About: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Birmingham B15 2WB
Posted by lemonpopsical (as ),
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Update posted by lemonpopsical (a relative) 9 years ago
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