"Travelling for a cataract operation"

My husband and myself attended Golden Jubilee hospital a few weeks ago for a pre op assessment for a cataract operation he had today. Cannot fault the care and treatment he received both times.

We are from further north and he agreed to travel to Glasgow, as the waiting times are too long where we live. The first time we attended, it was an early morning appointment, so we arrived the day before and stayed in the hotel attached to the hospital. All paid for by the NHS., including meal allowance and travel.

The most recent appointment was for the early afternoon, so on receiving the letter, I phoned and asked why there was no room booked. I was told that as it was an afternoon appointment, 45 minutes for operation and 45 minutes recovery, we would have time to get back home, while it was still daylight. This was upsetting as that is a lot of travelling after eye surgery, my husband also has COPD and can't walk very fast, so rushing about for trains is not an option. So I contacted the patient travel and explained the circumstances, you are supposed to rest after eye surgery and not be out in public rushing about for trains. I spoke to a different staff member who was very helpful and said they would book us a room for the night, to travel back the following day. 

We set off in the early morning and arrived at the hotel at 11.30, there was no room booked, the nice man on the desk contacted the relevant person after I showed him my husband's letter for the phone number and a room was eventually sorted.

I think it would be a good idea, in future when asking people to attend appointments outwith the area, to understand the distance people are travelling and the need for accommodation after surgery and not presume people can travel 12 hours in a day, also depending on if public transport is on time etc, especially if they have other health issues or elderly and vulnerable. My husband didn't actually have his operation until the late afternoon, so that would have made it even more stressful negotiating trains back home with him and his poor eyesight and dilated pupil. We would have been stuck in Aberdeen if we didn't get there in time for the last train to where we live.

I am sad my husband was not able to attend the local hospital, but I also know the pressures of waiting list backlogs due to covid and staffing. He received great care at all times from Golden Jubilee Eye department.