"Pros and cons"

Cystoscopy with general anaesthetic excellent all round. However at pre-admission, as I live some distance away, it was suggested that I could be early on the list for surgery, only a short procedure with not too much anaesthetic, therefore my friend could wait in the hospital rather than go home and come back. Arrived 12 noon, immediately taken through but my friend not permitted. First on list at 2pm, in recovery 3pm back on ward 3.45pm when I was told I would be monitored for the next 2hrs. This was not mentioned at any time previously or that my friend could not wait with me for the first 2hr. My friend waited over 4hrs unnecessarily but with the car park to pay for. She then went home, returning again at 8.30pm with an overnight bag, as I might have had to stay in.Bringing a bag just in case was never suggested either. Had Pre-admission not said that the whole experience would be short enough to wait in the hospital, my friend need not have wasted much of her day. This spoilt an otherwise good experience and I feel the Pre- admission policy should be reviewed for the sake of other patients.