"Discharge procedure"

Anything else?

My wife had eye operation at Leicester Royal Infirmary under general anaesthetic on Monday, 02/12/13, and was released the same day. Originally, from my tel. call a male (nurse?) told me to come to the ward between 3:30 and 4:00 pm. Around 2:15 pm I received a tel. call from a female (nurse?), to come now. She said that they could not bring her to main car park, and come to small one - that opposite A&E. Parking a vehicle anywhere near to the LRI is a known nightmare. I arrived outside the hospital at 2:45 pm and it took me an hour to get a parking place (the one opposite A&E was impossible), and to get up to the 6th. floor of the Balmoral suite(?). They could not find my wife, until a nurse said she had taken her to wait at the entrance next to A&E. This nurse went with me to find her. With her bag, she was standing, alone, in a drugged state at the pick-up point opposite A&E. My wife is 76 years old!!! She could not have been more than 3 hours out of the operating theatre, if that, so what was this nurse playing at? There are clear instructions given before admission that she must be collected from the ward. It is conceivable that It could have taken me even longer to park and get to the suite - anything disastrous could have happened. My wife hates fuss, and said that she may have suggested being taken to wait at the A&E entrance. I say that is not relevant. She was in a drugged state, which should have been highly obvious to 'trained staff', and should not have been allowed to influence any nursing staff from making a correct decision; and following proper guidelines. The procedure for allowing a patient out of the hospitals care after surgery under general anaesthetic is in urgent need of disciplinary tightening of the rules. Had my wife fallen under the wheels of a vehicle passing through this waiting point, the NHS could have been facing serious legal proceedings. I hope that this matter receives the urgent attention that is required and is deserved. Footnote: Had this been a vet who turned a lone dog onto the street after treatment, he/she would be in serious trouble from the RSPCA. What does that say for patients of the NHS?