Share ideas for making waiting rooms in hospitals and GP surgeries less onerous

I do like the idea of something like a foot fidget, I would benefit from that as I struggle with waiting and sitting still.

I also like the idea of the community puzzle but I'd only feel able if no-one else was doing it at that time.

I'm not sure I understand how a points system would work though. What are you getting points for?

I tend to take my own entertainment knowing how long wait times can be. Puzzle books are great for this. 

I prefer their being a gap between chairs. I prefer it when chairs have arms as it feels like a protective barrier between me and other people.

I do think this is all personal preference though and you'd never please everyone. Someone has said they hate seeing people glued to their phones. I use my phone to alleviate boredom and anxiety. I don't see an issue with this or why me using my phone should bother anyone else as long as it is on silent. I'm not forcing them to use theirs. I also prefer there to be background music or a TV on. I can understand why others would dislike this but I hate silence. I'd worry about using headphones whilst waiting incase I don't hear my name being called.

Ideally I'd like a quieter waiting space where I don't feel overcrowded by people but I do worry that if this existed I would be forgotten about.

A big one for me though would be some way of knowing how many people were left before you get seen. I dislike not knowing how long I need to wait and I get very anxious that I've been forgotten or have somehow missed my appointment. But some way of being able to check how many people are before me would help this a lot. It would just make it a bit more predictable for me. I don't know how they would make this work for each patient, an app of some sort maybe.

I do like the idea of something like a foot fidget, I would benefit from that as I struggle with waiting and sitting still.

I also like the idea of the community puzzle but I'd only feel able if no-one else was doing it at that time.

I'm not sure I understand how a points system would work though. What are you getting points for?

I tend to take my own entertainment knowing how long wait times can be. Puzzle books are great for this. 

I prefer their being a gap between chairs. I prefer it when chairs have arms as it feels like a protective barrier between me and other people.

I do think this is all personal preference though and you'd never please everyone. Someone has said they hate seeing people glued to their phones. I use my phone to alleviate boredom and anxiety. I don't see an issue with this or why me using my phone should bother anyone else as long as it is on silent. I'm not forcing them to use theirs. I also prefer there to be background music or a TV on. I can understand why others would dislike this but I hate silence. I'd worry about using headphones whilst waiting incase I don't hear my name being called.

Ideally I'd like a quieter waiting space where I don't feel overcrowded by people but I do worry that if this existed I would be forgotten about.

A big one for me though would be some way of knowing how many people were left before you get seen. I dislike not knowing how long I need to wait and I get very anxious that I've been forgotten or have somehow missed my appointment. But some way of being able to check how many people are before me would help this a lot. It would just make it a bit more predictable for me. I don't know how they would make this work for each patient, an app of some sort maybe.

Expecto_Patronum said:

ow many people were left before you get see

They manage this sort of queue system at Argos! Surely they could do the same when the Receptionist books you in. Instead of names, for privacy you could be given a ticket number as at Argos, then you see your turn coming on a screen.