My OH has been referred for a transplant assessment at Queen Elizabeth hospital.
I’d like to understand what this will look like for us. I’m aware there will be a number of tests but I’m unsure over how long, some people have said 3 days or an initial appointment then a 2 day assessment.
As we live around 90 minute drive away, (without parking - any advice on that at Queen Elizabeth?) as the OH is very fatigued I’m thinking I’ll need to book us into a travel lodge or something if it’s a few back to back days.
Any advice would be welcome on the whole situation,
Thanks all xx
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Poppy1908
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Hi, and can't directly answer your question, I had my transplant assessment as a 3 day inpatient at Addenbrookes. It involved lots of tests, heart, lungs, st ct scan, x ray, blood tests. Once you actually get the appointment it will all be explained in detail, some people stay in hospital, some go back over the course of several days.If you use Facebook please feel free to join our friendly and knowledgeable Facebook page called ' liver transplant support uk ' thousands of people that have been in your situation and can answer any questions from personal experience.
Hello, first good luck with your assessment,I'm going to the QE on Thursday to be seen by the main consultant after being referred by my local hospital, from memory parking can be a nightmare, make sure you get there in plenty of time, I will update after Thursday on the parking,all the best
My experience is about 5 years old, but I believe it’s still relevant.
If you haven’t had it already, you will have an initial appointment to discuss whether your other half is suitable for being put forward for the transplant assessment. My consultant at Bath referred me to the QE, and I met a consultant there who said yep, transplant assessment for me!!
Generally the process there is a single day visit, with a number of tests, and then a two week break before the next visit, which is a two day visit. During the two day visit you get more tests, and then meet each of the specialists involved in a transplant, an anaesthetist, surgeon, dietician, hepatologist, and so on.
It is a tiring process when you’re unwell, but not overly so. They do feed and water you, and the transplant co-ordinators are wonderful.
For the day visit we travelled, we live about two hours away, but stayed overnight for the two day visit. We stayed at the premier inn at Rubery, which has a beefeater attached to it, and my other half stayed there when I had my transplant. There is another premier inn a little closer if you’re coming from the south, but Rubery was just fine for us.
The hospital do have limited accommodation available for such visits, and also if needed for the day of the transplant. My understanding is they are quite basic and very limited.
Good luck with the whole process, you’re in good hands, the QE is an excellent centre. Feel free to ask any other questions. It can seem very daunting, but many of us have been through it, and are here to help support you.
My experience at QEHB was the same as yours Huggy! We stayed the one overnight at the Hospital accommodation- I can confirm it is very basic (kettle, one cup, no teabags/coffee etc!) and not that cheap either. On the plus side there were two good lounges with nice TVs 😀.
I had my transplant assessment at QE in June 2021- covid precautions still applying at that time. It took place over 2 days, everyone was very nice, kind. Parking at QE is pretty good, there are multistoreys right near the Heritage Building where I was assessed. There are good hotels of all grades nearby. We live 2 hours away from QE so I spoiled us and booked a night at Egbaston Park Hotel - I think it was called. But there are travelodges etc quite nearby also. There are lots of tests, of course, as you would expect, and lots of conversations to be had. . I got my transplant in Sept 2022 (3rd time lucky on "the Call.")
I had my transplant assessment at the QE Birmingham and it was a 2 day assessment. If I remember correctly we finished early at about 3:00pm on the second day.
At the QE, the assessment process takes place over 3 days. As Andy has already said this is broken down into two parts of 1 day then a break of 2 or 3 weeks before the second part which takes place over 2 days.
The first day is mainly an introduction and a series of tests. Lots of bloods taken, ultrasound and ecg. The gap between the two sets of days is so the docs can get the blood and other test results back, lol. The second set of days goes into a bit more detail of the process and you'll meet each of the teams that'll look after you, these will include the surgeons, aneathsnatists and the liver medicine doctors. Each will assess you and also explain things to you and give you a chance to ask any questions also. And, thats basically it, in a nutshell.
I live about 2 hours away and we stayed over for both assessments. Getting to Birmingham by 9am didn't really lend itself to travelling on the day. We stayed in a guest house not too far away, there are plenty of options so maybe just look on booking.com or hotels.com to make things easier. When I did mine the hospital actually sent out a list of nearby places too, but not sure if they still do that.
If you do intend to travel in, then there a train station pretty much on the doorstep. Its just a bit of a walk through the hospital grounds to where they'll do the assessment. The QE is a big hospital afterall. As others have said, car parking is available but does fill up so get there early.
In terms of dates for assessment, I got a call beforehand to see when I was available and it was booked around that. Again not sure if they still do that but seems probable.
When you said your OH was being referred for assessment, was that stated by the liver medicine team at Birmingham or from the team at your own hospital? If it was the latter, then they'll be an extra step in the process as the liver medicine team at Birningham will probably want to see them first before the actual formal referral for assessment. That's just a simple clinic appointment though. It may also be done at your local hospital if the QE have outreach clinics there, which they did at mine.
My referring hospital was also Royal Derby. If same as 5 years ago - which I’m sure it will be - you will have one or more (I had several) appointments at the Liver Clinic at the QEHB before the Assessment.
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