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If you want someone to accompany you, agree on one job you would like them to do and what information you want to share. Check the clinic's arrangements before the appointment. This worksheet helps you prepare that conversation; it does not give anyone access to your records or permission to make decisions for you.
The person could be a friend, partner, sister or someone else you trust. They might come to the clinic, join part of an online appointment if that is possible, or help with transport and wait outside. Choose the arrangement you want to ask for rather than assuming they must be present for the whole conversation.
Choose the help before choosing what to share
Start with a task. “Come with me” leaves several things open. “Please note the questions I have not asked yet” gives the person something specific to do.
You can use one of these prompts or write your own:
- Help me reach the clinic and find the reception desk.
- Keep track of the questions I have written down.
- Take notes on the next steps, if the practitioner and I agree.
- Wait nearby while I speak with the practitioner.
- Help me check the appointment time and travel arrangements beforehand.
These are options, not a list to complete. You may want only help with transport. You may decide to attend alone. The worksheet is useful only if it reflects your preference.
Make a short sharing agreement
Write this in your own notes or discuss it with the person before the day. It is a personal preparation aid, not a legal consent form or a substitute for the clinic's procedures.
| Question | My preference |
|---|---|
| What help am I asking for? | |
| Which part of the appointment would I like you to attend? | |
| Which notes am I comfortable showing you? | |
| What would I like to discuss with the practitioner alone? | |
| If you take notes, where should we keep them? | |
| What, if anything, may be shared with someone else? |
You do not need to put the private topic in the table. “I would like some time on my own” is enough for planning the arrangement.
Check the arrangements with the clinic
Ask whether a companion can attend and whether you can speak with the practitioner alone for part of the appointment. For a video appointment, ask how another person would join and introduce themselves. Do not forward a joining link or records on the assumption that the arrangement is already agreed.
You could send:
I would like someone to accompany me for part of my appointment. Could you confirm the arrangements? I would also like some time to speak with the practitioner on my own.
If you need language support, describe what you need to the clinic and ask what options it can arrange. Do not assume that a companion's presence or fluency settles every part of that conversation.
Give your companion an opening sentence
Agree how you would like them to introduce their role. For example: “I am here to help keep track of the questions she has brought. She would like to explain things herself.”
You can also agree on a phrase to use if they begin answering a question you want to answer: “I would like to explain this part first.” There is no need to rehearse the whole appointment. The aim is to make your preference clear before you are both sitting in the room.
If the person has noticed something they would like to mention, discuss that with them beforehand. Ask them to check with you before introducing a new topic. You can tell the practitioner when someone else's account differs from yours.
Review notes before sending anything onwards
After the appointment, ask to see any notes your companion made. Mark anything you do not remember or understand as a question for the clinic. Do not turn an uncertain note into a medication instruction or another care decision.
If you choose to update a family member, decide what that update needs to contain. A practical message might be, “The appointment is finished. I will let you know if I need help with the next visit.” You do not have to forward a report to communicate a travel arrangement.
A family WhatsApp group and a message to the person accompanying you are different audiences. Before sending a document, check who is in the conversation and whether you intend everyone there to receive it.
Keep your own questions at the centre
Use the appointment preparation sheet to choose what you want to ask. Keep the observation note separate so you can decide which parts, if any, to show your companion.
Yellow's sheet is a page you can print or copy. It has no sharing controls and sends no information to a companion. Start by writing one sentence: “The help I want from you is…”
This resource provides general information and does not diagnose a condition or replace advice from a qualified practitioner.