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Car parking and care

Posted By Marnie.

"Car parking and care"

About: Pontefract General Infirmary / Respiratory medicine

(as the patient),

I arrived at Pinders at 2:15 for emergency treatment with breathing problems and suspected pulmonary embolism. On arrival every one of the 600 car parking spaces was taken, I have a blue badge and use a mobility scooter. We had to park on a grass verge at the farthest point away from the main building, getting my scooter out of the car onto a main road caused problems, in the meantime I was still having breathing difficulties.

Because of traffic coming towards me, and no pathway, I had to drive my scooter into oncoming traffic. In each row of cars is a pedestrian walkway, every one of these I passed to get to the main building had a car parked on it with barely any room to get past, maneuvering my scooter was very difficult.

By the time I arrived at the main building, my breathing problems were much worse, but I was very angry and could not let it pass, I went to the parking office and asked if they were aware cars were parked on the pedestrian access  and it was unsafe. The reply was sorry we can do nothing about it - all the money taken in parking charges, in an unsafe situation.

On arrival at gate 3A, I was very pleased by my consultation. I knew I was going to be there several hours. I am a retired nurse, so understood it takes time for tests and results,  I also understand that a PE is an emergency. I was cared for by Joanne, a nurse practitioner , she really did know her job. 

All my tests ruled out a PE , I have asthma and COPD, so that was the probable cause of my breathlessness. This was a relief. I left Pinders at 8:20 pm, feeling very satisfied that I had received very good care by Joanne, an excellent nurse. I have been referred for treatment to the chest clinic for ongoing treatment. 

The car parking service needs to look at making it safer for pedestrians, cars parked on pedestrian walkways are a serious danger.

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Responses

Response from Clare Blackburn, Head of patient Experience, Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 2 years ago
Clare Blackburn
Head of patient Experience,
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Submitted on 06/02/2023 at 11:49
Published on Care Opinion at 11:49

Dear Marnie

Thank you for taking the time to post your comments and firstly I would just like to say how pleased I am to read that your tests ruled out a PE. I can only imagine how pleased you must have been to have received those results.

I am really pleased to hear that your experience on Gate 3A was positive and that you were satisfied with the outcome. I will make sure Joanne receives your kind words.

In terms of car parking, I fully appreciate how frustrating this must be at times for our patients, visitors and staff. We have been experiencing a huge increase in numbers of patients and therefore visitors to the hospital. We do advise people to use public transport or be dropped off where possible. I appreciate that this may not always be possible and we are continually looking at the car parking situation and how this can be improved. However, I am sorry that you were unable to find a suitable parking space and had to park on the grass verge.

I will share your comments with the team responsible for car parking and I would like to thank you again for your feedback.

Kind regards

Clare Blackburn

(Head of Patient Experience)

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Marnie. (the patient)

Parking on the grass verge is not the point of my complaint,parking on the Pedestrian Walkway is.

After I reported this to the parking office, the two people there were not concerned that every Walkway had a vehicle parked on it. The response I got was nothing we can do.

Why could nothing be done?. I had a mobility scooter some cars on the Pedestrian Walkway meant I had to use the main road driving into oncoming traffic. Something I could have done without, feeling ill.

It is a question of safety, every Pedestrian was at risk. Do you allow vehicles to park on the walkway, or was there something that the people in the parking office could have done. But did not. Isn't part of the parking charges to provide safety to vehicles and Pedestrians. If I could not pass through the vehicles parked on the Pedestrian walkway on my scooter, people with prams and pushchairs had the same problem. I can only hope things will change.

Once again please answer me, is it your policy to allow vehicles to park on Pedestrian walkways, or were your staff unable to do anything about it?

Response from Clare Blackburn, Head of patient Experience, Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 2 years ago
Clare Blackburn
Head of patient Experience,
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Submitted on 09/03/2023 at 11:48
Published on Care Opinion at 11:48

Dear Marnie

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to you.

Having spoken with our Car Parking Manager, they would like to say how sorry they are that the staff that you spoke were not very helpful. They will remind staff of the importance of positive customer service and your feedback has been shared with them.

Staff do issue parking charge notices to people who park vehicles in a dangerous manner and/or inappropriately.

Parking charge receipts from notices/general parking income are used to finance improvements to parking services that are provided, personal safety is paramount and is clearly a key driver of budget expenditure in this arena.

It is not policy of the Trust to allow such parking breaches in relation to pedestrian walkways, zebra crossings and on adjacent land – such occurrences are always dealt with by warning notice and/or a penalty charge notice by the staff who monitor the car parks.

I hope the above provides you with the reassurance that the safety of our patients, visitors, staff and the public is of paramount importance to the Trust.

Kind regards

Clare Blackburn

(Head of Patient Experience)

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
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