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"Parking at main entrance"

About: Victoria Hospital / Accident & Emergency

(as a carer),

My husband has mobility issues & uses a wheelchair for use outside. He was recently very unwell. 

Four days after receiving treatment from A&E his condition deteriorated, I couldn’t face another episode of waiting for help from the emergency services as we had experienced previously. Our health centre was unattainable due to GPS & clinicians off sick, so I took my husband to A&E.

I drove around the circle at the entrance four times, trying to find a space to park. In the end I had to pull over hard outside the entrance, put my husband in the wheelchair, leaving him to push himself into the building whilst I tried to find a space to park.

I found a space outside a specific clinic, I went in & explained my predicament & asked permission to leave the car until I had at least got my husband booked in to A&E, permission was granted. As soon as I had booked my husband in to A&E I then returned & moved our car.

Cannot tell you how distraught I felt at leaving my very sick husband to wheel himself into the main entrance. In my view, the whole area outside the main entrance is not fit for purpose. In fact car parking at the Victoria Hospital is appalling, in my experience. Disabled spaces at the bottom right hand car park, a hill has to be ascended or descended, really? Try walking up or down the hill with chronic pain or pushing a wheelchair up or down it.

There are so many car parks spread far & wide for access to the hospital, I think it would make sense to provide a small bus to circulate the car parks to drop patients & visitors alike at the main entrance. Surely hospital volunteers could assist. I absolutely dread the thought of attending the Victoria Hospital,I get stressed before I even leave the house, I always give myself an extra forty five minutes' travel time before appointment to allow the time to park.

However on a positive note to end, thank you for putting barriers up at the main entrance car park area in the centre for disabled parking, preventing parking at the back of parked cars, many of whom need access to the car boot to put in wheelchairs or walking aids. 


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Responses

Response from Jamie Doyle, Head of Nursing - Acute Services Division (Corporate), Acute Services Division, NHS Fife nearly 2 years ago
Jamie Doyle
Head of Nursing - Acute Services Division (Corporate), Acute Services Division,
NHS Fife
Submitted on 12/10/2023 at 11:55
Published on Care Opinion at 11:55


Dear Barbara945

Thank you for your feedback and I am sorry to hear of your experience, what a very stressful situation to find yourselves in at the time when you were trying to get your husband help. We have recently re-opened the external doors to the Accident and Emergency Department and work has been undertaken to improve signage and parking in terms of drop off. I hope this helpful, I know that won't change your experience, but I hope this gives some assurance that access to the Accident and Emergency Department has improved. The parking facilities within the hospital grounds are always under review, with the aim to improve access, especially in situations like you describe. I am sorry again, fully appreciating the added stress that was caused. I do hope your husband received the care he required and that his recovery is going well. Please take care, and pass on my kind regards to him. I will also ensure that your feedback is highlighted with the appropriate team who manages the car parking.

Thank you, Jamie Doyle.

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Response from Esther Davidson, Senior Charge Nurse, Accident & Emergency, NHS Fife nearly 2 years ago
Esther Davidson
Senior Charge Nurse, Accident & Emergency,
NHS Fife
Submitted on 12/10/2023 at 12:06
Published on Care Opinion at 16:53


I am so sorry you had such a stressful time, attempting to get your husband seen by both the G.P service and then in managing to access the hospital. Unfortunately I am unable to influence the difficulties with parking, but I am glad you were able to access medical attention for your husband.

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