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.
"Parking at main entrance"
About: Victoria Hospital / Accident & Emergency Victoria Hospital Accident & Emergency KY2 5AH
Posted by Barbara945 (as ),
Do you have a similar story to tell?
Tell your story & make a difference
››
Responses
See more responses from Jamie Doyle
See more responses from Esther Davidson