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"Hospital facilities"

About: University Hospital Hairmyres

(as a service user),

I recently was at Hairmyres and was shocked. At the main entrance a man fell after he got out a taxi, myself and other people tried to help the man. I ran inside to find a wheelchair or someone to help - to my disgust the wheelchair bay was empty and when I went into the atrium to ask I was told that the hospital had a shortage of wheelchairs. How is this acceptable?

I informed the staff a man had fallen and went back outside, by this point the man was sitting on the bench outside the main doors and couldn't get into the hospital as he was so unsteady and required a wheelchair and some assistance. I waited 10 minutes with him until my lift arrived and no one came out to help or to bring a wheel chair. The hospital should have more than enough chairs, double the amount that is actually required and there should be plans in place if someone should fall. Was it not caught on CCTV or something. Why did no staff come out to help, why was there no wheelchairs, why was the man left to sit and wait. I have been really upset by this and after I left couldn't help but worry for hours after about that man. 

Something needs to be done in these situations and someone should be checking that at all times the wheelchair bay is full. It's not the first time i have came to the hospital and seen people looking in vain for a chair. 

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Responses

Response from Christine McNeill, Patient Affairs Manager, University Hospital Hairmyres, NHS Lanarkshire 6 years ago
Christine McNeill
Patient Affairs Manager, University Hospital Hairmyres,
NHS Lanarkshire
Submitted on 13/12/2017 at 14:42
Published on Care Opinion at 16:26


Dear Concerned visit

Thank you for your comments. I'm extremely sorry that this incident has caused you such distress. I am very keen to look into it further and would be very grateful if you could contact the patient affairs department on: 01355 585325.

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