"I recently took my 90 year old ..."

What could be improved

I recently took my 90 year old mother to the orthopaedic outpatients department at Lincoln County Hospital. She was told to be there half an hour early for an x-ray. In the event the plaster had to be removed before the x-ray which seemed rather odd - why not just give an appointment time? We were also at the hospital for nearly four hours as it transpired that a piece of paper was missing. It would have helped if we had known that. Fortunately we did not need to worry about car parking, but this could have been the case. However hunger and thirst had to be catered for and had my mother been alone she could not have managed to get anything in the department. I was able to take the lift to the hospital entrance where there is a cafeteria. Carrying two hot cups of (rather pricey) coffee down on the lift was not easy - nor was there any indication as to which floor I needed, or even what was on the various floors reachable from that lift!

I would like to suggest that a well equipped refreshment trolley taken into orthopaedics would raise a substantial amount of money in that crowded department as people dare not leave their seats in case they missed their turn, also many of them would be incapable of carrying anything - let alone hot drinks!

I was also very suprised that there were no hand sterilising machines in the hospital entrance or orthopaedics or xray departments. Perhps these are situated at ward entrances. I hope so as they are surely a vital asset to any hospital.

Finally my mother's arm is much better now. Thankyou for taking care of it.

PS I had some difficulty finding my way round your website.