"The outpatient staff were friendly ..."

What I liked

The outpatient staff were friendly and helpful and the wait was short to see the doctor and be referred for further outpatient tests. The xray prior to the appointment was done swiftly with no waiting, the cafeteria provided sufficient refreshments as i had come early expecting parking delays but fond a space quite quickly. Excel parking do make you pay for 4 hrs as no one is there for 1hr and so i'm sure many pay £2.50 each visit even for the 2hr visitng hours on the wards as the choice is only up to one hour or 1-4hrs! But parking was not a problem so i was presently surprised. The staff were dressed smartly.

What could be improved

The outpatient dept is in prefab buildings and so sitting areas were cramped and not enough. The staff do their best but th environment is not the most suitable for outpatient clinics even though they have been made to look clinical,friendly and welcoming and have all the facilities. The wait was passed the actual time on the appointment so there should be a clock or sign to say how far they are running behind. I did not find any alcohol gel to wash my hands before or after entering the department. Name badges would have helped instead of the ocassional security badge located secretly on an inside pocket!