"Urgent Care Unit 9 Jan 15.15 - ..."

What I liked

Urgent Care Unit 9 Jan 15.15 - 19.15 approx. Two receptionists at Royal Blackburn smiled and were interested and sympathetic

Nurses professional and highly competent. Good bedside manner.

The Doctor confidently diagnosed the problem, explained the options thoroughly and assisted with the plastering (for snapped Achilles tendon). Offered Fracture Clinic appointment.

Follow up call from Doctor the day after offering a special boot.

Called Orthotic Unit about shoe size, they called back to advise when to go in. Hospital bus service offered.

What could be improved

Urgent Care Unit. Waiting area too small. Insufficient space between seat rows. Ill people had to get up to let others pass. Numbers waiting (inc relatives with the elderly and children) varied from 28 (OK) 38 (Bit busy) 50 (too busy)

Cost of Taxi from Nelson to Blackburn £18.00 each way, expensive but I had to get there, and get home with my new crutches.

Reception staff behind glass screen from wall to ceiling. Is this necessary when we have security staff on duty. It does not set the right tone - says "us staff need to be kept safe from you sick people".

Lack of wheelchairs at times – boy with knee injury had to walk to treatment supported by a nurse and his mum.

2.5 hr wait + for old people with open facial wounds. Some waits 4 hours plus.

“We are proud to give excellent healthcare" poster – shouldn't the overall service (not just direct medical care) speak for itself?

A woman felt sick, so she was given a cardboard "hat" to be sick into. No one offered to take hat full of sick away - evidence of a lack of respect for her and other waiting patients. No privacy for her.

No nurses or volunteers checking on new arrivals/waiting patients.

Ramp outside for wheelchairs and crutch users too steep. It was my first time on crutches, and it was not very enjoyable making my way down the ramp, especially as it had salt/grit on its surface as well.

Entrance to Urgent Care too far from bus stop.

No provision for drop of and collect parking, nowhere convenient to wait in the warm for your bus taxi etc.

Anything else?

The main problems are the size of the waiting area for the Urgent Care Unit and poor access. Needs redesigning and/or relocating.