"Need a wheelchair?"

If, like me, you require a wheelchair for your partner - beware!

My husband is very unstable on his feet and unable to walk very far. Last Tuesday 1st September we arrived to go to the xray dept.

I walked into main entrance and was greeted by the porters and the WRVS (who had no wheelchairs). The porters oh'd and arr'd saying there was only ten wheelchairs for the use off and all were in use - great! After a while a porter 'found' a wheelchair and took my husband to the said dept., however, they couldn't leave him in the wheelchair as they needed their 'coin' again out of the slot machine.

So we got there but then no wheelchair again - I hope you are able to follow.

Eventually and with some trepidation that he might fall he had his xray, we then needed a wheelchair again!

Xray phoned - no answer. I walked over to main entrance and a real farce began. Porters - no wheelchairs,

Volunteers - we might have one if you go down the corridor to .... and wait. I waited, and waited. People came to me and went away again, and came again. I was sent to another spot to wait - no wheelchair. Yet another volunteer came - has nobody seen to you yet? I should perhaps have entered this farce by saying yes and adding to the chaotic behaviour.

I was told there were only 10 wheelchairs - 10! for a hospital that is supposed to be of service to patients, you know, sick people, some needing wheelchairs.

This is not a one off experience, this is all the time - I know, I use the hospital regularly for my husband. Perhaps whoever reads this might show it to the Chief Exec. I would love to know what can be done about it. If you have no idea perhaps Mr Chief Exec. you might go to the MRI and see how they care for their outpatient patients. There are volunteers who walk around wearing sash in red asking if they can be of help. They have thousands of wheelchairs dotted around the place, and as I need some assistance with pushing the said chair, there is someone there to help me. Believe me I tried to avoid SSH. This view has nothing to do with the staff but everything to do with the management! It will be interesting to see if I hear from you!

Gosh, they don't even have xray on the 'what department' did you visit!