"It's quicker to walk!!"

What a complete mess the car 'parking' facility is for visitors and patients. I arrived some 50minutes early with my son for his OPD appointment. Over 1 hour later I was still rotating around the various tiny parking areas in the vague hope that a fellow visitor would return to their car adjacent to where I was waiting. This never happened.

I sent my son ahead, not a satisfactory thing to do. Having phoned the hospital switchboard, a very helpful person put me through directly to the person in charge of the department who, was obviously very used to this problem, told me what to do and where I may try to park. I eventually joined my son, and we were seen 20 minutes late.

This is no way to run a business. It should not be acceptable to expect patients to arrive 90 minutes before their appointment. I am grateful for my son that we were accommodated by the OPD, but something needs to be fine NOW to resolve the parking issues. What about off site parking with a 15min shuttle bus? This is no way to treat ill people, or people who may be needing to be with an ill loved one, and can't get parked.

Today, having the need to be visiting another 'local NHS' hospital, I arrived early, parked effortlessly, and am now enjoying a cup of coffee before my appointment.

Poor management of resources.