"poor signage and minimal pre appointment..."

I recently attended a first outpatients appointment at this hospital. Driving from Stockport I parked at the first signed car park on Hathersage road. I had not been sent a map and so I was not aware that the other car park was much closer to the outpatient department. I therefore walked a considerable distance to the entrance to the hospital. I will acknowledge that for me this was not a problem as I am fully mobile. Once I entered the hospital there were no signs to outpatients. I chose to follow what appeared to be the main corridor, there were signs to many wards and departments but none to outpatients. At a particularly busy junction I stood for some time trying to work out which way to go and wondering if I would in fact be late for the appointment. Then a charming young member of staff came and asked where I was going and escorted me to my destination as she was going there as well. As we got closer the signs did appear, but presumably no one expected outpatients to arrive by the entrance I used. The member of staff confided in me that she herself had been trying to find the department of nuclear medicine but had failed to do so and was returning to her base to try and find out where it was. After my appointment I explored the site and located the Grafton st entrance, which I shall use in future, and on my way back to Hathersage road I saw numerous bewildered people trying to orientate themselves according to the signs. Most of these were far less able than I to deal with the consequent confusion and anxiety caused. This enormous site may be cost effective as far as mangers are concerned but I would suggest that it is unmanageble for patients to navigate with its current poor signage.