"First impressions of new bone marrow transplant clinic"

I recently had my first appointment at the newly opened South Glasgow University Hospital. My clinic, for bone marrow transplant patients, had recently transferred from the Beatson Centre to this new hospital.

I understand the reasons for doing this and the benefits for patients at the new hospital: better acute care mainly, but I think patients will miss the close by Maggie's Centre, and in-patients will miss the "Friends of Beatson Centre" which was hugely helpful to me during my stay for transplant.

The point I wish to raise about the new clinic, is that for my first appointment I was kept waiting in a general waiting area for over an hour before being called into the transplant clinic area. Bone marrow transplant patients are highly susceptible to infections, and these can be life threatening - doctors constantly warn about this. When attending clinics at the Beatson the first thing I was always asked is "how are you feeling" and people with coughs and colds, or any other type of possible infection were seated in a separate area.

This was not done at the new hospital, and we had to wait in an area with other non-transplant patients who were not infection aware (a fracture clinic was nearby).

I feel more could have been done at the clinic area for bone marrow transplant patients - to keep us safe, while we recover from highly risky treatment. Practices in place at the Beatson did not seems to have transferred to the new hospital. I know it is early days and there may be teething problems for the first few weeks. I hope these will be quickly solved.

Hospital is lovely inside though, lots of seating areas. Will try the "soup kitchen" next time