"This appeared to be a well managed ..."

What I liked

This appeared to be a well managed ward with 3 members of staff present at the nurses station on the way in to meet, greet and question visitors upon arrival and had a very visible ward sister on duty.

What could be improved

I am a lawyer and was visiting a patient on one of the wards and again c ould not find an empty space in which to park in the car park fronting the main entrance. There was no sign of the uniformed men whom i have been told move cones etc when the car park is busy and in cases of emergency. If they were on a break then fair enough but surely their breaks should be staggered so someone is always there? Having driven slowly around twice i drove to the top end of the hospital and parked in the car park which used to serve the old dermatology department. i entered through entrance 5 and it took about 10 mins longer to reach the ward, which is already a long enough walk for some people who are not as able as others. This means my client has had to pay more for the visit. Furthermore there was no sign of any porters to help those less able nor any chairs etc for those less able to be wheeled to their destination by an alternative route. I am fit and able but not everyone is. These issues need to be addressed.

Anything else?

I hope that what might have been a general hospital policy of not answering telephones during shift hand over has changed.and that all ward extension telephones are now answered promptly at all times of the day, including during hand over. The consequences of unmanned nurses stations and unanswered telephones in a HOSPITAL could be dire!!!!