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Care Opinion

Parking needs to be improved

Posted By Closer355

"Parking needs to be improved"

About: University Hospital Hairmyres

(as the patient),

I’ve been attending the hospital for many years and currently have to visit between 2/3 times a week. Recently though, there has been an increasing problem with the lack of parking spaces. I believe the reason has something to do with an increase in costs for parking at the train station now use the hospital car park instead.

When I was younger it wouldn't have had the same impact, but I have to use crutches now and I attend the falls prevention service, this means that I need the help of my husband to get out of the car and to the hospital, and ideally a disabled parking space. But when we arrive at the hospital we don’t know if we’ll get a space or if it will be a monopoly.

I think some people don’t understand then when you have crutches your need a wider space to open your door wider and get out safely. It’s difficult as well when my husband has to help me get out of the car and leave me by myself to then drive off and find a space. He himself isn't well and it isn't good for him to have to walk so far from a space to a car. We've also seen other cars so desperate for a space that they have parked in the road and blocked other people form finding a space.

I just wanted to leave my feedback in the hope that it may lead to someone being able to think of a better way to improve things.

But I have always received wonderful care from this hospital and don’t know what we would do without it!

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Responses

Response from Susan Friel, Director of Nursing, Acute Services, NHS Lanarkshire 7 years ago
Susan Friel
Director of Nursing, Acute Services,
NHS Lanarkshire

Submitted on 13/05/2016 at 09:49
Published on Care Opinion at 10:35

picture of Susan Friel

Dear Closer355

You are quite correct; there is no doubt people are using the hospital car park inappropriately. I fully appreciate how frustrating this is, particularly as you are attending the hospital so frequently, and have the added difficulty of trying to mobilise with crutches!

Unfortunately, we don’t have any statutory powers to enforce parking regulations. However, in the past, to try and alleviate the problem senior managers have come in at 7.00am and asked commuters not to use the car parks at the hospital as they are for our patients, their carers and staff. This had a limited effect for a short period of time.

We have installed additional signs at disabled parking areas advising that these bays are strictly for disabled parking and the road markings have recently been renewed clearly identifying disabled parking bays. Security staff also regularly monitor the use of the car parks to identify vehicles that are abusing disabled parking spaces or are parked inappropriately or in a manner which causes obstruction to emergency vehicles, such as ambulances or the fire department. We will continue to do what we can to resolve this problem.

Thank you for your feedback and kind comments about the wonderful care you have received from the staff at Hairmyres Hospital.

Kind regards

Susan

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