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Duty to Disabled people

Posted By Disabled companion

"Duty to Disabled people"

About: King's Mill Hospital / Trauma and orthopaedics Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust - Queen's Medical Centre Campus / Trauma and orthopaedics

(as a relative),

My husband attended an outpatients appointment today in the spinal clinic. Due to lack of car parking spaces and my husband's difficulty in walking with two arm crutches we travelled by tram. By the time he reached the clinic from the tram lift he was in considerable pain.

Therefore I would like to draw your attention to how disabled patients are treated at Kings Mill Hospital. Inside the main entrance stands a buggy to take patients to the appropriate clinic or lift (this is readily available and driven by volunteers). The distance from the tram lift at QMC to the main entrance would also benefit from some means of transport.

My husband's struggle to reach his appointment exaggerated his already painful condition, and may I also add there are no available wheelchairs either to enable me to push him. I think this should be addressed as urgent as you have a duty to disabled people visiting your hospital.

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Responses

Response from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 7 years ago
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Submitted on 25/05/2016 at 08:56
Published on Care Opinion at 12:30

Thank you for getting in touch. We are sorry to hear your husband was in such pain after the journey. We absolutely accept that the absence of a dedicated tram entrance and direct access into the main hospital is far from ideal, especially for disabled passengers or those with mobility problems.

We are progressing our work to develop a walkway (with direct access into the hospital from the tram platform). We hope the new tram entrance will be ready by Summer 2017.

In the meantime, we have a Medilink bus service to help transport passengers from the tram stop to the main entrances of the hospital, where wheelchairs are generally available. The Medilink stop is opposite the platform. We have arrangements for all passengers (including disabled passengers) to access the main hospital directly from the platform in the event of an emergency or lift breakdown. This entrance cannot be used routinely as it is not fit for purpose for the volume of tram passengers accessing the hospitals daily.

The buggy at King’s Mill Hospital sounds like a great idea. We have a similar arrangement at City Hospital and will explore what we can do at QMC to help patients to get around the hospital.

Kind regards,

Andrew Chatten

Director of Estates & Facilities

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