"Accessibility"

I am 84 years of age and recently moved to Pickering from Harrogate. I do not drive and am dependent on buses to attend appointments. Because connections are critical in getting to and from Pickering I need to know my way round the hospital to return to the hospital bus stop and do not have a lot of time to get from any outpatient department to the main entrance.

Last week I attended the hospital for the first time for an urology clinic and from the main entrance reception was sent on a long tour of the hospital having to ask several times on the way before I found Urology close to the north entrance. On emerging there, I had no idea how to get back to the main entrance and the bus stop to return to the town for a bus back to Pickering. I have tried various ways to find a map of the site layout and the floor plan of the building - which has been available for patients at Harrogate District Hospital for several years - but with no success. Now, the last straw - when I tried to telephone the hospital using the number shown on your website I am told that the number I have dialled has not been recognised - and I dialled it three times very carefully.

I shall have more appointments - one at Radiology tomorrow - and do not look forward to the experience. People attending hospital are not always feeling at their best and could do without the stress of finding their way to and from the clinic round the labyrinth of a huge badly signed hospital.