Just Waiting (Hospital)

[Oldjohnw]

My hospital is a 120 mile round trip. Car the only reasonable way of getting there.

I thought you lived in Berwick?

It's easy enough to get to the main Northumberland hospital by bus from Berwick (NB. I'll be on the Berwick bus tomorrow, as I've got another hospital appointment). To be fair, the three journeys I've done there in the past twelve months by emergency ambulance have been much quicker, not least due to the fact that you get seen straight away at the other end (NB. Though it can be difficult to leave the place - twice the $%^&$££ have attempted to force me to stay. Caught the bus home on both occasions )

And with more minor issues such as breaking a couple of ribs and a shoulder three weeks ago, I found it easy enough to walk & cycle to the local A & E

I didn't say impossible but that car was most reasonable. I live in the country: first a bus to town (two hourly) them one or more buses. All to coincide with appointment time. Then in reverse and last bus from town about 6.00pm

[mjr]

Actually, you wrote "only reasonable" by mistake:

My hospital is a 120 mile round trip. Car the only reasonable way of getting there.

Mine's about 110 so I bike-train-bike. Car would not be reasonable in that case because it's a city hospital with insufficient parking so it might even take longer than the bike-based way, once I've queued for parking. It would definitely cost more.

I have both bike-bus-bike and car-bike'd to another city with the nearest major hospital. I think car-bike is often overlooked, but it does rely on there being edge of city car parks with a sensible policy allowing park+pedal - which there are, but not the car park used by park+ride buses (bus patrons only), or the one next to a local council golf course (maximum stay 2 hours - guess that's to stop golfists using it).

[Oldjohnw]

Most hospital appointmens are for my wife who is not able to cycle.

[mjr]

Most hospital appointmens are for my wife who is not able to cycle.

Which is a bit of a different situation and probably the sort of people that outpatients like me should be leaving car parking spaces for!

[rjb]

Rushed into hospital, and sit down and waiting area, then I noticed three guys getting up and walking out, two of them were handcuffed to each other, that's a new one on me only ever see that on TV .

I bet they didn't have to drive around and wait for a parking space.

[gbnz]

My hospital is a 120 mile round trip. Car the only reasonable way of getting there.

I thought you lived in Berwick? .......

I didn't say impossible but that car was most reasonable. I live in the country: first a bus to town (two hourly) them one or more buses. All to coincide with appointment time. Then in reverse and last bus from town about 6.00pm

Hmm..given that the majority of the journey between Berwick and the main Northumberland hospital is undertaken via one bus service (NB. 23 services between 07.00-19.00 Hr's), with merely a couple of short connecting journeys at each end, I wouldn't consider it to be an issue (Nb. Other than on a Sunday when services are reduced). Though there are also a multitude of hi speed train services connecting the same two points

Suppose it depends on how car centric an individual is .

[Oldjohnw]

I thought you lived in Berwick? .......

I didn't say impossible but that car was most reasonable. I live in the country: first a bus to town (two hourly) them one or more buses. All to coincide with appointment time. Then in reverse and last bus from town about 6.00pm

Hmm..given that the majority of the journey between Berwick and the main Northumberland hospital is undertaken via one bus service (NB. 23 services between 07.00-19.00 Hr's), with merely a couple of short connecting journeys at each end, I wouldn't consider it to be an issue (Nb. Other than on a Sunday when services are reduced). Though there are also a multitude of hi speed train services connecting the same two points

Suppose it depends on how car centric an individual is .

Walk in someone else's shoes for a mile before telling them how to live their life. And their is no high speed train service to Ashngton. Minimum 6 hours round trip by bus.

[djnotts]

Strange really, NHS "promotes" exercise, yet on my regular visits to QMC Nottingham which I would usually like to do by cycle I cannot because nowhere safe to leave one. There is a locked area for staff's bikes, but nowhere at all secure for patients'. Public transport is however excellent - tram stop with covered walk way straight in. Even when I had a car would never have bothered driving - parking has been very difficult for some years.

And as one ages the most important factor in deciding where to live is quick and easy access to a major teaching hospital!

[djnotts]

PS if can't live near a suitable hospital, get sent down! As a MacMillan nurse who had previously worked as an HMP nurse told me when I was diagnosed with cancer said "... better care in jail, HMP has a duty of care which the DoH does not, especially palliative...." And often see HMP Sherwood inmates in cuffs at QMC!

[robgul]

I have a bit of a trick for the big hospital in Coventry that I have to attend from time to time where the car parks are all strangely shaped with entry barriers that are on very tight turns from the road which many drivers can't negotiate without a shunt .... once I'm through the barrier I'll look for someone walking to their car, roll down the window and offer them a lift to their car ... and then take the space! Works every time, even better when raining

In contrast to that - here in Stratford-upon-Avon a new hospital (albeit small and a satellite of Warwick) was rebuit 2 or 3 years ago - and what did they build first? The car park!! Wonderful as it made absolute sense for the patients at the old building and for the chaps working on the construction. Perfect planning.

Rob

[softlips]

PS if can't live near a suitable hospital, get sent down! As a MacMillan nurse who had previously worked as an HMP nurse told me when I was diagnosed with cancer said "... better care in jail, HMP has a duty of care which the DoH does not, especially palliative...." And often see HMP Sherwood inmates in cuffs at QMC!

This is quite true. What amazes me is when the inmates of prisons refuse to see consultants when they go to prison to see them. They’ll often go back several times to see one person.

I’ve operated on prisoners and on occasion the prison officers have tried to insist on remaining handcuffed - even after the patient is unconscious!

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Well today I had a plan on another visit to the hospital.
Leave to get there half an hour early, go to a pay on leave the car park, Wait until someone leaves and nip in there.
Got to my favourite car park saw a car leaving, drove in straight up
Walked in got the lift to level seven, had my diagnostic treatment only waiting five minutes in the waiting area, left paid my ticket £2.50, all in under an hour.

[ambodach]

On my recent visits to Oban hospital ( free parking ) I have had little problem parking. Last visit I had to abandon my car there as shunted off to a bigger hospital nearly 100 miles away by taxi as ambulances were all busy. Fortunately I was able to leave the keys at A&E reception for a son to collect the car later. I was seen at RAH Paisley promptly and once the offending gallstone was removed an ambulance took me back home. All part of the service and the staff at both hospitals were cheerful,courteous and helpful. Just another example of the Scottish Government getting on with the day job.

[Mike Sales]

If cars should have free parking, as many believe, then perhaps those who go by bus should have free journeys.
I do, but because of my free bus pass, not because I am going in for treatment. I guess quite a high proportion of patients travel free for the same reason, but many need an escort, or don't qualify for a free bus pass. I catch the bus outside my home and ride about eight miles to the bus station. The wait to change is often short and the ride to the hospital (which has its own stop, of course) is about three miles.
Sometimes late or missing buses make the journey a trial, with much waiting, as today.

[gaz]

My most used hospital is about a six mile each way trip. It's an urban hospital. Many visitors and/or out-patients could walk/cycle/use public transport.

CycleParking4.png

The local NHS trust fails to mention the possibility of either walking or cycling on it's website. The website does mention public transport, with a list of bus services that is years out of date. The maps of the hospital site both online and on the ground do not show the cycle parking locations. Drivers don't face such challenges.

Smoking is banned anywhere on the grounds as it is bad for your health and the health of others. The car parks are full, there are queues of drivers idling their engines .