'£400m hospital is like a cattle market'
NORTH Staffordshire's flagship new hospital has become 'like a cattle market' and leaves patients confused and baffled, it has been claimed.
Concerns have been raised that the reception of the £400 million superhospital is overcrowded with patients in wheelchairs, pensioners using walking sticks and harassed parents all trying to find the department they need.
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PROBLEMS: The new superhospital.
Now bosses at the complex, which opened in March, are being urged to improve the entrance area to stop the public being so overwhelmed on arrival for medical appointments.
The criticism came at a meeting of North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which is preparing to take over as the NHS funding body for Newcastle and the Staffordshire Moorlands.
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Its directors promised to look into the issue to see if it should be raised with executives at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
It was highlighted by retired learning disabilities consultant specialist psychiatrist Bob Londhe, who had visited the unit as a patient to have blood tests.
He told the CCG board meeting: "We have got a superb new hospital building – but it's like a cattle market in there at times.
"There are screaming children, people in wheelchairs, patients with walking sticks all wondering where they should be.
"This could be solved if it were managed a bit better. National research shows people's first impressions of a hospital environment influences how they view their whole treatment."
Dr Londhe worked for decades at the now-closed Stallington Hospital, in Blythe Bridge, and then with patients in the community.
He spoke out as the CCG meeting in the Medical Institute, Hartshill, was discussing ways of harnessing patients' views when checking up on services it commissions.
The board had heard how a 20-strong 'patient congress' had been formed to provide the public's perspective on care.
It is made up of representatives from each GP practice in Newcastle and the Moorlands, together with people from voluntary groups working alongside the NHS.
After being told of a range of measures to gather patients' opinions, Dr Londhe said: "You doctors and managers should be getting out from behind your desks to see the services for yourselves.
"It is part of the British culture to be polite and so people don't say what they really think about the services they receive."
CCG lay director Naomi Chambers agreed patients were often too polite to speak their minds.
And she admitted that during a recent hospital stay she had told staff she 'felt OK' several times even though she was in pain.
She said: "If the hospital appears like a long haul flight departure lounge to people then we need to challenge the trust to make some simple changes to try and prevent that."
Mother-of-one Maxine Shaw, aged 50, of Harriseahead, who has had three appointments at the new hospital, said: "I found the main atrium busy but well-organised and the departments well-signposted with plenty of staff available to help.
"The public have got to think for themselves sometimes and simply look up at the signs."
Comments
by Jolyteddy
Friday, September 14 2012, 11:08PM
“I, too found thinggs easy and, on my visit, there was a greeter, who asked if anyone needed any help.
My only grouse is that neurology's waiting room is airless, with just a window in the ceiling; unpleasantly hot on a warm day, as the only cooling was from one small fan.”
by amartinone
Friday, September 14 2012, 6:42PM
“It's a hospital. Of course there are going to be screaming kids and people in wheelchairs or on walking sticks!
When I went, the first thing I noticed was a large queue for two electronic check-in machines, while there were two obviously functional machines around the corner with no-one using them. I'm just glad I has the intellegence to use the free machines. As I was checking in, I heard a few tuts and whispered comments aimed towards me - something about pushing in. A few people though decided to join me, probably realising that they'd just been queuing for nothing. It also amazes me how some people get confused when given simple instructions (like "please enter your date of birth") by a computer.
Once I got my checked in, I received a slip telling me to go to opthalmology, which was really easy to find. I just looked at the big direction sign in reception (which if I remember right was conveniently in alphabetical order), then followed the direction of the arrow marked "Opthalmology / Eye Clinic".
In the Opthalmology reception, I handed in my slip to the receptionist, who told me to sit down and wait for a bit. I then heard a big voice announcing my name and to go to waiting area C, which again was very clearly signed.
All in all, a very stress free experience. In fact, the only stressful part of the whole thing was getting several needles stabbed into my eyelids!”
by sausagelord
Friday, September 14 2012, 1:28PM
“I think it's fine there - found my way around OK. The only problem is, you guessed it, parking! When I attended couldn't get a space anywhere near the bottom of the site next to the A34. Had to park on the multi-storey at the top and walk the 15 minute trek to where I was going. Really needs a multi-storey at the bottom of the site.”
by britpark
Friday, September 14 2012, 1:15PM
“Attended for some laser treatment, Electronic check in, good signage, announcements saying where to report to. It's so efficient and so much better than Central Outpatients used to be. Sounds like he wants to ban wheelchair and walking stick users.”
by budgiescfc
Friday, September 14 2012, 12:53PM
“My seven hours wait up there was lovely ................”
by Havark
Friday, September 14 2012, 11:14AM
“Had to take my son up the other week and i found it very easy to find my way. Maybe these people are thick as pig sh*t and need learn to read”