10:03am Friday 10th July 2009
OPEN letter to health officials.
I HAVE just returned from an appointment at the Amersham Hospital with the Bone Density Department. And extremely efficient they were.
However, finding them was another matter.
My instructions by letter were clear. Park in the Whielden Street Car Park come to Entrance F take the lift to the second floor and see X ray reception.
Easy. Easy that is if you can find Entrance F.
I parked on the far right of the car park as you look at the building and went past a couple of blue signs, one of which indicated “Main Entrance”.
I walked on to the end of the building and found that this “Main Entrance” was actually called “Entrance D”.
I had not seen entrances for ‘E’ or ‘F’ on my way and was unsure where they might be.
In any event, I retraced my steps along the front of the building, spoke to a couple of elderly ladies who were like me trying to find Entrance F and were resting on a bench outside Entrance D.
I turned into a courtyard a little way down, saw some ambulances and found a set of double doors. Beside them the sign said 'Entrance F'. You don’t need to be Einstein to work out that a little sign on the blue directions board by the car park with an arrow facing up and the words Entrance F would help to take some of the mystery out of the whereabouts of Entrance F. A sign on this board with an arrow pointing to the left hand side of the building and the legend Entrance D wouldn't go amiss either.
God knows where Entrance E might be.
A little thought and you will have the general public, who are not familiar with the entrances to Amersham Hospital, singing your praises, as opposed to cursing the uselessness of the administration who couldn’t organise a decent sign.
I met up with the elderly ladies a while later when they finally got there. They had walked to either end of the building twice before they found their way to Entrance F. Did you have it mind to give patients in Buckinghamshire a little extra exercise? I don’t suppose the old ladies with their sticks would have thanked you.
I look forward to seeing clear signage about the entrances to the building in Whielden Street when I next visit. Not that I need it now as I know where to go but ‘for the benefit of others’, you understand.
Duncan MacDougall, St Mary’s Way, Chalfont St Peter.
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