Osool

Recently, in my capacity as a volunteer driver for Dittons & Weston Green NeighbourCare I drove a 98 year old client to her appointment at the Physiotherapy Department at Cobham Hospital. Having parked in the main car park, my client, whose mobility and breathing are significantly compromised, struggled to climb the slope to reach Physiotherapy and was quite distressed on arrival. I asked the receptionist if we could borrow a wheelchair to return to my car and I was astounded to be told that the department has no wheel chairs, nor does it have walking sticks or crutches. What it does have though is a small car park immediately adjacent to the department and the very helpful and sympathetic receptionist advised me that if I could find this car park (which is neither accessible nor signed from the main car park or Portsmouth Road) I could park there. As she rightly warned, this is no easy feat as it involves negotiating a maze of residential roads with no signage whatsoever.

Given the distance and climb that patients must walk to get from the main car park to Physiotherapy, could signage to the upper car park be put in place as parking there would clearly be very advantageous?
If that is not possible, could directions to the upper car park be given to patients in their appointment letter? As the upper car park is very small, parking could be limited to Blue badge holders - a patient as incapacitated as my client would very likely have a Blue Badge.

I look forward to your reply.

Lesley Haynes Vice Chair, Dittons & Weston Green NeighbourCare