Patients and visitors with mobility issues will find getting around The QEH site easier from today (Monday 18 September), with the launch of our new car park buggy service.
The six-seater buggy, will be in operation weekdays from 9am to noon initially to ferry passengers who feel unable to walk from the main car park to the hospital building.
Driven by specially trained volunteers, it will take a circular route from the QEH main car park, up to the Emerson Unit, through to the main entrance and back down to the main car park.
The Trust involved members of the Patient and Carers Forum in the planning stages. Importantly they took the time to walk the route with the Estates and Facilities and Volunteer Services teams as a fresh pair of eyes and to give suggestions on how the service would best benefit users.
Paul Brooks, Director of Estates and Facilities, commented: “We’re proud to launch our new car park buggy here at Team QEH! This is something I’ve seen to be effective at other hospitals and it’s great we’ve been able to listen to patient feedback to take this project forward on our site.
“As with all new services we will review and extend our buggy offering where needed as we gather feedback from our visitors on how useful they find it. Our volunteer drivers will have forms so you can give feedback, or please scan the QR code in the buggy – we hope this will prove to be a useful service for many of our patients and visitors.”
Initially the buggy service will run Monday to Friday from 9am to 12noon to assess the level of usage. People can get on the buggy in the main car park at the bottom of the first ramp which is also the wheelchair drop off point – signage will be in place to direct people. There will be no formalised timetable – the buggy will run as needed when people arrive..
Joanne Rowe, Volunteer Services Manager, commented: “I’d like to thank our five volunteers for agreeing to support this new initiative at the QEH. It’s certainly going to be a fantastic resource for visitors to the site and our fully trained volunteers are excited to get started. If you’d be interested in volunteering for us, either as a buggy driver or in one of our many other roles, please do let in touch.”
To find out more about becoming a volunteer call 01553 214687 or email volunteerapplications@qehkl.nhs.uk.
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For further information, please contact Communications Team, media.enquiries@qehkl.nhs.uk or 01553 613216.
Photo caption: Paul Brooks, Director of Estates and Facilities, volunteer driver Bob Marsden, CEO Alice Webster, Jacqui Wilson, Volunteer coordinator and Louise Griffin, Estates Project Officer.
To download the full press pack click here.
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