How will patients & elderly survive the walk unassisted?

caf said :

You can actually exit from the multistorey carpark onto Hospital Road – I think it’s on the first or second floor of the carpark. The walk along Hospital Road is mostly flat, and I think there are some places you could rest along the way too.

That’s true, that’s probably a slightly easier walk. Thanks for the idea. Still a big ask for a frail person without assistance.

Rawhide Kid Part3 said :

winter said :

Isn’t there some disabled parking in the basement?

Yep. But you would have to get there pretty early to get a spot.

Exactly, that area is ideal, but only small and is packed out quite early. You could not rely upon it, and would need to take a helper in case you had to resort to a far away space. My family member does have a disabled sticker, and we have rented a wheelchair for the (hopefully only) year he will require it.

wrigbe said :

I was unable to get closer parking than the park across the road and was not prepared to drop a child unaccompanied outside the hopsital to wait for me.

This is terrible! And exactly what we’re afraid of. We could definitely not carry our family member, nor leave him unattended for long in his current unwell state.

Thank you all for your ideas and comments. I’m going to shoot an email to Dept Health and Chief Minister etc and see if they’re at all interested in looking into the issue before it impacts too many people. Prevention is better than a cure!

You can actually exit from the multistorey carpark onto Hospital Road – I think it’s on the first or second floor of the carpark. The walk along Hospital Road is mostly flat, and I think there are some places you could rest along the way too.

Mshell said :

do you mean something like this?
http://www.totalparkingsolutions.co.uk/product_guide.html
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnM4lRsZ6aQ

there are other similar products allready out there.

That’s probably worthwhile – the savings in space would cover at least some of the costs, and being able to reduce unnecessary walking for patients justifies the effort.
Good suggestion.

If you can’t walk from the multi-storey to the hospital, maybe you should be in a wheelchair??? Now there’s a valid reason for having a disability sticker on the windscreen. I am sick of seeing people park in disabled spots and just walk normally to where they are going. Just because you’re old, obese or have some other inconspicuous disease does not give you the right to take prime parking positions when you can walk, amble, meander, step, pace or shuffle. If you genuinely cannot walk without the aid of crutches or wheels I don’t think you deserve to have the privilege of disabled parking. Abuse of the system from lazy folks has exasperated this predicament.
Before you accuse me of making this up, I can affirm that I speak from experience, having watched the northern most undercover disabled parking area over a two week period whilst working directly above these poor crippled people, who exited their vehicles and proudly strolled to the entrance without any difficulties. Some appeared to be well dressed professionals, whilst others were just lazy and fat. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see why, when they don’t have to walk as far as everyone else.

winter said :

Isn’t there some disabled parking in the basement?

Yes, there is disabled parking in the basement. Easy access to the lifts as well. Not everyone who is elderly will have a disability sticker but the drivers will be able to drop them off at thebasement car park before leaving to find another park. Not the best solution but the basement car park is well lit, under cover from the elements and has easy access to the lifts.

winter said :

Isn’t there some disabled parking in the basement?

Yep. But you would have to get there pretty early to get a spot. I’ve seen people park there (under the main building) with a label and precede to walk without assistance to the hospital bus stop and hop on. Not sure what’s going on, but I’m pretty suspicious about it.

do you mean something like this?
http://www.totalparkingsolutions.co.uk/product_guide.html
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnM4lRsZ6aQ

there are other similar products allready out there.

wrigbe said :

I understand that these are busy hospitals. But more close parking for patients and regular rest stops in the car parks would help a lot.

When you come up with a design that provides everyone with a parking spot close to the front door make sure you patent it. You will make a fortune.

Isn’t there some disabled parking in the basement?

Parking and rest stops in the car parks is an ongoing issue. Last year my daughter broke her ankle and had to attend Canberra Hospital. I was unable to get closer parking than the park across the road and was not prepared to drop a child unaccompanied outside the hopsital to wait for me. So I was forced to carry a 9 year old from across the road. Though she is underweight for a 9 year old, she felt pretty heavy by the time I got her up the hill to the hospital!

More recently my doctor sent me to Calvary emergency. I was able to drive but not able to walk far without resting. I ended up having to drive around for considerably extra time to find a park that was close enough for me to safely walk from.

I understand that these are busy hospitals. But more close parking for patients and regular rest stops in the car parks would help a lot.