Care Opinion

Wheelchair problems

Posted By Flo831

"Wheelchair problems"

About: University Hospital Ayr / Rehabilitation Medicine

(as a service user),

Attended as an out patient and was in foyer heading home when we met an older couple, the woman in a hospital wheelchair with the man trying to drag it. My daughter went to offer help but found that a rear wheel had seized. We had several folks commenting to us that they were easier to pull but also had a member of staff say that they were actually designed to be pulled.

Having attended Moving & Handing I know that this is not the case and not what you want folks to be told. 

I was almost speechless but I politely replied that H&S plus M&H would disagree and they were designed to be pushed.

Perhaps signs could be there for public awareness, again? 

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Responses

Response from Pamela Gibson, Patient Experience Facilitator, Nursing, NHS Ayrshire and Arran last month
We are preparing to make a change
Pamela Gibson
Patient Experience Facilitator, Nursing,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Monitor stories and provide administration for NHS Ayrshire & Arran

Submitted on 29/01/2025 at 13:14
Published on Care Opinion at 13:42

picture of Pamela Gibson

Dear Flo831

Thank you for taking the time to share your recent healthcare experience with us via Care Opinion.

I am very sorry to read about the situation you have described and I am liaising with colleagues in the Health & Safety and Moving & Handling Teams to address this.

Please accept my best wishes and thank you once again for taking to get in touch with us.

Kind Regards

Pamela

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Flo831 (a service user)

Thank you! As an ex member of staff, I know these teams work incredibly hard to ensure the safety of patients and staff. I was a bit like a dog at a bone watching others deal with chairs, they’d be proud of me. My boss was amused at me instructing a senior member of staff taking their child home and telling them I didn’t want to see them pulling.

Response from Pamela Gibson, Patient Experience Facilitator, Nursing, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 3 weeks ago
We have made a change
Pamela Gibson
Patient Experience Facilitator, Nursing,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Monitor stories and provide administration for NHS Ayrshire & Arran

Submitted on 18/02/2025 at 10:03
Published on Care Opinion at 10:27

picture of Pamela Gibson

Dear Flo831,

By way of an update for you, I can confirm that our Moving & Handling Team have developed a new poster demonstrating the correct method to be used when pushing a patient or relative in a wheelchair.

As soon as the poster has been approved we will have it displayed in public areas and in particular the areas where wheelchairs are located and used most frequently.

Kind Regards

Pamela

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Flo831 (a service user)

This is so good! I’ll have a wee smile when I see them

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