Cabins plonked in disabled infirmary bays

Rochdale Infirmary

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Councillors have spoken of their anguish this week after cabins were placed in disabled parking bays at Rochdale Infirmary.

Two portable units housing makeshift offices for hospital staff were placed on top of one another at the Infirmary last week.

The cabins are being used for staff from the accident and emergency department whilst improvment work is being carried out on their offices.

Smallbridge and Firgrove Councillor Jean Ashworth said: “My biggest fear is that the portable cabins are going to cause massive disruption and pose many problems for disabled motorists who are visiting the hospital. It could also force disabled visitors to park further away from the entrance to the hospital as the cabins take up four car parking spaces.”

Councillor Ashworth, who is also a healthcare assistant at the Infirmary, continued: “I know that the cabins are only temporary but this is simply unacceptable. Are they expecting disabled visitors to pay for parking or do they want them to park elsewhere and struggle to make their way to the hospital? Its ridiculous and nobody I have talked to can understand why these cabins have been put in that location. I think that the Trust need to totally re-think there plans to house hospital staff to make sure this doesn’t happen again in the future.”

Paul Rowen MP said: “This is the 21st Century and there is no way that two portable cabins should be used to house NHS staff. I simply cannot understand why they have chosen to move staff into these totally inadequate medical facilities. What makes this decision even worse is the fact that they have placed the portable cabins in disabled car parking spaces. Where are disabled patients supposed to park now?”

Graham Lord, head of estate development at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the location of these temporary buildings in the car park for disabled people at Rochdale Infirmary. 

“Improvements to patient’s facilities are due to commence in the Accident and Emergency Department at the Infirmary and the buildings are required to provide temporary office accommodation for A&E staff whilst the alterations are carried out. 

“Unfortunately, due to layout of the site and the need to connect into existing services, the only viable option was to locate the temporary buildings on this car park. The buildings have been stacked (one on top of the other) to limit the number of spaces lost.

“There are a total of 30 disabled parking spaces at the Infirmary and we hope those people who do need to use this car park will not be inconvenienced too greatly.”