Upgrade the road to Stoke Mandeville, say residents (From This Is Local London)

Upgrade the road from Wycombe to Stoke Mandeville, say residents

10:25am Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Where I Live By Lawrence Dunhill

Upgrade the road to Stoke Mandeville, say residents

CALLS have been made for the road to Stoke Mandeville to be upgraded, with street lights and hospital signs installed along the route.

The comments came at a meeting in Marlow last week, where pensioners expressed concerns about the proposed transfer of several inpatient services out of Wycombe Hospital.

Bucks health bosses say patients needing an overnight stay for medicine, respiratory, gastroenterology and diabetes services should no longer be treated in Wycombe (see link below for more details).

Elderly patients with long-term conditions are likely to be most affected, and transport was again raised as a major concern at Thursday’s consultation meeting at Court Garden.

Marlow resident Corinne Berry said: “That road needs to be upgraded surely....And couldn’t we have big signs up saying Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and then when you get to the hospital as well to say where the entrance is?”

Janet Martin, another resident, called for street lighting to be installed along the A404, and asked if Bucks County Council had been asked to consider this.

Ian Garlington, director of property services for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust [BHT], said he had not spoken to the council about street lighting, but said the comments would be fed into the consultation process.

He added the state of the road and the lack of signage had been identified as issues at a transport meeting held between the council and various health authorities.

Other residents said parking is a “nightmare” at Stoke Mandeville, fearing it will not be able to cope with more patients and visitors.

Mr Garlington said the hospital has planning permission to create more parking spaces at the site, with a £4 million budget over the next two years.

He also said Bucks County Council is currently trialling a gateway service to help patients contact charities which offer hospital transport.

Graz Luzzi, medical director for BHT, stressed the changes will only affect those needing specialist care, which is a small fraction of those currently going to Wycombe.

He said elderly patients will benefit from a new day assessment unit at Wycombe Hospital, which will be adequate for most patients’ needs.

A new step-down ward at Wycombe is also part of the plan, for elderly patients who might need to stay overnight, but do not require specialist care.

The changes mean Wycombe Hospital would see about 7,600 fewer patients per year, a reduction of three per cent on its current activity.