hospital discrimination

On my recent admission to Bournemouth Hospital, ward 31A, second floor, I was horrified to find how unprepared staff were to cater for disabled people. For a start, I was wearing a ‘Medical Alert’ bracelet, listing all my medical conditions—not one single person looked at it the whole time I was there!

A Complete Lack of Facilities

When asking where the disabled toilet was, I was told, “There isn’t one on this floor.” Having MS, I can’t stand or walk. At home, I have a raised toilet, but there wasn’t any such thing available here.

A Painful Fall

Left with no choice, I attempted to use the standard one and ended up falling on the floor. It took 4 men to get me back up and into my powerchair! Following the incident, I ended up taking Imodium every single day just to avoid having to move my bowels!

Healthcare facilities ought to face up to their legal responsibility to support vulnerable patients, yet even the basic accessibility necessities were non-existent here. It is ludicrous that a major site isn’t fully set up for everyone!