Share review of Dorset Wheelchair Service

Dorset Wheelchair Service 2015-06-01 Person 4 5 0

Communications need improvement, across the board, but not extra impositions. I am not keen on "We will be with you between 08:30 and 14:00 hours" This means writing off a whole day, and either waiting in until 16:00 hours, yes, 2 hours beyond stated hours, or being inconvenienced during ones ablutions! A simple phone call on the day 2 hours prior to agreed pick up, indicating ETA would be agreeable. Reception should not indicate to patients, return times for engineering work over which they have no control, of any personnel ie drivers, engineers or Occupational Therapists. It makes the team look bad. Which is not a good outcome. We know the staff all do their best within the parameters they are set, but to verbally impose extra criteria of which they are not aware is not professional enough. Also, it would improve the customer experience if a " waiting lounge" was created for patients who need to wait upwards of 30 minutes for their kit to be adjusted, where they were not "needed" to give their input. Within this, electrically height adjustable chairs / riser recliners, for those who transfer sideways without a banana board. Reception. This needs a warm greeting from the appropriate member of staff, rather than entering the lobby and being questioned by passing personnel as to whom you are waiting for. In short, the staff do an excellent job, but the "humanity" of dealing with the disabled, needs another level of understanding, which should be automatic in their position. For most it is, but some are below par.