Health board in talks for better airport waiting area in Aberdeen
Adam GuestNHS Shetland has been in talks to look at an alternative waiting area for patients flying back from Aberdeen Airport – rather than what has been described by a councillor as “a drafty corridor”.
Health board chief executive Ralph Roberts raised the issue during a Zetland Transport Partnership meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Roberts said there had been discussions with Loganair to look an alternative and he was having more talks about the matter on Friday.
He said there had been a suggestion that NHS Shetland should be obliged to pay for a lounge for passengers, but added in his own view it was a matter for all passengers travelling to Shetland.
Mr Roberts argued if the waiting area were adequate for all passengers it would be adequate for patients too.
ZetTrans chairman Ryan Thomson thanked Mr Roberts for bringing it to members’ attention.
Mr Thomson added “it’s a drafty corridor”, the issue had been raised at other transport meetings and Loganair was aware of the issue.
More in Friday’s Shetland Times.
Suzy V Jolly
Yet again, this is just so typical. When are NHS Shetland going to ask patients what they want? Do I want to be separated and singled out as an NHS patient travelling? No, I don’t.
All airports are draughty to an extent (so is the Gilbert Bain Hospital, for that matter, in places). I can’t see Loganair paying to be on a premium gate.
Are NHS Shetland also going to be in discussions regarding draughty Sumburgh Airport then?
Perhaps if NHS Shetland staff have so much time on their hands to discuss matters such as this, they could give Patient Travel a hand so they can re-open to the public on Thursday afternoons.
Ralph Roberts
I just wanted to make it clear that progressing this discussion is in fact in response to numerous comments we have received from patients who have provided feedback about the inadequacy of facilities at Aberdeen airport. As is perfectly right we have therefore responded to this by looking at how we can respond to these concerns.
If this does result in improved facilities for our patients then obviously any individual who doesn’t want to use them would be perfectly entitled to make that choice.
Suzy Jolly
@ Ralph Roberts – Thank you for that insight, it’s a shame it wasn’t mentioned in the original press report here as it came across (to me) that you were responding only to a councillor. However, I can’t help but wonder if someone can’t cope with the facilities available at Aberdeen, whether they should have been (in certain circumstances) discharged from the hospital in the first place. Of course, if NHS Shetland had argued over the years for improved hospital facilities here, we wouldn’t have such a need to travel to the mainland.