UHNM bosses see hospital from wheelchair users point of view

Senior leaders from University Hospitals North Midlands (UHNM) have experienced first-hand what it’s like for wheelchair users accessing services at Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Director and Deputy Director of Estates, Facilities and PFI Lorraine Whitehead and Dave Ruscoe, alongside Chief Nurse Ann-Marie Riley joined forces with Corporate Safety Champion Lewis Bunn for a lived experience session where they gained valuable insight to how wheelchair users get about at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

They spent time going to different buildings and clinical areas while using an electric wheelchair, highlighting the challenges and obstacles patients and service users experience.

Corporate safety champion Lewis Bunn came up with the idea as he wanted members of the leadership team at UHNM to see and experience what it is like to navigate Royal Stoke while in an electric wheelchair.

Lewis’s job role enables him to review and make positive change for those with additional needs and mobility requirements.

Lorraine Whitehead, Director of Estates, Facilities and PFI at UHNM said: “It’s really important from an inclusivity perspective that anyone with any mobility issues is able to access our facilities with ease and without worry.

“It’s been such an enlightening experience being able to explore some of the potential challenges and obstacles our patients, visitors and staff face while at UHNM. I don’t think I ever could have understood what it is like to have mobility difficulties just through feedback alone so having the opportunity to explore our hospital in this way has really given us food for thought on how we can make improvements so that our commitment to accessibility for all is delivered.”

Several obstacles were identified during the lived experience session which are now being addressed so improvements can be made.

Lewis started his career at UHNM following his internship with Project Search which gives young people with disabilities and autism the opportunity to develop employability skills and get ‘hands on’ experience in the workplace.  

Lewis Bunn, who is now a Corporate Safety Champion at UHNM , said: “My job role enables me to go around the hospital and identify which areas could be improved and made more accessible. I was great to get Lorraine, Dave and Ann-Marie involved in this experience so that they can see the issues that I and many other patients struggle with.

“Previously I was a Project Search student at UHNM and during my placements I struggled with some of the pavements and opening doors in wards and departments. When I got this job, I thought it would be a good idea to get some senior leaders involved in this experience so that improvements and new ideas can be made, not just for me but for everybody.

“My aim really is to ensure that my job isn’t required one day, as the goal is to make the whole of UHNM accessible for all.”