Enter and view: Wheelchair access report

This is a report from Healthwatch Manchester. The report summarises work on wheelchair access in local hospitals.

This report aims to present the findings and recommendations of a comparative review of wheelchair access across Manchester’s three major hospitals. Beginning in December 2022 and finishing in December 2023, three reviews of wheelchair access and availability were carried out on the following hospital sites:

• Manchester Royal Infirmary
• North Manchester General Hospital
• Wythenshawe Hospital

Each visit consisted of a team of HWM representatives who carried out the following 
procedure as part of the review:

• Location of wheelchairs in the hospital
• Location of information on how to use wheelchairs provided
• Review of ease of movement within the hospital for the wheelchair user and handler
• Review of access to wheelchairs on request

There are recommendations in this report:

• University of Manchester NHS Foundation Trust should increase the number of wheelchairs available across all three major hospital sites in Manchester.
• Signage regarding the use of wheelchairs should be improved across all three major hospital sites including how to use them.
• The availability of information regarding the use of wheelchairs should be improved across all three majority hospital sites. 
• HWM should conduct the same review in a years’ time in order to assess improvement in wheelchair access. 

There is a follow up action in this report, it forms part of the recommendations to continue to monitor the situation.