Faulty lifts at Bedford Hospital won't be up and running until end of June

If you’ve got an appointment or procedure at Bedford Hospital, you might find it’s going to be moved or cancelled.

The lifts are out of action at Beeden House – plus, there’s a reduced capacity in the main block.

And Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust says it could be the end of June before they’re all up and running.

It says that – depending on the required parts being delivered – it hopes all four main ward block lifts will be working again by the end of May – but added that the two Beeden House lifts won’t be in working order until the end of June.

A trust spokesperson explained: “We have had to put in place restrictions on use as part of our business continuity arrangements for the Main Ward Block lifts. These restrictions are expected to be stood down at the end of next week as we anticipate being able to bring a third lift back into service.”

But they admitted that 26 appointments have been cancelled across cardiology; ear nose and throat (ENT); and audiology.

The spokesperson added: “We are in contact with the patients affected so that we can work with them to find the best individual solution, and ensure they continue to receive the care they need.

"We have contingency arrangements in place at our Luton & Dunstable Hospital site to provide cardiac procedures for patients who are clinically urgent, and would like to recognise the patience and understanding shown by our patients and staff for whom these outages are very disruptive.”

One of our readers, Bill Davies, got in touch with Bedford Today, saying it had left him and others “in limbo”.

He added: “Two of these are in Beeden House which accommodates the Cardiac Catheterisation Suite on the third floor which has had to cancel most appointments as lifts are essential for patient emergencies. This follows a risk assessment of the stairs which found them unsuitable

“Any alternatives have to be cost-benefit analysed leaving patients untreated, some midway between procedures with no advice available for the interim whilst the lifts are repaired which could take two months and possibly more.

“The main wards lift access is currently restricted to two out of four, one public the other staff only. Access to the public is closely overseen by security staff. Should either of these remaining lifts break down then one could assume that several wards would cease to function adding to the chronic functioning of our local hospital.”

But he said: “All of the front line staff remained kind and courteous managing this situation with resigned patience whilst the invisible managers fail dismally to avoid events such as these thus condemning certain sections of patients to totally unacceptable health care in Bedford. My sympathies go out to the front line staff who had to face the affected public and those far more serious than me whose fate now hangs in the balance.”

Another reader described the situation as “shocking and dangerous” and added: “I have been an unfortunate visitor to Bedford hospital several days a week since December and in that time the amount of times all four lifts have worked is very minimal but the situation has gone from bad to worse.

"It's beyond ridiculous. I have witnessed older people climbing several flights of stairs. If there were an emergency in the hospital, it would be a disaster.”