A Clydesdale woman has praised Lanark Health Centre after staff responded to her appeal to improve seating.

Lynnette Waddell had an operation on her back called a discectomy which can result in those who have this type of operation experiencing reduced mobility as well as discomfort during their recuperation and rehabilitation.

Lynnette was asked to attend physiotherapy at Lanark Health Centre as part of her agreed rehabilitation programme following surgery, however she found the chairs in the waiting area uncomfortable and difficult to get out of.

Lynnette, from Forth, said: “For most folk, the seating in the waiting area will be absolutely fine.

“But as my back was really weak following the procedure, I found the generic seating too low for me and I needed arm supports to physically lift myself up which none of the seats in the waiting room had.

“I felt there would be others with a mobility or spinal problem such as myself, and I thought it would be worth bringing the issue to someone’s attention.”

Lynnette decided to share her experience on Patient Opinion which is a not for profit social enterprise that gives members of the public the opportunity to share their healthcare experience – both good and bad.

The site allows health boards to listen to feedback from the public, interact with patients to find out more about their experiences, and then consider the feedback to identify areas that can be improved, as well as sharing good practice.

Doreen Buttery, assistant operational services manager in the Clydesdale locality, said: “We were really grateful for Lynnette’s comments on Patient Opinion as it gave us some helpful insight into the difficulties faced by those with mobility or spinal problems with regards to the seating in the waiting area.

“We were also able to ask Lynnette if she would be willing to meet with our physiotherapy colleagues to test some seating which had arms and was slightly higher to make it more conducive to those with these problems.

“Lynnette was happy to do this and the result is we now have some additional seats in the waiting area which are more suited to these patients’ needs.”

Lynnette’s intervention has not only led to new seating in Lanark Health Centre, but to similar seats being placed in other locations across Lanarkshire.

Doreen continued: “Patient care is at the centre of everything we do and Lynnette’s contact with us is a fantastic example of how patient intervention and feedback can help us make changes that can benefit all patients.”

To find out more about Patient Opinion, visit: www.patientopinion.org.uk

Photo caption: Lynnette Waddell (right) with Doreen Buttery.