Patients were forced to wait on trolleys in the corridor of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary yesterday after four out of five lifts in the surgical block broke down.
Engineers were called into the hospital’s pink block – home to the orthopaedic trauma, urology, plastics and cardiothoracic high dependency units – after problems with the lifts were reported.
But one woman – who waited for more than an hour with her 90-year-old mother for the lift – said NHS Grampian bosses should be “hauled over the coals” for not acting quickly enough.
The retired NHS physiotherapist claimed that when she was in the hospital to visit her father on Sunday there were problems with the lifts, so she took the stairs.
But when she returned yesterday with her wheelchair-bound mother, she was discovered the issue had not been resolved and joined the queue for the one working lift.
She claimed there were patients on trolleys, and in chairs waiting, as well as staff and other visitors.
Eventually, after waiting an hour-and-a-half, she gave up, meaning she did not see her 90-year-old father, who is due to have major surgery today.wed
The woman, from Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, said: “People were queuing for hours. There were patients on trolleys or on chairs wrapped in blankets.
“We were trying to visit my father before he has a major surgery, but had to give up. We waited from about 2pm until 3.30pm. It’s just diabolical.
“I was in on Sunday and there was an issue – surely they should have had engineers in overnight to work on the issue when it was quiet?
“Patients, staff and visitors just couldn’t get to where they needed to be. I took the stairs on Sunday, which is fine if you’re able, but I was with my mother who is in a wheelchair and we couldn’t go anywhere.
“We had to give up, and both my mum and dad were disappointed. My father is on the orthopaedic trauma ward and was due to have a brain scan before his surgery, but couldn’t get down for it either.
“Senior management should be hauled over the coals about this.”
Engineers worked throughout the day to try and repair the faults with the lifts, and managed to repair at least three by the afternoon. A technician is expected to work on another one today.
A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said: “We apologise for any inconvenience.
“The work was on a mix of maintenance and faults.”