Wansbeck General Hospital

Was in an accident and rushed to A&E in an ambulance. The staff here are fantastic and very thorough. I have returned many times for follow up appointments and although the parking is costly, the place is well sign posted and easy to get around.

Just spend ten days here quite ill. I come from glasgow and took sick while on holiday in Blyth. The staff here are superb and really looked after me. The hospital itself is very modern and the koi carp are lovely. There are art exhibits all around the hospital. The food itself is typical hospital food. Remember and ask to order it though. Or you will be on basic rations until you know how.

A great assets to Wansbeck and the surrounding area - parking charges could be cheaper as not the best when have to go for an appointment and know will be running late to pay £4 plus for parking. The hospital though has some great facilities and with not being as old building seems more designed and able to cope with the modern day care. Staff are always friendly and helpful. There is also a nice cafe and also a small coffee shop in the entrance run for a charity which sells tea coffee and small gifts etc. Last time a was there, there is now also a small newspaper stand in the entrance too.

How do you review a hospital? Wansbeck Hospital is a big NHS hospital in Ashington and a refererral centre for a lot of Northumberland patients. It has an Accident and Emergency department and consultant-led maternity unit, as well as the other hospital services you expect from a major hospital.

I’ve been here both as a patient and as a visitor over the years. The building itself is pleasant, bright and generally clean. The pond in the centre with various koi and fake ducks (the koi fish are alive, the ducks are tacky!) is peaceful. Car parking is, as you’d expect, quite expensive and the car parks ar ebusy. They are two, one by the main entrance and one by the South Entrance where there’s a nice cafe and the drop-off/pick up points are, as well as the Maternity Unit out of hours entrance.

Information staff at the entrance are helpful and the medical personnel I’ve dealt with have been, in the main, professional, respectful and caring.

The food isn’t bad - I can’t say it’s terribly good either. The system for ordering it, while I was an in-patient, wasn’t explained to me and I had two days of jacket potatoes or variations thereof - better than someone else I heard of who had a coleslaw sandwich! I still haven’t figured out where I was supposed to make my choices and I don’t think that’s good enough when for most people being in hospital is stressful enough.

It’s well signposted and easy to get around and altogether a very necessary facility.