Doncaster doctors' surgery urges patients not to use mobility scooter after '˜alarming' crash

Anyone using a mobility scooter in Petersgate Medical Centre is now liable for any damage they cause with the power-operated vehicle, following the incident last month which led to £4,500 worth of damage.

A spokesman for the surgery, based in Amersall Road, Scawthorpe, said of the incident: “A large mobility scooter hit the automatic doors inside the surgery causing damage. 
“More alarming was the fact that the glass shatter, hitting another patient who was in a wheelchair at the time.

“We have a notice in the window requesting that mobility scooters are not brought into the surgery but if they are, patients do so at their own risk and any damage caused will need to be paid for.”

However, the daughter of a patient at the surgery has today claimed that members of staff at the surgery said the rule also extended to people in electric wheelchairs, and prevented them from entering the building in theirs. 
The woman, who does not want to be named, said her 67-year-old father was forced to miss his appointment because she and other family members could not lift him into one of the surgery’s non-electric wheelchairs.

She said: “My dad’s 18 stone, and we just couldn’t physically get him into another chair. None of the staff tried to help either, they just said he couldn’t go into the doctors’ room in his own chair.

“We tried to say that it wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t his fault he couldn’t get into their chair, but they just wouldn’t listen.

“After what happened with the mobility scooter you can understand why they’d want to ban them, but why wheelchairs?

“They’ve since said he’ll have to have an appointment with the district nurse instead, which is just a waste as he’s not ill enough to need that.

“He’s really upset by it because they’re making him feel helpless, they’ve taken away his independence by doing this,”
A spokesperson for Petersgate Medical Centre said: “Petersgate Medical Centre has never refused access to anyone using a mobility scooter or an electric wheelchair.

“This is solely a request and does not deny access to any patient.

“The poster was never intended to cause any alarm and we are not aware of any other complaint.

“The health and wellbeing of our patients at Petersgate Medical Centre are of the utmost importance and we pride ourselves on the care we provide. We have two wheelchairs for patient use and our staff are always

available should anyone need any assistance. The doors are automatic and majority of our consultation rooms are on the ground floor. The surgery also has a stairlift should access to the first floor be needed. We would never discriminate against any patient with mobility problems.”