Gartnavel General Hospital

I’m not the biggest fan of hospitals, but needed to have an MRI done and was sent to Gartnavel. I agree with Sarah T. in saying that from the outside, there’s not much to the building, but my experience inside was a pleasent one.
My appointment was on a Saturday, super early in the morning (8am) and I was able to get parking easy enough. It’s free on the weekends which is a huge help as I had forgotten to bring cash with me that morning.
Walking in, it was like a ghost town, but I was able to speak to the information desk personel and was pointed in the direction I needed to go.
Since I was early, they were able to take me in before the person who was meant to be there but never showed up. Score. I was taken in to the MRI room by a really nice lady and was told exactly what was going to happen. After I was put in to place on the bed, I was asked if I wanted to listen to music since the machine is quite loud. Since it was around Christmas time when I was there, they had Christmas music to listen to which made my day.
i was in and out of there in about 45 minutes, which wasn’t too painfully slow.
The staff here are really friendly and helpful and I didn’t mind my visit in the slightest.

Gartnavel doesn’t look like much from the outside I agree, but I can’t fault the experience I have had at the hospital. I have visited Gartnavel a LOT (and still have plenty more visits to go) so I will definitely get some photos for my review.
For getting to the hospital, I get a number 6A bus from the City centre. For me, this is the quickest route. It takes you along Great Western Road and stops pretty much outside the hospital (it is only a one minute walk). There is plenty of parking if you have a car and there is also a petrol station and M&S Food which is handy. There are buses which run closer to the hospital main door, but it is literally only seconds closer and makes no real difference to me. The 6 or 6A is definitely the bus I would recommend.
I’ve been visiting Gartnavel a lot over the past couple of years (and spent a few days in the hospital) after I had to get a cornea transplant. On entering the hospital, it does have that ‘hospital smell’ I’m not going to lie. There is a small WH Smith selling the usual overpriced confectionery and magazines (which aren’t overpriced but I swear they would if they could get away with it). There is also a couple of cafes (one is slightly larger and offers more seating) but neither of these have appealed to me. My mum has tried them and she didn’t rate them highly but that’s the price you pay when you need a cup of tea, haha!
I’ve been to the eye department (easily around 50+ plus times now. I’m a bit of a regular, haha), Ward 1C and in for Day Surgery. The hospital itself is kept clean and on the whole, the staff have been wonderful. Particularly when I was going in for my transplant and operations to remove my eye stitches — at times when I was beyond nervous and starting to get a bit emotional — the staff really helped to put me at ease. I honestly cannot rate them highly enough.
The biggest issue I have had is dealing with the staff who work on the reception desks and there was an occasion one staff member was so rude I actually put in a complaint. It all got rectified and other than a couple of moments, everything has been fine. I would definitely recommend giving over your mobile number as the week before your appointment you get an automated telephone call reminding you that you have your appointment and just confirming you will be in attendance.
Wait times are always shown as 3+ hours and the only time I have personally waited this long is when I was going for a variety of eye tests so it actually didn’t feel like that long. The best advice I can give you is that when you are booking in for a follow up appointment, ask for the earliest slot possible. I always go for one at 9/​half 9 and I tend to be out really quickly since I’m first on my surgeon’s list. I would never take an afternoon appointment (unless it was urgent) because those patients wait around for a long time. The waiting areas are pretty standard: most have televisions or radio stations playing. Some have vending machines (not them all) and there is usually water available.
On the occasions where I’ve had to stay in the hospital, it’s pretty much what you would expect: the food is ghastly! My mum always brought me sandwiches and fruit and as crazy as it may seem… I brought my own mint tea bags and just asked for boiled water! Thinking about the times I have come out of theatre and been greeted with toast (which had a sugary taste) makes me shudder — it was honestly disgusting!
I had three surgeons working on one eye and the respect and admiration I have for these men is what makes me rate Gartnavel so highly. They have been wonderful and over my many, many visits they have really gotten to know me on a personal level and put my fears at ease. Even at the most difficult times of my recovery, if I had any problems I phoned Gartnavel instantly and within an hour I was at the hospital and one of my surgeons made the time to see me. As a transplant patient (and I’m sure it is the case with any patient, but I can’t speak for them) they have given me the best possible care and even at times when I’ve been sitting there in tears (as I was recently in theatre getting some stitches out my eye whilst I was awake) they have really kept me going and made sure I was okay. I can’t thank them enough for the job they have done.
Another piece of advice I would give is you is try and avoid the Pharmacy unless you have to go! It is in the basement and even though there are plenty of lifts etc, the basement is not the most pleasant area. The pharmacy is a really small room that you can barely swing a cat in. There are a couple of chairs but during busy periods, it does get a bit crowded. And the wait is SO LONG! Longer than my actual wait times and appointments with my surgeon at times! My items have always been put on repeat prescription with my GP which I much prefer — I really don’t like the hospital pharmacy!

One star only because the rating will not allow one to leave it blank!

Most patients I saw seemed worse at the end of a week in there. No attempt was made to find appropriate food until a family member intervened on this matter. One staff member made a very cutting comment to an elderly patient who was clearly in pain. The cleanliness of my relative was terrible resulting in sores. If it’d been a young kid you’d have gone to the authorities about it! It seems a well known ‘secret’ from those who see patients after they have been in there.
The NHS is free at the point of delivery but I can tell you there’d be a dispute over any bill if that wasn’t the case!

Although Gartnavel lacks a lot from the outside, mainly due to it being a bit of an eye sore. However, its not the building that makes a good hospital but instead the staff and when it comes to the staff of Gartnavel it is an A star hospital. Friendly staff all round from doctors to porters to tea ladies. A very clean hospital, that is vacummed, moped and buffed daily.