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PALS Office

Colchester General Hospital , Turner Road , Colchester, Essex, CO4 5JL

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Access Guide

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Parking (Front Accessible Parking)

  • Car Park View
    • The car park is located on the left side of the front of the hospital grounds.
    • The car park is open air/surface.
    • The car park surface consists of block paving.
    • There are 10 designated Blue Badge parking bays available.
    • The Blue Badge bays have faded markings.
    • The surveyed Blue Badge parking bay dimensions are 232cm (width) x 490cm (depth).
    • There is a marked zone to both sides but not at the rear.
    • The width of the marked zone is 129cm.
    • The nearest designated bay is 125m from the main hospital entrance.
    • The most accessible route from the Blue Badge parking has steep ramps or slopes, uneven surfaces and a pedestrian crossing.
    • There is a dropped kerb with tactile paving from the designated Blue Badge parking.
  • Charges and Restrictions View
  • Drop-off Point View
    • There is not a designated drop-off point available.

Getting To (PALS Office)

  • The PALS Office is/are located on the first floor, in the main hospital block corridor.
  • Access to the PALS Office is via the Main Hospital entrance.
  • Enter via the Main Hospital entrance and carry on straight ahead through the double doors. Take the lifts on the right to the first floor. Exit the lifts and turn right through a set of double doors. Carry on down the corridor and the PALS Office is located on the right.
  • There is step free access, via lift, to the PALS Office.
  • The PALS Office is approximately 30m from the lift.
  • There is a/are manual, heavy, double door(s) between the lift and the department/service.
  • Wayfinding signage is provided.
  • Dementia friendly signage is not provided.
  • There is some flooring in corridors which is shiny and could cause issues with glare or look slippery to some people.

Entrance (Main Hospital Entrance)

  • This entrance is located at the front of the hospital building.
  • The entrance area is clearly signed.
  • There is a canopy or recess which provides weather protection at the entrance.
  • There is step-free access via a very easy slope at the entrance.
  • The height of the hand sanitiser is 118cm.
  • There are double automatic doors at this entrance.
  • The doors open by sliding.
  • The width of the opening is 178cm.
  • There is a small lip on the threshold of the opening.
  • The doors have a medium visual contrast.
  • There is a second set of double automatic doors.
  • The second set of doors open by sliding.
  • The width of the opening is 165cm.
  • There is a small lip on the threshold of the opening.
  • The second set of doors have a medium visual contrast.
  • There is step-free level access as you enter.
  • This entrance brings you into the ground floor of the Main Block.

Lift (Main Block Lifts A)

  • The lift surveyed is located along the corridor at the rear of the main hospital entrance foyer.
  • The distance from the main hospital entrance is 35m.
  • The most accessible route to the lift has step-free level access and doors permanently held open.
  • The ground and first floor are accessed by this lift.
  • The lift door has a high visual contrast.
  • The lift has a level manoeuvring space in front of it for a wheelchair user (150cm x 150cm).
  • The external lift control buttons have a low visual contrast.
  • All of the external lift controls are at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
  • The lift door opening width is 128cm.
  • The internal dimensions of the lift are 149cm (width) x 265cm (depth).
  • The internal lift control buttons have a low visual contrast.
  • All of the internal lift controls are at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
  • Internally the lift has: a mirror to aid reversing, a hearing assistance alarm system and a visual floor indicator.
  • Lighting levels were uneven at the time of the survey, with pools of light and shade.

Opening Times (PALS Office)

  • Monday 09:00 - 16:00.
  • Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00.
  • Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00.
  • Thursday 09:00 - 16:00.
  • Friday 09:00 - 16:00.
  • Saturday Closed.
  • Sunday Closed.

Entrance (PALS Office)

  • Entrance Details View
    • This information is for the entrance located on the first floor, in the main hospital block corridor.
    • The entrance area/door is clearly signed with the name of the service/department.
    • There is step free access at this entrance.
    • There is not a bell/buzzer.
    • There is not an intercom.
    • There is a hand sanitiser.
    • The height of the hand sanitiser is 140cm (4ft 7in).
    • There is not a door release button when exiting.
    • The main door(s) open(s) away from you (push).
    • The door(s) is/are single width.
    • The door(s) is/are heavy.
    • The width of the door opening is 74cm.

Conference / Meeting Facilities (PALS Office)

  • Conference/meeting facilities are available.
  • The conference/meeting facilities are located on the first floor of the main hospital block, in the PALS Office.
  • There is step-free access to the conference/meeting facilities, via lift.
  • The door opening width(s) is/are under 75cm for the room(s).
  • There is a hearing assistance system for the room(s) available on request.
  • There are no chairs with armrests on both sides within the room(s).
  • There is not sufficient space for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre within the room(s).
  • The lighting levels in the room(s) are good.
  • There is also a PALS meeting room on the ground floor of the main hospital block next to the Main Hospital entrance. If you wish to meet at the PALS meeting room on the ground floor this is only done by appointment as this meeting room is not staffed.

Toilet with Adaptations

  • The nearest accessible toilet is located on the ground floor, to the right of the Main Hospital entrance.

Standard Toilet(s)

  • The nearest standard toilet is located on the first floor, in the adjacent corridor to the PALS Office.

Related Access Guides (Colchester General Hospital)