A DISABLED hospital patient says she was left upset after a parking warden in a Bucks hospital car park was “rude and obnoxious”.

Bucks Healthcare Trust says it is reviewing the incident, which happened in the car park at Wycombe Hospital on Wednesday, April 24.

Trudy Bloomfield, who is registered disabled and uses a blue badge, was trying to find a parking space ahead of an appointment - and spent around 45 minutes driving around the car park.

Marlow resident Ms Bloomfield eventually found a space - but it was a 20-minute only space.

She then saw another gentleman leaving what she thought was a disabled space so she decided to park there instead.

Describing the incident, Ms Bloomfield - who suffers with a Multiple Sclerosis-type disorder and Osteoarthritis in her spine and struggles to walk far - said: “I didn’t realise it wasn’t a disabled space. I wasn’t blocking anyone or any access.

“Then a car park attendant came up to me. I was struggling to walk and he was so rude to me. He said I couldn’t park there. I told him I had been driving around for 45 minutes and would be late for my appointment and he just said he didn’t care and told me to move.

“I didn’t know it at the time but actually I would have been allowed to park in the 20-minute only space but the warden didn’t tell me that.

“I was so angry and upset with the way he spoke to me.”

Ms Bloomfield moved her car elsewhere and then saw the warden in the reception.

She added: “I told him he was very rude to me and all he said was ‘thank you’. He was so rude and obnoxious - what should I have done? He could see I can barely walk.

“I would have had to leave the hospital and missed my appointment. It was for a diabetic eye screening so it was important.”

David Williams, director of strategy and business development for Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust said the incident was being taken seriously.

He said: “We are very sorry Ms Bloomfield has been upset by her experience. We began a review into this incident as soon as Ms Bloomfield got in touch with the Trust to register her complaint.

“The provision of appropriate car parking for our disabled visitors and patients is reviewed regularly. We provide free parking for blue badge holders and reductions are available for patients and visitors who need to be at our hospitals on a regular basis.

“Parking attendants need to ensure that cars do not block access to buildings and roads for emergency vehicles and other users and ask that all visitors to site park within the clearly marked designated parking spaces to avoid receiving parking charge notices.

It is the duty of all of our staff to put the care and support of our patients first and foremost and those with accessibility issues should receive appropriate support as required. It’s never acceptable for a member of staff to behave in a way that is rude.”