Whanganui Hospital’s speed bumps a painful jolt for sick patients

The controversial speed bumps at the gate two entrance of Whanganui Hospital. Photo / Bevan Conley

An 80-year-old hospital visitor says speed bumps at Whanganui Hospital are causing pain for unwell patients - but the hospital says they are there to slow drivers down.

Maureen Sudlow says she has to make regular visits to the ophthalmology — eye surgery — department with her husband.

Even driving over the speed bumps through gate two at a low speed caused the car to “jerk four different ways”.

“We can’t walk that far because neither of us are able to,” she said.

“It’s really, very difficult because we’re both elderly.”

During her last visit, the speed bumps aggravated Sudlow’s neck injury, meaning she had to wear a neck brace for several days.

“They’re unnecessarily jarring, especially if people have had surgery or are in pain, and to be honest, they’re certainly not age-friendly.”

Sudlow complained to Whanganui Hospital, WorkSafe and the Health and Disability Commissioner earlier this year about the speed bumps.

The hospital was not aware of a visitor having to use a neck brace for an existing injury when crossing the speed bumps, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora group director of operations in Whanganui, Katherine Fraser-Chapple, said.

“If this has occurred, we are apologetic that this has happened and just advise everyone crossing the bumps to [drive] at 5km/h or less to keep everyone safe, including themselves.”

The speed bumps were installed at the main entrance to Whanganui Hospital as the hospital was having problems with speeding drivers that put patients, visitors and staff at risk, Fraser-Chapple said.

“The area has high foot traffic of both staff and patients.”

Age Concern manager Michelle Malcolm lodged a complaint with the hospital about the speed bumps in December 2021.

There were multiple complaints from Meals on Wheels volunteers working for Age Concern, with one driver quitting due to the speed bumps.

In February 2022, Whanganui District Health Board chief executive Russell Simpson told the Chronicle that the speed bumps were there to stay, but would flatten over time.

Malcolm said the height of the speed bumps had not changed.

“I understand they were installed to stop people from driving radically, but it’s now two years down the track and they have not got any better.”

Fraser-Chapple said if the bumps were crossed at the sign-posted speed of 5km/h, then they were comfortable to navigate.

“If crossed at higher speeds, they will have a jarring effect, which is what they are designed to do - to simply slow drivers down.

“In addition to the sign-posted speed, the speed bumps are painted in bright yellow, so they are highly visible.”

The speed bumps did not have to be so angled and severe, Malcolm said.

“There are no other speed bumps like that in Whanganui that I’m aware of.”

Sudlow said the hospital staff were wonderful, but this particular problem was being ignored.

“The fact is, it’s causing a lot of people distress,” she said.

The speed bumps were as effective at slowing drivers down today as they were when first installed, Fraser-Chapple said.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.