A disabled pensioner from North Finchley has spoken out about the “ridiculous” distance patients have to walk to reach the new Finchley Memorial Hospital.

Sybil Field, 77, visited the new hospital, in Granville Road, four times last week and on each occasion says she saw people “hopping” into the walk-in centre.

Ms Field believes that the distance people have to walk from their cars to the hospital entrance is unreasonable.

She also claims that for elderly and disabled people getting a bus to the hospital is virtually impossible as there is such a long walk from the road to the hospital entrance.

Ms Field said: “A lot of people came in hopping when I was there. They just couldn’t walk that far.

“It is not reasonable to expect people to walk that far.

“I think it is ridiculous – at the old hospital you could park right outside.”

She added: “I don’t know what they can do about it now but what will happen when it is icy? It will be lethal.

“Something needs to be done. Somebody needs to be there to take people back and forwards.

“I felt very sorry for the people coming in while I was waiting – not everybody is young.”

The £28 million hospital has been purpose built to replace the old Finchley Memorial Hospital which is on the same site.

The new hospital has a walk-in centre, two GP practices, an out patients department, a rehabilitation department, diagnostics and an infusion suite for 12 people.

It also boasts indoor and outdoor gyms, a health information library, a multi-faith room and 54 private, en suite bedrooms for in patients.

The Times Series is awaiting a comment from Finchley Memorial Hospital.