Comp
Dr Amy Kavanagh, 34, says a security guard tried to keep her from entering West Middlesex University Hospital because of her guide dog (Picture: Google/PA)

A blind woman says security tried to stop her entering a hospital with her unwell baby because she had a guide dog with her. 

Dr Amy Kavanagh, 34, claims it’s the fourth incident in two years of her being ‘refused or nearly refused healthcare’ for this reason. 

She was visiting West Middlesex University Hospital last night with her guide dog Ava to seek treatment for her baby, who was feeling unwell. 

Arriving at the hospital, she claims a security guard ‘tried to stop me entering urgent care [with] poorly baby,’ to which she responded by continuing to walk in while saying ‘this is a guide dog.’

She wrote on X, formerly Twitter: ‘Very grateful to members of the public who also shouted him down and the nurse on reception who had words.’

A spokesperson for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which runs West Middlesex University Hospital, said: ‘We are taking this incident seriously, our organisation is fully committed to providing accessible services for everyone in our community, in a safe and welcoming environment.’ 

Dr Kavanagh added in her post online: ‘In what world is adding a calm well trained dog to a room full of upset children a bad idea?

West Middlesex University Hospital
West Middlesex University Hospital said it was taking the incident ‘seriously’ (Picture: Google)

‘Ava cheered up about 11 poorly kids, lots of worried care givers & stressed nurses. [She] stayed in harness on duty, but her gentle snoozing presence was a helpful distraction for lots of upset littles. 

‘[Ava] was informed that she was in fact a ‘good doggy’, she is yellow, has 4 legs, is a helper & was ‘having a nice sleep’ by a previously hysterical 3 year old.’

She later told BBC News her baby turned out to have had a viral infection and would soon recover, but that it was far from the first time a hospital had attempted to refuse her access on account of having her guide dog with her.

Undated handout photo issued by Guide Dogs of Dr Amy Kavanagh and her guide dog Ava. Despite Ava???s training and willingness to work hard, Dr Kavanagh said the pair are often put into dangerous situations by passers-by wanting to fuss over the dog. New figures released show that 71 percent of guide dog owners claim their dog is distracted by strangers as they work at least once a day. Issue date: Thursday October 21, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story HEALTH GuideDogs . Photo credit should read: Guide Dogs/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Dr Kavanagh said it’s now the fourth time her and Ava have been refused or nearly refused access to a medical facility (Picture: PA)

She said: ‘A late-night visit to the hospital with a poorly baby is worrying enough, but being told I couldn’t enter because I’m blind and a guide-dog handler was very distressing.

‘It’s unacceptable for the NHS to repeatedly fail guide dog-handlers like myself by employing security staff without the appropriate training to understand the role and access rights of assistance dogs.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.