"Fantastic health care"

I was admitted as an emergency to my local hospital, with acute pancreatitis caused through gall stones. I was severely sick, and felt like I was dying. I had to wait 2 hours in extreme pain, as the ambulances were all busy - this was most likely due to the fact that paramedics have to wait with patients on arrival at emergency departments - which was very busy. I was too sick to get in the car and be transported to ED.

From the moment I arrived at the hospital, I was truly cared for on a personal level, nurtured, treated, and supported. The nursing staff (this includes all nursing personnel i.e. students and maternity care assistants) were exceptional.  There was clear positive leadership; the nurses told me how happy they were working with supportive and enthusiastic managers - and there was a palpable passion to be the very best they could be. The nurses were by my side day and night when I felt critically ill and vulnerable, they gave me clinical care with compassion and tenderness, eye to eye contact, and touch. This made me feel safe, and I’m sure it helped me to have a much speedier recovery. As I improved and they needed to spend less time with me, I could hear them doing the same for others.

The wonderful surgeons, Mrs Salaman, Mr Subar, and Dr Lynch, gave me THE best treatments and surgery. I know they have outstanding clinical skills, and that they are highly respected professionals. But It was their personal attention to me, the obvious concern they showed, and the respectful compassionate manner in which they spoke to me, that added value to their expertise. The medical teams that worked with these eminent surgeons were exemplary too – many of them sat next to me, or crouched down to be at my level when explaining things. My family were allowed to visit out of hours, which helped me so much, and they too saw the exceptionally high standard of care and interactions. It gave them confidence and assurance that I was in good hands.

I must applaud all the staff who I came into contact with, the auxiliary and cleaning staff (the cleanliness on the ward was impeccable) – to the wider hospital staff, phlebotomists, dieticians, porters, physiotherapists, theatre technicians – each one of them treated me kindly and skilfully. I couldn’t have asked for more.