"Exceptional service (Rheumatology)"

Having been a patient and received treatment from other hospitals I must commend the level of service and care provided at Sunderland Royal Hospital. In today’s society service users and consumers are always very quick to criticise but very rarely take the time to give thanks and credit when merited.

I was recently referred to the Rheumatology Department at Sunderland Royal and the service and care given was exceptional. I have previously been both an inpatient and outpatient at both James Cook and the University Hospital of North Durham and must commend Sunderland Royal where I found the efficiency and level of service to be by far the best I have experienced.

After being referred by my G.P I had an appointment to see a particular member of staff in less than a week.

She was very thorough and caring, explained with great clarity what investigations and treatment would take place and gave me great confidence in the care I would receive.

I am now in a position where I have a diagnosis, am pain free and my quality of life has been restored.

This has been done very speedily, efficiently and as a patient I can honestly say that I have felt cared for as an individual and not a ‘patient number.’

The level of service provided by all staff from main reception, secretarial, medical and pharmacy has been second to none and should be commended – please pass my gratitude and compliments to all staff.