"My Third Time"

My third time at the hospital and the last time being 2009 when it was awful. It is very very different now and I was there just over two months. I went to St Charles first and I couldn't wait to leave. I was worried though about going to the Gordon, but it was dire at St Charles. The staff at the Gordon especially Gerrard and Vincent ward were very welcoming and made me feel safe when there were difficult times. Ok there are one or two staff who just do not know how to talk to us and sometimes don't even say hello, but the majority are much better than they used to be. I disagree with some of the comments made previously and know that some patients here complain about anything just because they don't want to be here. As I say this is my third time here and having been in other hospitals, I don't really want to go to hospital again, but I would rather go back there if I had a choice. I left in Feb 2013 and I saw that they were talking about what needs improving - they were just replacing the flooring. This was noisy and dusty and seemed to take forever for the work people to do. I don't think they were NHS workmen, but sometimes they just didn't turn up to do the work - we never knew when they were coming. It would have been nice to have been told. While I was there we saw two senior managers from the trust headquarters at different times. I can't remember their names but they were both interested in what was happening. It was good to see that they kept an eye on what is happening at the Gordon. We do see a lot of the matrons and management of the hospital and the hospital manager comes to our coffee mornings to listen to us and to tell us what is happening. The matron is a good matron and like an old fashioned one that gets things done. I have asked her to sort out a staff person who keeps eating our food. I didn't see them again on the ward. She is strict but friendly to us. Because of my last visit I now know how to use the internet so bought myself a laptop. The best thing now is that they want us out of hospital and at home quicker than they used to which is what we all want as we get better at home quicker. though we do need a bed in hospital sometimes for a few weeks. For me like other patients - it is because we think we can manage without the medication.