"3 out of 4 is not bad"

It had been an interesting evening, but on returning home a little before 11.00pm, I was met with the news that my 90 year old father had fallen in his nursing home and gashed his head. They could not stop the bleeding and had whisked him to Treliske. My brother is sailing on the Irish Sea. He had messaged, asking that I try to find out about father's condition. I called the hospital and a delightful lady passed me on to A & E who recognised the case immediately and told me that he was fine and being kept in overnight and could she put me through to the ward. I said that her news was all I needed, but she said that she could easily forward the call. In the ward, and having identified the case, I was met with ‘you’re the third or fourth person that has telephoned about this. Will you make sure that in future only one person calls us?’ I said that if she would just confirm that my father was safe and well, I would promise not to bother her again. At this point she grumbled something incoherent and passed the phone to a colleague who was a wonderful person. I could almost hear her smile. She was reassuring and supportive, and not at all concerned at having had her plans for the evening disturbed. Yes, he was fine and they would probably send him back to his nursing home tomorrow (this morning). Trliske is a wonderful hospital, full of dedicated staff. But this one staff member could do with being sent on the ‘we are a caring profession’ course just once more.