"All the staff on I.C.U. or A.C.U. ..."

What I liked

All the staff on I.C.U. or A.C.U. who must have worked themselves to exhaustion in order to save my life. To the Surgery staff, consultants,and all the staff who refused to give upon me. I also appriciated the openess and honesty of all staff involved in my care and recovery for thier honesty and openess regarding what had happened, even though I was still finding out information as I went along. I prefer to know what has been going on and what has been done. The ward staff on C14 were great, some had brilliant humour which perked me up no end, even when I felt to ill to respond, such true gentleness and concern, it was really a tonic. But all the staff were excellent. Both the Day and Night staff attended and cared for me very well. Hope you all had a great Christmas and have a wonderful New Year.

What could be improved

Perhaps sending a Phlebotomist to take bloods as much as possible! Either that or get a man/woman that can. My hands resembled a pin cushion and were turning black and blue, and they still didn't get a drop, (one young chap wanted to get it out of my ankle when all else failed, I had to be assertive with my reply!).

Anything else?

On a serious note. I think your A & E Department needs some attention. Especially where Patients are responded to on arrival by staff. I was told to make a formal complaint, but, I decided I would just pass comment when I was well enough to do so. I arrived at the department as an emergency. My friend brought me when I asked her to take me strieght away as I knew something was seriously wrong. I appriciate that you get quite a lot of time-wasters and idiots at the department, but I can assure you I am not one of them. I had no assistance on arrival, my friend had to get me a chair, even though I was doubled up in agony at the time. I had to get myself on the trolly as still no staffhad appeared, the place appeared to be slightly deserted. Eventually, a member of staff attended, and, suggested initially that I take two Paracetamol, at which point I asked to see someone who knew what they were talking about. He gave me something for the pain, which didnt work very well before sending me off to x-ray. I was sick after the x-ray and my B.P. had dropped. Still, no one attended on my return to the Unit. Eventually, but only because I was shouting for help and my friend was also becoming anxious due to the pain I was in, they came with further pain relief. After this, I can't remember anything else. I ended up with having a Cholostomy performed. I also then had feacal peritonitis, Septicemia, and Staff on I.C.U. fighting to keep me alive. I servived, thanks to the staff that fought to get me there. No assistanceon entering casualty? Take a couple of Paracetamol and go home? It's a good thing one of us knew what they were talking about, in spite of the pain I was having to endure at the time.I have worked in hospitals and the care profession most of my working life and so has the friend who brought me. What if I had been Joe Bloggs down the street who had no knowledge of such things, and listened to staff such as the one that attended me in A & E? Not good is it?