"Excellent care provided with a sensitive & respectful approach of old age"

I accompanied my mother (who is in her 80s) to GPAU after referral by her GP. We were at a loss as to why my mum had deteriorated in health so drastically & rapidly over a couple of weeks. She had previously been sent for various tests & had a couple of home visits.

On admission to GPAU my mum looked frail, old & was breathless and in a lot of chest/back discomfort. She arrived in her night clothes, which generally she would have been too proud to do. Her previous general state of health had been very good for her age & her psyche usually positive, bright & feisty. At this time she felt very low in mood & looked like she'd given up. I feared we were going to lose her.

First of all a massive thank you to all your fab & very professional staff on GPAU who recognised that just because she was old & frail, she wasn't necessarily deaf or daft! I don't think she could have coped with being dealt with like that as other health dept, banks & doctors have attempted to treat her in the past, purely based on her age. It meant so much to her that staff treated her with such equality, were respectful, sensitive & very kind. Due to this I sensed she was very quickly perking up & she started to display a much more uplifted spirit.

My mum says she immediately felt immense trust in the Nurse Practitioners & in Dr Jones as they listened intently & showed real interest in her health & in her as an individual. She was sent for further tests then seen again by the GPAU team. We also returned for results & consultation the following day.

The care she received from the team was timely, appropriate & professional, We know Mr Jones must be a very experienced & well respected Consultant but his wonderful 'bedside manner & approach to care is something special. We cannot thank him enough for his contribution to my mum's recovery.

My mum was diagnosed with 3 fractured vertebrae, the associated pain had affected her breathing over time. She had a course of Steroids, a new inhaler & was given peace of mind that there was nothing more sinister, as this was ruled out by various tests. She has returned to her former good health & great spirits & recently celebrated a wonderful birthday.

Please thank all staff on GPAU for their fantastic team work, professionalism and their respect for 'old age'!