"ICCU B9 - care of Paul A."

I want to thank your hospital and staff for the care given to my nephew Paul aged 48. Paul came to A and E in October last and was admitted onto ICCU B9 with respiratory distress due to pneumonia.He had been severely mentally handicapped from a baby and needed 24 hour care as he had daily seizures and could not do anything for himself of communicate. So he arrived with his carers, unable to understand anything and very panicked. He was given a side room in B9 and doctors and nursed endeavoured to treat and care for him as he lay heavily sedated on a ventilator. Paul's care team were allowed to stay with him night and day should he awaken and need a familiar face. Staff had a lot to learn re his history and what could be expected in the way of how he behave and cope with all that was happening. They soon discovered Paul was gentle and brave and his only intention would be to pull every last line or monitor off himself, including the ventilator, and climb out of bed. Paul has has never liked to be touched even by trusted people so all this intense 'intrusion' was torture to him. Yet for 3 months this was his life on B9 and must have been hard for staff to put him through it. No staff ever complained no matter how many times he pulled his nasal feed or trachi vent out. With very careful adjustments to his life support he was eventually weaned off the ventilator having been nursed through several new infections. Sadly he was not able to keep up this progression and became very poorly and died on the ward. So I'd like to thank all staff - doctors, nurses, physios, support technicians and housekeepers for all their hard work in taking care of Paul, who was so vulnerable and disadvantaged. He was never discriminated against for being disabled, uncommunicative and without mental capacity. Unable to co-operate in his own recovery or even accept what was happening made an uphill struggle too much for his damaged body. Bless you all for your tireless efforts. You do an amazing job and long may you continue.