"My experience of A&E resus, the High Dependency Unit, the Emergency Care Ward and Ward 6"

I want to say a huge thank you to the doctors, nurses and consultants who looked after me, just before Christmas at Wishaw General Hospital.

I was brought to the resuscitation area of the A&E department then transferred to the high dependency unit. The care I received was excellent and I’d like to thank everyone for taking such good care of me. I can’t remember names but I do remember a nurse called Adam (A&E), a lovely student nurse from University of the West of Scotland (A&E) and nurse Mary McLellan who looked after me in the high dependency unit. I extend that thank you to all the HDU staff who took care of me.

Two weeks later, I was unwell again and was admitted to the emergency care ward of the hospital. I remained there until a bed became available in ward 6 a day or so later.

These, were however, the downsides of my experience - on New Years Day, we were served cold sandwiches and a slice of cake for dinner. Surely, in this day and age appropriate cover can be arranged so as the kitchen departments at hospitals can continue to function on public holidays?

When I arrived in ward 6, the locker next to my bed was full with the previous patient’s items. I was not even sure if the bed had been changed! The previous patient’s name, which was on the whiteboard above my bed, was also never removed during my two day stay. This meant that on more than on occasion called me by the previous patient’s name.

On the day of my discharge from the ward, I waited over eight hours for the consultant to review my test results, before I could be sent home.

By the time the consultant did so, the pharmacy had closed. Thankfully the nurses were proactive and made sure my medication was already dispensed before the consultant gave his verdict, meaning that I was able to go home with medication.

Nevertheless, I received excellent care from everyone who looked after me during my time at the hospital. Thank you to everyone who looked after me. You are a credit to NHS Scotland.