"If I could give fifteen out of ten for the staff, I would."

I was an outpatient going for a colonoscopy at 10. 30 5 and arrived at 10. 15 where I was booked in. Spot on 10. 30am I was taken in to the preparation room where the nurse, who introduced herself explained the whole procedure and allowed me privacy to prepare myself for the procedure.

A second nurse then entered, introduced herself and went through the paperwork, took my blood pressure etc. Due to the constraints of having sedation, whereby it is essential for someone to take you home after the examination, I enquired if I could start without sedation and, if necessary due to pain, be given sedation during the examination. This was absolutely no problem and the nurse could not have been more informative about the way things could be done.

When I was wheeled in to the Endoscopy room all the staff introduced themselves and were very reassuring and pleasant and, throughout the whole procedure conducted themselves in a very professional but friendly and calming nature. Sedation was not necessary and, after being taken to the recovery area, was given tea and biscuits, had a lie down for 15 minutes, got dressed, given my paperwork and allowed home.

I could not fault any of the staff and, having been a serving police officer for many years I know how often the staff must get criticised for the most minor things. If I could give fifteen out of ten for the staff at the East Surrey Hospital Endoscopy Unit I would.