"1st visit to the hospital as a visitor"

We have never visited Blackburn Royal Hospital previously but were visiting a friend in Ward B24.

We did not have an auspicious start as the queue to enter the car park was long and slow. I had to leave my Husband to park the car so that I could go and visit our friend.

As you walk into the entrance you pass through a haze of smoke. There was a line of patients and visitors smoking adjacent to the entrance directly under, 'No Smoking, ' signs. Why is this allowed? Many hospitals and other public buildings now have bans on smoking on hospital property and enforce this.

When I entered the hospital I could not see where the wards were situated so I asked a young porter, Simon. This young man is an absolute credit to the Hospital. He escorted me to Ward B24 despite being rather a distance away from the foyer.

On entering the ward our friend was being assisted in walking by a nursing student, Zoiya. When she had assisted our friend in sitting on a chair she brought me a chair. Zoiya was such a lovely young lady, nothing was too much trouble and had the personal qualities which you value in a nurse.

Generally impressed with the cleanliness of the hospital and the staff who we encountered.