"Exceptional teamwork and respectful care at..."

My emergency orthopaedic medical situation was one of the most stressful, and certainly the most painful, experiences of my life but the exceptional care I received on Ward 1 has set me up far a successful recovery.

Surgical team

The doctors performed a difficult 6 hour surgery.

They acted quickly and their honest explainations of what was being done gave me full confidence in their skill.

I am fortunate to have benefited from their experience and great patient care.

The doctor did an exceptional job explaining what would happen in surgery and afterwards.

I am queasy about medical descriptions, and also got worked up emotionally, but they provided the information at a level I could absorb and would circle back later to answer questions and clarify.

Two of the other doctors did well at balancing keeping me unconcious without negative side effects even though a planned 2 - 3 hour surgery became a 6 hour surgery.

Post surgery

The physiotherapist was very good at figuring out what I could safely do. When I began walking I had intense pain and they recognized this might be more than the evident soft tissue damage.

Another doctor did a thorough exam and arranged a CT that found a non displaced fracture too fine to show on xray.

Thanks to this I avoided actions that would have slowed my recovery and potentially become a displaced fracture requiring surgery.

At a time when I was down and upset, the physio gave me advice that I have played in my head often during my recovery: that it's normal to experience setbacks as I got doing more, but these are temporary as long as I work through them.

It may be common sense advice but was given the right way at the right time and has made a difference to me.

Ward 1 care team

There was a consistent high level of professionalism, as well as kind and respectful treatment and good humour.

I appreciate that they allowed me to work my way through things at my own pace and were there to support me and ensure I was safe but let me muddle through as I worked to regain my independence.

It is a challenging environment but I always heard patients being treated with patience and respect.

At the start of a shift I overheard a group talk about pulling together as a team to help each other and ensure patients were well looked after.

It was a heartfelt talk and gave me insight on why the team worked together so effectively.

Bells were frequently going off as staff got pulled in many directions, but they were always kind and calm and did their best to help me quickly any time I asked.

Food

I appreciate the range of options and the individuals collecting the orders and bringing the meals were always helpful, and acted with genuine kindness.

Admin dealt with billing our insurance company and my discharge and made it all very easy and well understood with a friendly approach.

Last but not least is thanks to those who oversee things.

I experienced a clear focus on the patient at Wexham Park.