"Fantastic service received"

I crashed my bicycle in recently and, as I subsequently discovered, seriously broke my left arm and elbow and also dislocated the elbow. I knew right away I needed an ambulance and, as soon as it arrived, I knew instinctively I was in reassuringly professional hands.

The all female crew ferried me to A&E in Perth (PRI) and, although I was in absolute agony every time I was moved even an inch, I received from both the ambulance crew and everyone else at PRI (doctors, nurses, x-ray technicians and porters) the most thoroughly professional and wholly compassionate care and attention from everyone who attended to me.

My concerns about my pain were recognised and dealt with immediately and, throughout the whole (for me) dreadfully painful experience, I felt I my concerns were being put first.

I was subsequently transferred to Ninewells in Dundee for an operation that Friday night and, throughout my transfer (during rush hour), the second all female ambulance crew of my long and pain-filled day treated me with the same brilliance, professionalism and compassion as everyone at PRI had.

The staff at Ward 19 Ninewells displayed the same level of professionalism and compassion that I had received from their colleagues in Perth and their wholly positive attitude to dealing with everyone in their care was a joy to behold. Given our various poor conditions, myself and my fellow patients on Ward 19 were a bit of a morose lot, but the nurses and their support staff remained decidedly upbeat and positive throughout all their dealings with each and everyone of us.

The Anesthetists, Orthopedic Surgeons and nurses who subsequently operated on me that night did an absolutely fantastic job. I never felt a thing and awoke feeling that my arm was 100% better than when I'd been put to sleep (I'd actually been out for almost 3 hours). The skill of these guys and gals is without question phenomenal.

Back on Ward 19 for another 18 - 19 hours recovery, the post operational treatment was once again superb. Throughout changes in shifts and staff, the treatment I received was consistently tremendous and always considerate.

Given the ridiculously over bureaucratic circumstances under which everyone employed by the NHS is currently forced to operate (e. g. (a) I was asked the same set of questions by at least 6 different people during my short stays in PRI and Ninewells and (b) despite my lying in exactly the same bed, in exactly the same clothes and in exactly the same ward at Ninewells, with exactly the same very obvious injuries for a whole 24 hour period, the same nurses who treated me repeatedly had to verify my identity each and very time before they could give me painkillers! ), I cannot find any fault with any aspect of the treatment I received from anyone I had dealings with over last Friday and Saturday in either PRI or Ninewells. They are the best of the best and they are worth every penny of the exceedingly small amount we as a nation spend on them.