"You have made a great difference"

This is a thank you to all the staff at Lincoln County Hospital who looked after my dad so well during his lengthy illness. It's being two years since he died and I am sorry I haven't done this sooner but to honest I don't think I would have been able to before. Dad spent about six months on Carlton Coleby ward very poorly and for some time everyone wasn't sure what was wrong with him. He was very well cared for by all staff. After his eventual discharge he became a bit of a frequent flyer to the hospital, mainly to Carlton Coleby again. Although nobody ever likes being admitted to hospital I know it made a difference due to the good relations he had built up with staff. From Stacey the nurse in MEAU who always remembered him, to the lady who did the coffee round on Carlton Coleby and always remembered how he liked his coffee! The nurses all seemed to be genuinely compassionate and caring and it makes a difference. I remember during one of his stays I was poorly myself on Stow Ward and one of the HCSWs (Mike? ) brought dad over in a wheelchair to see me. Stuff like that when staff are busy makes such a difference and was so appreciated. When dad was diagnosed with leukaemia I think he was disappointed that future admissions would now be to Waddington and not Carlton Colby. Saying that the staff on Waddington were very nice, he just never spent as long there so don't think he got to know the staff as well but he was always very well cared for. When he left hospital to come home for what we knew would be his last few days the receptionist from the Day treatment Centre (sorry I don't know its proper name) came to find him on Waddington ward and say goodbye. But I know he really appreciated that. Being so caring and compassionate and treating people as individuals is what nursing should be about and the staff we met demonstrated this so well.