"A & E and subsequent care"

This covers Ambulance Service, A & E - consultants and Nursing Staff, McCulloch ward.

I visited the hospital on Tuesday with my aunt who had had surgery at another hospital, we were transferred from Darent Valley onto Medway. My aunt was transferred by ambulance and I just wanted to ensure that my thanks were passed to the ambulance crew who were patient, understanding and extremely efficient. My aunt had confidence in them and their attitude was second to none.

We got to A and E and were seen very quickly, although it has to be said the department was extremely busy, the staff were fantastic.

ENT sent a registrar and they had the patience of a saint with my aunt who was in so much pain, then the consultant came and again they were wonderful.

Both with their bedside manner and in relation to sorting out the problem for my aunt.

My aunt was then transferred to McCulloch ward and again the nurses and consultants were very supportive and my aunt was discharged yesterday evening. The service was wonderful and worthy of acknowledgement.

My only criticism is that my aunt needed an ice pack continuously to stop the bleeding which she was given, when this melted and I was visiting, the staff were really busy, i eventually had to go to another department to request ice as the machine on McCulloch ward is broken. I do not know if we were there under exceptional circumstances but the ice really helped to stop the bleeding so if you can consider replacing the machine in that ward at some stage it may be helpful to somebody else.

But will end on a positive my thanks to all involved including the nurses.