"During the past 8 years I have ..."

What I liked

During the past 8 years I have needed to take my husband to Ripon hospital many times - sometimes as many as 4 visits per week. At all times we both were treated with respect. All the staff at Ripon (reception, appointments, nurses, clinics, outpatients) were supportive, kind and very friendly during a time, which was for us, a very difficult period. The laughter and smiles kept us going. Nothing was too much trouble. Well done Ripon.

What could be improved

Some of the decoration is looking tired and could be improved but that takes money. I believe that it is on the agenda to be done.

The lack of magazines has been mentioned. I regularly took some in but has the swine flu epedemic been forgotten, when all magazines etc were removed from waiting rooms and doctors surgeries as the result of a directive from 'above'.?

The car parking has improved but there are still some unscrupulous people out there who continue to use it as a shopper's car park. Perhaps the wheel clamping which I observed on Monday will help the situation.

Anything else?

We are very lucky in Ripon to have our own 'cottage' hospital and I hope that we will continue to keep one for many years to come.. The people of Ripon and the surrounding countryside, especially the elderly, need to be able to access the facilities provided easily.

We have needed to attend Harrogate, Leeds, and York during the period 2002-2010 and although we knew that that was where the expertise was, and were glad of it, on the whole it was a much more formal and stressful experience and also involved a lot of travelling and time.

We know where we would rather have been. Keep up all the good work Ripon.