"Excellent"

What I liked

We were holidaying in the area when my son had an accident. The response from the ambulance crew was excellent. They arrived quickly, treated him for pain and transported us to RUH, Bath A & E Department.

My son's injury meant that an x ray was required, this was undertaken quickly and efficiently. It showed that he had fractured 5 metatarsals. Whilst the staff were deciding the best course of action, they ensured that his pain remained under control. There was a suggestion that a plaster would be applied and that we would be discharged but the orthopaedic doctor on call felt that it would be better to keep my son in and to review the situation in the morning. The nurse dealing with us escorted us up to the children's ward and did not leave until he was satisfied that all information had been handed over. He had a lovely manner and explained everything carefully to us so that we were aware of the options available and what he thought would happen.

The next morning we were visited by the Orthopaedic surgeon who advised that it would be necessary to reduce the fractures during an operation. He explained why this was needed and also why it could not be done immediately. We spent 4 nights on the children's ward prior to the operation. My son received an exceptional level of care for which I will always be extremely grateful. The operation took place on day 5 and following this my son experienced severe discomfort. The staff on duty worked hard to reduce this; in consultation with him and were happy to discuss my concerns and reassure me as well. My son had a named nurse responsible for his care and so I knew who to discuss things with. I was kept well informed of my rights by staff and felt that they were open and honest with me.

What could be improved

The staff on the ward are incredibly busy and sometimes there was a delay in being able to speak to them or in getting pain relief because they have to prioritise.

Anything else?

Having found ourselves in an unfamiliar town and an unknown hospital, without the support of family and friends; we both found everyone to be friendly and helpful - it certainly made our stay less traumatic.