"Recent worries & a great medical team"

I have suffered from Crohns disease since I was 19 (i am now 34), in all this time i have been attending the Tameside Hospital, Blue Suite, Gastroenterology department. Recently, due to problems with some blood results (namely high ALT levels in respect to my liver) i had to stop my "maintenance" medication.

The fact my liver was inflamed almost over twice the normal range, served to make me anxious and indeed freaked me out. However, as always, when in a crisis of this nature, I do feel TGH (namely the Gastro team and Ms Bartlett) have always acted quickly to expidite the resolution of any issues of this nature. Moreover, Ms Bartlett kept in contact with me which helped to allay my fears and ease my stress (which is so very important in IBD).

I do feel that i receive a "holistic" approach of care (and have done all the years of attending tgh) in the respect that i am listened to, provided with dignity, and given the time (if needed) to truly discuss all my fears in relation to any prescribed treatment or, indeed, any plan of action. Although sometimes i could have come across as possibly "awkward" in respect to going through with some treatments, i have always been able to be actively involved within my treatment plan.

I felt the profound need to write this, as, constantly i read in the media negative things about Tameside General Hospital, the staff & services etc. Sometimes these media reports worry me, as a patient, however, i revert back to the "schema" i have and the trust i have built with the staff at tgh, and feel sometimes the hospital gets a bad "wrap".

I have never been an inpatient, however, i have had many procedural processes carried out (on an outpatient basis), and always been provided with the utmost respect irrespective of race, gender, social class, etc.

My "Liver-Scare" has luckily sorted itself out, but, without my Gastro Nurse and consultant, and left to just dealing with my General Practitioner on my own, i think i might have "worried" myself in to some other health issue.

I felt the need to express this story as i never seem to have a "bad" visit to Tameside hospital, and think sometimes it might need some positive comments towards most of the staffs' dedication and professionalism.