"My hat goes off to all the staff with the quality..."

What I liked

Since I was diagnosed with cancer and referred to Ward 19 at Heartlands Hospital for treatment I have found the staff nothing less than exceptional, the caring and professional attitude that they show is nothing more than exemplary and it is a pleasure to attend appointments for treatment as I am always greeted with a smiling gace.

My hat goes off to all the staff with the quality of care they provide with the restrictions that are imposed on them, many a time they have been short staffed and are rushed off their feet but soldier on without complaint, this proves that we have the best nurses in the world.

Well done………

What could be improved

My one main complaint is that when I have been given an appointment time which I attend promptly I have always had a minimum of a 2 hour wait before I am seen, I feel this is unacceptable as being told I have cancer and my life expectancy has been shortened the last thing I need is to be waiting around to be seen.

I have never mentioned this to any off the nurses or sisters as I feel this is in no way their fault, the only reason I can think of for this situation is the lack of staff that is available on the ward, I am not the only person to suffer from this situation as sitting in the waiting hallway I have heard the majority of other patients saying the same thing.

Maybe if the NHS was given more funding to employ more staff this problem could be alleviated and take the burden off the nurses and sisters who are worked to the max…………if wards are not properly staffed and the staff who are working on the wards are having to cover for them doesn’t this raise a possible question of mistakes happening as they are only human.