"King's Hospital A&E (South London)"

I attended A&E with a 4 day history of abdominal pain and a high fever on a Sunday evening having resisted attending earlier or at all as I thought it was food poisoning that would simply pass. I am really a firm believer in A&E being exactly that and didnt feel that my case was really an 'emergency' but after looking online and seeing that these symptoms can be a sign of quite nasty conditions, like peritonitis, realised it was sensible to go. Also, to be honest- and I work in healthcare myself and understand the pressure the staff work under in A&E- I was anticipating a process of at least 5 hours which I felt like avoiding if possible.

The experience was so quick, really, and so efficient and almost enjoyable that I felt compelled to write and share my good experience- as people are always so quick to voice complaints and I felt this deserved positive recognition.

I was seen booked in promptly, we waited in a clean and pleasant (if that's the word!) waiting area. A lovely and astute nurse assessed me after about 20 mins waiting and gave me some paracetamol. After another 40 mins or so I was seen by a caring and attentive doctor who (to my great relief) informed me that I had all the signs in my urine of a severe infection in the urinary tract.

He gave me some antibiotics and I walked out feeling so happy and so grateful to the staff for their professionalism and compassion, to King's, for having a well organised and well staffed department and to the NHS for making it possible for me to have such amazing care so readily accessible and free at the point of service.