"The entire NHS should be like this - wonderful!"

What I liked

Firstly and most importantly all the staff were interested, friendly, cheerful and made me feel that my well being was their foremost concern.

What could be improved

This may have been an isolated incident, but I had to go to the Eye clinic while an inpatient in the ACDU under the Rheumatology Department and was told I had an appointment for 1.30 pm. I asked if I should take a book and was told "no - you have a 1.30 pm appointment. I was not seen in the Eye Clinic till 4.30 pm, about which I have no complaint - they were busy and understaffed due to illness. It would not have taken much time for the ward nurse to have called up to the Eye Clinic to see if there would be a wait and advised me to take reading matter or whatever I needed to pass the time.

Anything else?

I have been told that consideration is being given to closing the Rheumatology Department at Central Middlesex and amalgamating it with other hospitals including Northwick Park. I have attended Northwick Park for treatment to myself [not Rheumatology] and to family members. Northwick Park is more convenient to me for travel. The treatment I and family members have received at Northwick Park has been good. However, the exceptional level of care and consideration which I received at Central Middlesex Rheumatology Department was so outstanding that its closure would be a terrible tragedy for the NHS. In marketing terms the Rheumatology Department provides the level of customer satisfaction for which the entire NHS should be striving.