"Consultants and doctors were great, the nursing..."

Anything else?

I was rushed into the hospital in August 2012, with suspected appendix problems. I remained in hospital for several days and underwent successful surgery.

In a nutshell I found the consultants and doctors that I saw fantastic, they were respectful, treated me with dignity and explained everything to me in detail encouraging me to make decisions with them about my treatment.

However, I found many of the nurses, rude, dismissive and I waited at one point for 6 hours for morphine and then waited 3 hours to have an empty fluids bag replaced when I was nil by mouth.

The nurses showed little empathy and to be honest the level of care was awful. I was treated as an inconvenience and when I was moved from one ward to another, the ward sister actually shouted up the corridor - We are not ready for her ! The porter who took me down there, actually told her off for being so rude! (for which I thank him).

At a time when I felt very ill, tired and vulnerable I did not appreciate this at all.

Part of the problem could have been the combination of individual rooms, so nurses had a lot of buzzers to respond to and some patients obviously had a high dependency and should have been in a geriatric ward where there would have been (one hopes) more staff. However, if you're going to become a nurse I think you would expect this.

I found the orderlies and cleaners were lovely and helpful.

When I left hospital, I said to my husband, I hope to God none of my family ever have to spend time there again, although I applaud the consultants, I have no faith in the after care whatsoever.