"All of the staff yesterday in ..."

What I liked

All of the staff yesterday in A&E were working at full tilt but there was still an air of calm organisation. I was really impressed. The doctor who saw my elderly friend was excellent - she had been really busy (we had to queue for a cubicle) and was at the end of her shift but she gave her full attention and a thorough examination. Her bedside manner was brilliant and she was really kind but efficient. The staff later on the Medical Assessment Unit were helpful, kind and efficient and the ward was very clean and orderly.

What could be improved

A&E was so busy we had to queue for a cubicle and we had come by ambulance. The place was not as clean as it could have been - the trolley mattress, which had just been vacated, was wiped with anti-septic spray but not the rails or anywhere else. The cubicle floor was dirty and sticky and there were bits of rubbish around. In the 2 hours we were there, someone came to sweep the floor with a duster type thing, but the floor was not mopped at all. It was a feature of there not being enough staff to do that kind of job - the medical staff were simply too busy with other things. I have given the clean rating as 'acceptable' as an average only because the Medical Assessment Unit where she went afterwards was really clean and nice.