"emergency appendectomy and aftercare on Purley 3"

I'm writing to express my gratitude to everyone who treated me during my recent stay at Croydon University Hospital. The ambulance crew, A&E staff, porters, consultants and surgical staff were considerate, informative and kind. But I especially want to highlight the nursing staff on surgical ward Purley 3; their compassion, attention and good humour made my hospitalisation so comfortable, at one point I considered moving in.

Croydon University (or Mayday as I will forever know it) often gets a bad rap. I wrote a review of my experience of their Gynae dept earlier in the year and it was far from positive. The infrastructure doesn't help either, a large proportion of the hospital originates from the 1880s and sadly some of the rooms you find yourself wheeled into don't appear to have had more than a coat of paint since then. However when it performs so well for the patient, as it did for me last month, it's essential to emphasize the fantastic work some of their staff carry out on a daily basis.

I'd like to extend to everyone I met a peaceful and stress free Christmas.