"A tight knit, competent, compassionate team"

The Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast: Endoscopy Unit at RVH

Procedure: Combined endoscopy and colonoscopy.

My experience of all staff and the unit as a whole, in concise terms: exemplary 

•Highly Efficient

•Highly competent

•Highly compassionate and most caring

I was advised by my GP a combined endoscopy and colonoscopy was a needed set of procedures. I was very concerned in going ahead; I’d previously experienced truly dreadful, identical procedures, 20 years ago (not in Northern Ireland) – yes, 20 years ago - but so awful was the memory of that event that I remained genuinely fearful about going ahead yesterday.

But! I am now a changed person having been cared for by the RVH endoscopy unit.

From the first pre-assessment telephone call (two days prior to these procedures and by the way this was really, really helpful) to the tea and toast after the procedures was, for me, a transformational experience!

If I really had to, I’d be relaxed in doing this again. In this sense, all of you who perhaps have one or both of these procedures pencilled in my advice to you is this: if you end up in RVH endoscopy unit you will be well cared for by a tight knit, competent, compassionate team.

The whole set up for me, from beginning to end, was positive and straight forward:

1.Pre-assessment telephone call – this was on time, very focused with information and provided much reassurance and opportunity for any questions. It was not rushed.

2.The RVH dispensary mailed me the necessary prep solutions (laxatives) well in advance; the prep part of these procedures is very important, so follow all advice and guidance. Ignore horror stories of awful, undrinkable etc concerning the laxatives; for me they were not unpleasant and more importantly they did the job. Just keep to all instructions. Use a straw and chill the laxatives to drink the mixtures. Read all guidance. Keep appropriately hydrated - follow guidelines.

3.Welcome and clerking in to the unit was on time and very, very kind and compassionate. I’d dearly love to name names but all staff were brilliant but the nurse who my initial contact with was just fantastic in calming my nerves and getting me ready for the procedures.

4.The consultant and their team were kind, efficient and gave me the very best of experiences of what is perhaps not the nicest set of procedures. Professional, focused and kept me in a positive mood.

5.Consider discussing and requesting sedation; for me this was the right choice to go with and was readily provided upon request. Be guided by your medical team.

6.After procedure (since I’d had sedation) I was taken into the recovery room where further kind, compassionate, respectful care was provided, all with genuine smiles!

In summary: The RVH Endoscopy Unit is one I can confidently highly rate; all staff in that unit are to be highly commended for the sterling patient care they, I am certain, routinely strive to deliver and, in my case, did deliver to me yesterday. I thank them all and say this: I believe we have the very best healthcare professionals in the world (I travelled, widely, and lived overseas) and those NHS professionals I had the very good fortune to be cared for can be used as a benchmark example when I say those words: the very best. Well done to all in the RVH Endoscopy Unit and a massive thank you to each and every one of you!