"Our family’s sincere thanks for the care and compassion"

To cut a long story short my 95-year-old, housebound mum became unwell for the first time earlier this year.  She was found to be confused by her grandson when he visited with her shopping. She had previously had 5 admissions to Monklands Hospital with sepsis. I cannot express enough about the wonderful care she received.  From professional and caring ambulance staff (every time never waiting longer than 30-40 minutes at most), to reception at A&E, medical and nursing staff in A&E and the wards she was in.   

When a special person in many people's lives becomes unwell it is a very distressing and worrying time, and when they are elderly there is also the worry that maybe they don’t matter the same as younger people who are sick. Never once did we feel that our mum was treated with anything but dignity and respect.

Unfortunately on her last admission my brother was informed by medical staff in A&E that the infection had taken its toll and it was only a matter of time and they would keep her comfortable and try and get her a single room in a medical ward. My husband and I travelled down from Inverness and arrived in A&E just prior to her being moved to ward 20.

The staff in Ward 20 remembered mum from her previous admissions and she was moved into a single room. There were a few of us, her children and grandchildren, and never once were we made to feel we were in the way.  We were given precious time with her and eventually the family left except myself as I had asked if I could stay.  I was assured this would not be a problem and I would like to thank CSWs Wilma and Lesley for the comfortable chair and blanket.    

During the night Wilma and Staff Nurse Sandra came to check on mum and made her more comfortable.  About 40 minutes later she peacefully passed away with me by her side.

When all you seem to hear about is people complaining about our NHS, I felt compelled to write this even though it is still quite raw for us as a family.

She had a wonderful GP and a great care package at home, and Ward 20 did everything in their power to get her home where she wanted to be, even organising a hospital bed admission before last.

Please pass on our family’s sincere thanks for the care and compassion shown to our mum and us.