Text size

Theme

Language

"Day Surgery team showed compassion, professionalism and respect"

About: Forth Valley Royal Hospital / Day Surgery

(as a service user),

While the wait for surgery was longer than I'd hoped, it’s something I fully understood given the current pressures on the NHS. Once a date became available, however, everything moved quickly and efficiently. I received a call for my pre-op appointment, and just three days later, I was in for the procedure.

The pre-op nurse was excellent—warm, friendly, and reassuring. She made what could have been a stressful experience feel calm and manageable. On the day of the surgery, I arrived at the Day Surgery Unit and was welcomed by a nurse and healthcare support worker who were absolutely fantastic. They were attentive throughout, regularly checking on me and ensuring I was comfortable. It was clear they genuinely cared and took pride in their work. One of them was always present, which helped reduce any anxiety I was feeling.

Before going into theatre, I was visited by the surgeon, anaesthetist, and anaesthetic nurse. This personal touch made a huge difference—seeing familiar faces before going under helped to ground me and ease any last-minute nerves.

The real standouts of my experience were the anaesthetist and the anaesthetic nurse. From the moment I was taken through to the area before theatre, they were both incredibly personable—chatty, informative, and professional. They kept me engaged in conversation, which didn’t give me a chance to dwell on any worries. Their teamwork was seamless—like a well-oiled machine. Both clearly knew exactly what needed to be done and when. They used humour appropriately, maintained professionalism, and above all, made me feel safe and well cared for. I genuinely couldn’t have asked for a better pair to support me through that part of the journey.

Although I was asleep for the surgery itself—which is a good thing!—I’m grateful that everything went to plan with no complications.

When I woke up in recovery, the care continued to be excellent. A nurse stayed by my side the entire time, keeping me informed, helping manage the post-op pain effectively, and explaining what I was feeling in those first groggy moments after anaesthesia. They were kind, calm, and reassuring.

Back in the Day Surgery Unit, I was again looked after with genuine care. The nurse responsible for me until discharge was fantastic, providing additional pain relief at just the right moment, which meant I was able to mobilise, get changed with dignity, and didn’t require any assistance—something that meant a lot to me.

Overall, I’m incredibly grateful for the care I received. From start to finish, every member of staff I encountered treated me with compassion, professionalism, and respect. While no one wants to go through surgery, I feel very lucky that when I did, it was with the team at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

Thank you all.

Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Mandy Clark, Senior Charge Nurse, Ambulatory Care/Day Surgery, NHS Forth Valley 3 days ago
Mandy Clark
Senior Charge Nurse, Ambulatory Care/Day Surgery,
NHS Forth Valley
Submitted on 07/08/2025 at 14:50
Published on Care Opinion at 14:50


Dear novembercc98

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your recent stay in Day Surgery.

I am delighted to read that you had a really positive experience from start to finish and everyone was able to alleviate some of your anxieties.

I will pass on your lovely comments to all teams involved in your care from pre-op, anaesthetics theatres and DSU staff.

Wishing you well in your recovery

Kind regards

Mandy

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k