"Professional, sympathetic and friendly"

Please ensure my thanks are passed to the wonderful members of Staff at NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde QEUH MIU who assessed and treated a painful, potentially contaminated but minor injury.

I had been out cycling along the Forth & Clyde canal bank when my hand came in contact with a discarded fishing hook that embedded into my finger.

I presented at QEUH and was allocated to the Minor Injuries (MIU) treatment pathway.

I was promptly seen and assessed by Senior Charge Nurse Karen and Emergency Care Assistant Pat. (Apologies to SCN if I have got her first name wrong!)

Their assessment was very thorough and cautious, initially investigating if the hook could be readily extracted.

With no fault, the hook could not be persuaded out and an X-Ray was ordered. The radiographer was again professional, sympathetic and friendly.

I returned to MIU and the Senior Charge Nurse polled one of A&E’s Consultant’s opinion. Multiple extraction methods were considered and explained to me. I was offered a nerve block but declined it at that time.

The extraction was a complex and time-consuming process and as additional pressure was required, the clinicians noted my increasing discomfort.

They stopped the procedure and immediately offered me pain relief. I now accepted the Block. Once effective, ECA Pat progressively manipulated the embedded hook.

Pat’s skilful persistence paid off and his efforts were totally successful. The wound was cleaned and dressed.

Karen administered an anti-Tetanus shot and provided me follow-up antibiotics plus short-term pain relief.

This was a totally professional-team operation and a great example of the value of good triage, communications and excellent emergency care.

After hook extraction, I felt absolutely no pain whatsoever and my hand is making a rapid and full recovery.

After my first visit to the MIU, I immediately see its value in reducing the load on the A&E department to free resource to deal with more serious patients.

Please pass my thanks to all involved. Clinicians such as these are the lifeblood of our precious NHS and its Emergency services.