"An experience that surpassed my..."

What I liked

Following an elective procedure to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in my right knee which was performed by the consultant and his team I was then cared for on St Cross ward for 3 nights. All of the time I was cared for exceptionally well, with profesionalism, compasion and respect from every level of the staff. Quickly they had me feeling on the road to recovery which then gave me the opportunity to observe how they cared for me and the 5 other patients in my bay. We as patients, at times and perhaps understandably are not the easiest people to deal with, out of our own environments, in pain, depressed, fed up and frustrated by our poor luck or predicament yet no matter what challenges we bring to our carers they, time and again showed compassion, understanding and respect (when at times we showed far from those things in return). The treatment of me and my "bay mates" was truly amazing. I've been fortunate enough to not need there care before and I hope to not call on them again! But I sleep soundly knowing that they and their colleagues are there for us. Is the NHS in good form? Are the politics and policies of the trust correct? Could things be done better? Are the pay and conditions good enough? I have no idea, but I know I turned up on their doorstep Friday and left on Monday and for every moment I felt safe, secure and comfortable. I wish my bay mates good luck and know they are in the best of hands.

My thanks will never be enough for the staff who cared for us, they are truly exceptional.

Dave, 33 with a better knee