"My daughter's broken finger"

My daughter (aged 14) was playing basketball at school. She reached to catch the ball and it hit her pinky square on the tip, causing the bone between the knuckle and the middle joint to break and the finger to be displaced. We went immediately to the Minor Injuries unit at the Victoria Hospital in Glasgow, where she was seen and x-rayed promptly. The x-ray showed that the bone was shattered into four pieces. It was too late for day surgery at the QEUH and we were told to attend at 7am the following morning. 

We waited all day the following day, with my daughter fasting ahead of a general anaesthetic, necessary in order to pin the finger into an almost straight position to heal. At the end of the afternoon we were sent home. More serious injuries and younger children were given priority; my daughter was the eldest patient there that day. Staff kept us informed and were kind and attentive. We could see and understand that other patients were more injured/higher priority.

The following day we arrived back at 7am. At 10:30 we were told that she would be operated on at 13:30 as a priority (because of the failure to get to her the previous day). Again, the nurses and doctors were communicative. 

The operation went ahead. The process of getting from the day ward to the theatre was well-handled by all the staff. They explained very clearly each step. 

The plastic surgery team were excellent (before the operation, during and subsequently). They have re-set the four bones well. It was a particularly difficult set of breaks and they have made a good job of uniting them all. But in addition, in the day surgery ward, they were clear, informative, helpful, kind, humorous and honest - and they continue to be.

The anaesthetist was exceptional: he was clear when giving information about what he was going to do, kind, funny, and so very un-patronising with my daughter but also with other children and parents on the ward. The pinning of the finger was successful. My daughter left the ward at 20:00 that evening. Our experience was positive. The staff and procedures and processes were all good.