"Visit for post-menopausal bleeding"

I accompanied my mother (late 80s)  to her appointment in Lincoln's maternity unit for a preliminary investigation into a post-monpausal bleeding issue. Obviously, we were both anxious about the possibility of cancer as well as wanting to understand what the problem was. Throughout the appointment we were treated with wonderful kindness as well as superb professionalism. This includes the lady on the reception desk at Branston' Ward (whose name I'm afraid I don't recall) to the nurse who initially greeted us and explained the outline of the appointment (Jen), the stenographer and the other two nurses, Julie and Nicky, who was the lead nursing examiner. All of them provided a really supportive and warm atmosphere that helped make the experience so much better. My mother is very deaf and even with hearing aids can still experience hearing difficulty. I told the nurses about this and they all spoke with really clear voices and made sure that they faced her whenever they spoke. In the past I have accompanied her to medical exams and found that even consultants (in fact, especially consultants!) forget to speak more clearly and distinctly after five minutes of the consultation, but these nurses, especially the Gynae nurse specialist, Nicky, all remembered to address her like this throughout. They also very kindly performed the blood test in the unit: usually these happen in another clinic a distance away, but they could see that my mother has walking difficulties so they did the blood tests in house. What a sensitive and intelligent response to her particular needs.

Our worst fears were not realised, and a series of thorough checks left us happy that all is being done to sort out the gynaecological issues. My mother has now been put on a waiting list to see the consultant (Miss Harris) in about six weeks' time. My only negative comment is that the wait to see the consultant seems very significant considering the discomfort my mother is in, and how difficult it is for her to do anything outside the home with a worry of 'leakages'. But of course that is a funding issue, and not something the nurses can do anything about. 

 I cannot emphasise enough how impressed we were throughout by the superb treatment from the staff. It is clear from the media that there are severe funding issues in the NHS (and the state of the building also showed that in some ways) but the remarkable quality of human contact, empathy and the professional commitment of the nursing staff simply could not be bettered.