"Covid complications and recovery"

I was referred into the acute GP service yesterday. Firstly can I say this was prompt work from my GP to see me in a 'hot bay' clinic having been Covid positive 18 days ago and get me straight into the hospital.

The staff met me with a smile and kind reassuring words. They arranged tests, bloods firstly as they knew they'd be an hour in the lab (only 1hr! ! ) Then onto sats, ECG, an Dr Moon examination of my chest. Then off for chest xray, I didnt even get to sit down it was that quick and straight back to Dr Moon for results.

A further smile, gentle explanation and refer for CT. I cant have been waiting there for 10minutes when called in promptly by a radiologist who quickly and professionally identified my cannula was not in the vein but in 'tissue'. He placed another effortlessly and CT scan completed.

While all this was going on inside the hospital, outside my husband and 3yr old waiting for me had toilet issues (we rushed out of the house with nothing in hand and no thoughts they were not allowed in the building due to Covid restrictions) and when the staff overheard my conversation offered wipes and continence pad for my daughter if needed! Talk about over and above!

Dawn and Dr moon were amazing. Luckily the car had some supplies to help the little girls accident. I was then given results, the explanation thorough and comprehensive. I felt in awe, such wonderful, prompt, amazing care from start to finish. What I felt could have been improved was the clinic areas/environments these amazing people have to work in. Clearly a great service, shoe-horned into old office space, so when I nearly fainted having my canula inserted the first time, I was unable to lie on a couch as the clinic rooms were in use by another service. The constraints of a critical service evident. These clinicians are making the best of what they have been given but must be disheartened to know what they do is let down by the environment they've been provided. I hope RCHT can find these wonderful services and staff the facilities they clearly deserve.

I would like xray and CT to know they were amazing, prompt and professional. I would also like Dawn and Dr Moon to know how amazing they are, how they made an awful day tolerable with a smile and giggle along the way. And I'd love RCHT to be bigger, if more clinic rooms are needed for these essential services. But mainly, a massive THANK YOU for being there at all and working amazingly with what you've got.