"Fantastic efforts"

I slipped off my bike only to break my left hip and right thumb last Thursday. I was collected carefully and efficiently by lovely caring paramedics and then taken to Heartlands and then onto the Queen Elizabeth hospital on Friday. I was fed, watered, monitored and continually assessed by cheerful and, yet, extremely busy and under pressure staff. I was given a number of x-rays as well as painkillers. Once problems understood a hip operation was arranged for Saturday pm and an experienced, qualified surgeon explained what would happen. Operation carried out under general anaesthetic and I was placed on a ward to start recovery. At same time my broken thumb was tended to. Taking More painkillers, I experienced constant care during the next 48 hours at which point was allowed to go home. I cannot recall how many times I had blood pressure and pulse taken. I don’t know how many painkillers I was given. And I have no idea how many people I saw. But what I do know is that I encountered a lot of dedicated, hard working, professional and wonderfully caring staff - from those who first picked me up, through the cleaner to the person who wheeled me out of the ward. It’s a shame that policy doesn’t allow me to single individuals out because I feel some do deserve special mention. There again, I have to say everyone I met worked incredibly hard to provide the same level of service to everyone. And Covid was never going to be used as a reason not to help people. If I had one disappointment it’s that I was taken to Heartlands hospital first and then transferred next day to the QE. That delay reduced my chances of a successful operation from circa 95% down to nearer 50/50. That process really needs reviewing. But I otherwise have nothing but praise for an over-stretched, under-funded NHS that we find in very few other countries in the world. God bless you NHS and thank you for such remarkable service and attention. Rob