"I hope my thanks can be conveyed"

I attended A&E at University Hospital Wishaw in January, having slipped on black ice a week before, fallen heavily on my right side and hurt my upper arm. Having convinced myself that the pain was muscular, I had stupidly delayed going to A&E.

An x-ray showed that I had dislocated my right shoulder and that there was a slight fracture at the top of the humerus! The registrar on duty attempted to manipulate my arm into my shoulder joint under local anaesthetic but was not able to do so and explained that this would therefore have to be done under general anaesthetic. A member of the surgical team then explained that, as I had eaten a yoghurt at 12 noon, the operation could not be done until 7pm, that an attempt would be made to perform the operation "closed" but that, if this was not successful, I would have to return next day when a surgeon who could open the shoulder would be available.

Given these circumstances and since the weather was icy and I was reluctant to ask the friend who would return for me to do so late at night, I asked if it would be more convenient for medical staff if I went home for the night and returned next morning. This was agreed and I reported to Day Surgery at 8am next day. The operation was successful with the shoulder "closed" and I was home by 1.30pm!

I am so very sorry that I do not have the names of all the staff in A&E and Day Surgery who cared for me, apart from Sharon, the nurse who told me the result of the x-ray, Miss Phillips, the surgeon who operated on me, and Sandra, who signed my discharge sheet, but I do hope that my thanks can be conveyed to every single member of staff concerned. The care I received was exceptional.

Every member of staff I encountered was not only extremely efficient, but also caring and compassionate. Each person took pains to explain what was happening and what would happen, which made me feel very comfortable at what was a pretty stressful time for me. It was obvious to me that staff had been under great pressure given the current situation in general and also given the number of accidents they had had to deal with since the icy weather began the week before. I cannot commend highly enough the skill and the very positive and caring attitude of every one of them, for which I am so very grateful.