"Excellent family liaison system for my father's care"

My father was admitted to Antrim Area Hospital (Ward C7) with a serious infection last week. He also has dementia.

Obviously we aren’t able to visit him but I would like to record my gratitude and appreciation for the staff in the ward for their attention and communication. The contact with the Family Liaison Team was especially appreciated, getting a daily phone call with an update on my father. With his dementia, he is very confused and it was very reassuring to know that the staff were taking the time to look after him and give him the reassurance and support that he needs.

I was very impressed with the system and the staff who were extremely helpful and on a couple of occasions arranged for me to speak to my father by phone which was great. I was also very impressed with the staff who did the drop off collection and deliveries. I’m assuming the new system also eases the pressure on the doctors and nurses who probably receive many phone calls from the families.

Overall, I think the Family Liaison system is excellent and it would be great to see it continue. I can only remember a few of the staff in C7 (Catherine, Nikki, Noellene and Fionnula) who I spoke to but I know they are all extremely professional and caring. It certainly made a hospital experience much better than it would have otherwise been, especially for the family of a dementia patient.

Please pass on my appreciation to all the staff, those who I have mentioned and those who I haven’t. Great work and thank you.