"My visit to Musgrove Hospital Surgical Assessment unit"

The staff made me feel welcome and looked after me straight away. I was instructed to arrive by 12 noon, preparatory to an operation on my ankle (which I broke 2 weeks before).

It was an extremely busy day for the Ward, with lots of emergency admissions and no spare bed bays available, when I arrived. However, they still booked me in and allowed me to sit with my feet up in one of the occupied bays (curtained off from the occupant, with their permission,  to maintain their privacy). 

I was worried, as this was my first ever operation and they were very reassuring, despite how busy they were.

The doctor and anaethatists visited me in my little cordoned off half bay and, as no bed or bay was available prior to my surgery, they collected me from there to take me for my surgery. I felt confident leaving my personal belongings with the Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU) staff, who promised they would be safely moved to a bed/bay to which I would be allocated, by the time my surgery was complete.

When I was awake and returned to the SAU, bed/bay 12. I was made welcome and looked after. As promised, all my belonging were there too. 

I had never stayed in hospital overnight before and everyone was very patient, kind and helpful; patient with all my questions, kind and helpful re: the necessity of commodes and taking blood pressure readings etc. There was one particular nurse that night who looked after me beautifully; I cannot remember her name (still was very dozy from the general anaestethic), but I am so grateful to her and to her colleagues as well.

The next morning, after the shift change, there were two, both called Donna, who were amazing. Thank you so much.

I am a needle phobic and the two Donnas were wonderful and helpful, when it came time to remove my canula.

I wanted to post this feedback, as I really feel, all the staff in the SAU deserve the highest praise and recognition. Whilst I was there I was a witness to the verbal abuse and unacceptable demands placed upon them by another patient and I was appalled, when they were bending over backwards, to be supportive, kind and understanding that they were being treated and talked to as if they were sub-human slaves.

I am so very, very grateful for all their kindness and care, despite despite extremely busy schedules and the conflicting demands on their every moment.

Thank you, each and every one of you. In my view you are bright and shining stars and true heroes.