"Outstanding treatment - thank you"

The treatment I received in late July 2022 at Yeovil District Hospital was outstanding. I was admitted to Ward SevenA with appendicitis. Every single person that I encountered - whether porter, nurse, health care assistant, housekeeping, doctor, radiographer, admin, surgeon - was kind, caring, humane and professional.

I have never had a hospital experience like it. I feel quite emotional just thinking about how wonderful everyone was, and want to thank each of them from the bottom of my heart.

Previously (in different hospitals) I have had varied experiences which have left me quite fearful of hospitals. Yeovil District Hospital has banished that fear in one single experience. I feel uplifted and so incredibly grateful for the care and kindness that I received.

People from all around the world worked together to fix me. They somehow coordinated into an amazing mind-boggling operation of sorting everything out. It blew my mind and makes me burst with pride at our National Health Service.

People appeared by my bedside to administer drugs, change sheets, monitor my body, explain surgery, take blood, bring food, make tea, clean, talk physio, bring medicine, help me wash, and get me home.

And most of all, every thing that every person did was done with kindness, clarity and calmness. I cannot emphasise enough what a difference this makes.

The surgical team took the time to explain what was happening at each stage when my op was delayed due to other emergencies, and to carefully explain what would be happening during the op, and did so with such warmth and good cheer that it completely blew away my previous unhappy experiences of surgery.

All the staff that cared for me on the ward were calm, kind, gentle and diligent, and utterly humane & professional. I never felt I was just another patient, or a burden or hindrance (as I have felt in other hospital experiences). They were all lovely people, and despite working flat out they had always had a smile and good humour when needed.

Special thanks to the lovely people who held my hand in the recovery room when everything was weird. I was frightened and you made it all ok.

I returned a week later for a scan and had equally wonderful treatment - warmth & friendliness made me feel at ease and took all my fears away.

Everything about my experience at Yeovil District Hospital makes my heart sing with pride for our National Health Service. I hope that this message is conveyed to all the staff who work so very hard under such extreme pressure. Thank you so much.