"On Friday morning 21st December ..."

What I liked

On Friday morning 21st December 2007 I was rushed into A&E at Lincoln County Hospital with a suspected heart attack that was later diagnosed as pericarditis and was later transfered to Alexandra Short Stay Ward from where I was discharged on Sunday evening 23rd December.

The staff involved with my treatment were all superb. The paramedics who rushed me from the G.P.'s surgery to A&E, the consultant who dealt with my case, the other doctors involved, the nurses and auxilaries and even the orderlies cleaning and "administering" tea and comfort.

They all combined to make my short stay almost a pleasure.. The medical staff in particular were magnificent despite being under continuous pressure and on the go with no time to relax.. Their attention to the comfort of the patients was a revelation.

What could be improved

Treatment was so good it seems churlish to criticise the food.

However more consideration could be given to a coeliac diet.

Use of cornflour instead of wheatflour for thickening of soups, sauces and gravies would enable a coeliac to eat the same food as all the other patients. If proprietary brands of soups or gravy powders are used there is a range of gluten free varieties available.

The Coeliac Society would be pleased to provide information on all those products that are available.