"Mixed views about care"

My youngest son, had stopped breathing and was taken to resuscitation room. He was breathing at that point, although very unwell. On this occasion unlike the last, my baby was treated with brilliant care and attention.

It appears to me that you need a minor injuries unit, that is run separately to the major incident side. It is not enough to allocate staff to different areas. Doctors need to be specialised in minor injuries, and should not be divided between departments.

I will never forget the terrible times I have also had in the A&E department, where reception and assessment is a battle to get through. My eldest son had a meningitis type rash, and I had to get cross, for him to be assessed and given antibiotics. I myself have been in A&E on two occasions, both were terrible. Once was for collapse, whilst pregnant, I subsequently lost that baby. I saw a student nurse and one doctor all night, whilst waiting in a cubical, freezing cold, with no blanket or care. The second was for inflamed gall bladder which required surgery. Again I had very little nurse contact at all. And what I did have was from a student. It appears if you make a noise or a fuss you are seen quicker.

More training needs to be given on patient care and assessment, far less time chatting and socialising around the central area. By the way, I was an A&E sister in Oxford many years ago and have apart from one occasion been very disappointed with the care at Stoke.