"Amazing holistic care "

My daughter age 23 and ventilator dependant for five years was a patient at the Lane Fox Unit at St Thomas Hospital.

Over a period of 18 months she was admitted 8 times for both acute illness and management of her ongoing medical problems. On her last admission she was admitted in 2013 just for a three day review. On the second day of admission she acquired a virus and on the third day she lapsed into unconsciousness.

She was transferred to kings college hospital for surgery, the experience there on Neuro ICU was appalling. Fortunately the consultant Nick Hart from Lane Fox had agreed to take her back to Lane Fox whatever happened. So we returned to Lane Fox so she could have a dignified death.

During all our admissions to Lane Fox the staff, led by Sister Natalie and Dr Nick, practiced family centred holistic care. I was allowed to sleep by my daughter's bedside, attend to all of her cares and even administer her medication, just the same as I did at home. On the day she died, Nick stayed with the family, and was visibly moved, enabled us to dictate the pace and showed our daughter and us compassion, care, and humanity.

Our very sad experience would have been so much worse if our memories of the final day were at kings.