"Emergency Admission to General Surgery - Stoke Mandeville Hospital"

I write in praise of the care and professional standards shown on and after my Emergency Admission via the Surgical Assessment Unit one evening.

I had been referred to the SAU via my GP after earlier tests that day had ruled out Urology source to my increasing pain of three weeks.

Surgical Staff - at all times showed professional standards and the highest personal care anyone could wish for. Full knowledge and explanation of procedures and care plans was given. Also explained were the expected outcomes and results.

Nursing Staff - Excellent professional team standards, spoilt occasionally by an ‘agency staffer’ who while being ‘competent’ did not integrate into the teams professional ‘self improvement’ given off by other members. Nursing staff who not only provided excellent professional care but who went the ‘extra mile’ to deliver Quality Care solutions.

Example: - being on a 30 minute antibiotic fluid drip and anticipating the end of the cycle. Thereby having me as the patient ‘on drip’ for least time necessary as opposed to returning sometime in the next hour for another reason and maybe noticing you had finished - thereby enabling you to ‘go to the loo!

I understand that SM Hospital has recently regained it’s status, which is thoroughly deserved by my recent experiences. I am now happily ‘talking up’ SM to home visitors in High Wycombe who are still living under the rumour/anecdote of tales from darkest SM Hospital.