"Big vote of confidence"

29th August - major BBC item on terrible hospital food - I've been in Derriford, (inpatient), twice in the past decade for minor operations - actually no - one stay was for five days - and the food was to die for - if you'll pardon the pun. Big and varied menu every day - top class presentation, and so very appetizing. There are some constructive criticisms I could make about cleanliness and staff (inter) cooperation that adversely affected two elderly patients during my two stays - but your meals were excellent - and I'm going back ten years. I cannot imagine that you could have improved meals since then as there was literally no room for improvement in that regard. Criticisms I might make;- 1. A well-intended young girl - with zero training - swabbed the glazed frames between ward and corridor - someone should have told her to swab down the woodwork and then wipe it dry. Dear girl just left puddles for bacteria to breed in. 2. An older patient inadvertantly left a smigen of faeces on the floor beneath his bed. When the cleaner came to mop the floor she actually said aloud - "I'm not cleaning that" - in front of the poor chap. I turned my site supervision skills on her - a quiet rage - and suggested to her that the man's dignity was perhaps more important at that moment than her Union misgivings. She cleaned it. 3. An elderly woman was too supine to reach the table upon which lay her lunch. I was entirely active so I helped her up on her pillows and then assisted her with her meal. I aint sure which she appreciated more, my kindness or the excellent lunch. Shortly afterward I was told off by a nurse for interfering. Those three events bear great significance as to the quality of experience of inpatients, and most particularly the more aged but, counting the many other occasions I have been an outpatient at Derriford - you people are stirling. One hears terrible stories about NHS inadequacies but as one who has several times depended on Derriford I think you are marvelous. Coffee machine prices are a bit steep maybe? With sincere thanks for the quality of care you have provided me in the past - exemplary MArk