"Great A&E , Black Hole Ward , Great Treatment Centre"

Admitted to A & E with AF; the staff and service were great. They explained everything, even the things I'd rather not know. Cup of tea and plenty of TLC. Then when admitted, I was trundled into middle of A&E room to await bed, which was not very relaxing but luckily wasn’t there too long. Trundled up to ward and asked the same questions and gave the same answers as in A&E. The process seemed to grind to a halt, there seems no continuity of staff (i.e. handover) as you repeat your story (several times). Then you sit and wait, with no drink no food no conversation and no directions to the toilet, as any staff you approach "I'm only here today so can't help". Good job I wasn’t in for incontinence!

After 4-5 hours a consultants gopher arrives to ask the same questions

By this time the will to live is failing so you plead to be let home "but we want to do more tests". But you have had 4 hours? Luckily my wife is a District Nurse, so I plead to be put under her care and treated as an Outpatient. Ok, I'm told, but I have to have aspirin to take home. "fine" but the aspirin takes 2 hours to come up from pharmacy, so I can be signed out. Conclusion A&E were great and professional, but the transfer to wards could be better.

Finally, as an outpatient, I have been into a new Treatment Centre march 09. It was very nice but once again you have an appointment at 8.30 in the morning, are told to arrive 15 mins early to prepare, but blow me you are then seen at 8.45? I think time management or an earlier start for staff is called for. Conclusion, parts of the NHS are great, but some areas and some staff could do with a rocket up there lower bowel or need to spend a day experiencing the sheer life draining experience of admission and poor follow up.