"Seeing Wexham Park Hospital in a new & positive..."

On 21 December 2014 I sustained a badly broken shoulder (the ball of my humerus) in a fall and was taken by paramedics to Wexham Park Hospital. After X-rays had established the extent of my injury, I was sent home with my arm in a sling. On Tuesday 6 January 2015 I attended Wexham Park Hospital for a follow-up X-ray. Whilst waiting, I felt the room begin to spin and I blacked out. I was brought round and fast-tracked through the X-ray department. After checking my X-rays, my consultant took one look at me and made arrangements for me to be admitted to A&E. It was established that I had pneumonia – possibly resulting from my inactivity because of nausea brought on by a reaction to Tramadol. From there, I was given a bed on Ward 4, where – including two changes of bed, apparently because of shortages – I remained for four days. Prior to my admission, I was only too well aware of the negative comments regarding unsatisfactory standards of care at Wexham Park Hospital that have been widely aired by the media, and also voiced by friends whose experiences there had been less than satisfactory. I will confess to you that the CQC’s assessment of Wexham Park Hospital as “overall inadequate” preyed on my mind at the time I was admitted. However, one can only speak as one finds. From the moment my Fractures’ Clinic consultant arranged for my assessment by A&E, to the time I left Wexham Park on the evening of Friday 9 January, the ‘system’ operated seamlessly. I have nothing but praise for all the front-line and support staff who cared for me during my time on Ward 4, and while it may be invidious of me to name individual members of staff I feel I must mention, in particular, the Staff Nurse, another 5 members of staffand the Registrar. They showed me nothing but kindness and were always solicitous of my needs. Nor could I find fault with the choice and quality of the meals provided! When I enquired if, in light of my broken shoulder and after my discharge, some service was available whereby I could receive home visits to get me out of bed, wash and dress me, the staff nurse said they would make enquiries. They returned shortly to advise an administrative problem arising from Wexham Park Hospital being in Berkshire and my home address being in Buckinghamshire. With a heavy heart, I envisaged having to make numerous ‘phone calls upon my discharge, at a time I was not in the best of health. But not a bit of it! - the staff nurse efficiently made all necessary arrangements with the Marlow Adult Community Healthcare Team and I was visited for assessment the day after my discharge. Again, this was a seamless operation and, until my recovery this week rendered me once more self-sufficient, I have been visited each weekday since 12 January. With my wife in full-time employment and having already taken considerable time off work, I have no idea how we could have coped without these Marlow rehabilitators.