"Everything! I was visiting the ..."

What I liked

Everything! I was visiting the area and was transferred from Stroud Hospital via ambulance to A/E with chest pain. I have been to several A/E departments as a patient in the past as my condition tends to "flare up" at times but the A/E Dept.at GRH is the best so far. It is brilliant! Rather than being wheeled into the usual "sardine tin" environment that I am used to and left loitering whilst staff try to find a corner to park me in, the paramedic popped in to A/E to find where they planned to put me and returned shortly afterwards to say which room I was going to go in to. The fact that the staff were clearly expecting me and had already found a temporary "home" for me was, in itself, reassuring. As soon as I was wheeled in to A/E I was greeted by a Sister who introduced herself by name and SMILED which immediately reassured me. I understand that the department was extremely busy at the time but everything seemed so organised, calm and unhurried that I felt I was the only patient in the department. The department was, seriously, so clean that it seemed to sparkle - quite the cleanest, tidiest and well-organised A/E I've ever been in. I was particularly impressed by the privacy given to patients, the cheerfulness of the staff, the kindness that they demonstrated to myself and others and the general smooth running of the department. I was transferred fairly quickly to a cardiology ward and thought that the care I was about to receive couldn't possibly be as good as the care I had just had in A/E but it was just as good. I was greeted by a lovely nurse who introduced herself (and also smiled!) and ensured I was comfortable and kept returning from her other tasks to make sure that I was still okay. This excellent care continued when the night staff arrived and the following day. All staff introduced themselves, were kind, caring, capable and professional at all times and I felt very safe in their care. The ward area was spotlessly clean and catering excellent.

What could be improved

Hardly anything. A small bag or similar receptacle to put rubbish, such as used tissues, in by the bedside would be useful to help keep the ward clean and tidy. Although there were 2 large bins in the bay I was in and another bin in the adjacent wetroom I was confined to bed initially and therefore couldn't reach them.