"excellent care at Horder Centre Crowborough East..."

I have arrived home on July 312015 after spending three days at The Horder Centre having my left knee replaced by the team. It has been the most wonderful three days in my life! For the first time I used the NHS for a major piece of surgery and have experienced the most extraordinary days with a team of professionals. Yes, I was rather apprehensive what would happen to me, but from the moment I checked in at admissions I was treated as an honoured customer and guest. A volunteer took me to pre-op admissions and a nurse took me though all the processes and paperwork, helped me to repack my luggage which was then delivered to my room. What a room; large and airy with a modern bathroom and even a fan and a TV. I was first on the list and met the surgeon and the anaesthetist who calmed my fears, took me into the operating room, and next thing I woke up in post op feeling great after a successful operation. Then to my room for a cup of tea and a sandwich. Yes, the first day and night were rough, but the nurses and the ward doctor were constantly making sure that I was not in pain, and I slept a bit. I even had some lunch and dinner. The next day I felt a lot better after close attention from the night staff. I started walking with a Zimmer frame, ate well and met a team of nursing professions that I never thought existed; kind, friendly, caring and always smiling. I was even offered a paid newspaper by one of the support staff. On Thursday my exercises and mobility increased with the care and patience of the physiotherapist. I was now on sticks and even climbed some stairs. I departed on Friday morning after a good sleep and I achieved my 90 degree bend. I am now at home, walking with my sticks and performing my exercises, which are painful. But a call to the follow up at Horder, and then a call to my GP changed my medication to something stronger. The Horder Centre team run an amazing place of medical care. The staff are quite extraordinary, they clearly love working at Horder and are friendly to each other and are always prepared to help patients and each other. I thank all the staff at Horder Centre for making my knee replacement so successful, and I have had with the privilege of seeing a team working so well together. Yours faithfully, Keith J Mantle