"An e-mail of thanks"

Dear Sir,

I would like to thank everyone involved in my care recently at Queens. How anyone can claim in the media that this is / has been seen as a failing hospital is quite beyond me, although it is probably the same as in my profession; one bad thing gets highlighted amid the hundreds of good things forgotten about.

I was taken ill at work at Romford Police Station in the afternoon of Wednesday 23rd September. The LAS (K520 I believe) were there within minutes and professionally assessed me before taking me to Queens. After being quickly processed I ended up in Ocean A, diagnosed with an inflammation of the gallbladder. (Gallstones had been diagnosed at Basildon a couple of months ago but as I did not have any associated pain they said they would not operate.)

I was kept in for 2 nights and had an ultrasound but still had pain on the 3rd day so I was sent for an urgent chest x-ray and CT scan late Friday evening, which still showed an infection so I was kept in for a 3rd night on IV drips before being released mid Saturday afternoon. (The only (slight) criticism was that the TTAs were slow - but that could have been because of it being a weekend.)

Everyone connected with my care, from the LAS, ward / cleaning operatives, nursing staff and doctors were very professional and I now have the satisfaction of knowing that in a few weeks time my gallbladder will be removed - at Queens.

I have been back to the ward to drop off some goodies today as I was due back at hospital for my Pre-Op Assessment - very professionally conducted by the Sister.

Many thanks to all your staff in my time of need.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Delchar.