"A truly humbling experience"

Having recently fractured a bone in my hip/femur, I experienced what I can only describe as a truly humbling experience. Within 15 minutes, two amazing paramedics arrived at my home, and after very careful, calm, reassuring handling, had me in an ambulance en route to Hereford General.

On arrival, I was seen within minutes by a nurse and a radiologist and was wheeled to Radiology where I underwent X-rays. Within 30 minutes, a doctor gave me the news that I had indeed broken a bone and needed surgery. No time wasted - a registrar, surgeon, anaesthetist visited me and explained clearly what the plan was, i.e. that a procedure was to happen within hours. Everything was explained delicately and succinctly and before I knew it, I was waking up in recovery. From there, 1 week of the most professional care and understanding from a group of nurses, Healthcare Assistants - I have never experienced kindness like it. These people work the longest hours, yet continue to smile and help. Big smiles, humour, intelligence, everything. I was kept up-to-date daily by either a consultant, physiotherapist (x3), occupational therapist, nurse, healthcare specialists. I never felt in the dark. Nurses and HCAs were to hand at any hour of the night if I needed assistance.

I am home now on the road to recovery. The care I received is something I will never forget. I think, with all the negatives we hear about the NHS, we need to stop and remember the people at the forefront of all the pain, confusion, nervousness, tears – we need to praise these incredible professionals for the endless empathetic, caring work they do. The staff at the Hereford General, including the wonderful paramedics, need to know how valued and how valuable they are.

Clodagh Burke, Ledbury.