"Exemplary treatment and care - we felt very safe"

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to a range of teams that I recently came into contact with at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

After becoming ill at work last Thursday 18th February 2016, I collapsed at home during the evening.

My husband was extremely concerned and rang 999.

The operator mobilised some first responders and stayed on the line to monitor the situation and was a huge support to my husband at what was a very frightening time.

Two responders arrived and an ambulance was mobilised taking me to Accident and Emergency where we arrived around midnight.

A stroke was suspected and I received fast and appropriate treatment.

After my limbs regained movement, I was eventually released home in the early hours of the morning.

Within a few hours, the TIA Clinic Team nurse, was on the phone with an appointment for clinic and a CT scan starting at 12.10 that day.

I can't begin to express my gratitude to the TIA team.

We were with the team nearly all day between various scans and tests and although the team were very busy, we felt very safe and cared for.

We were made to feel that getting to the bottom of what was happening was the most important thing they had to do. All the team spent lots of time not only doing the tests but assuring, reassuring and giving us lots of information about what they thought has happened.

I was eventually re-admitted and I won't detail the whole experience here but over the next 48 hours, came into contact with the CT Team, The Doppler Ultrasound Team, the Neuorology Team as well as numerous Healthcare Assistants, cleaning and other staff on the two wards I was on for assessment and tests.

Both my husband and I at this stage were frightened by the experience, tired and suddenly concerned about the future after the 'out of the blue' incident the previous evening.

The professionalism, understanding and compassion of everyone we came into contact with was exemplary.

This experience was 'across the board' and we gained an overall impression of being in a safe, professional and values led service.

Although we were very stressed and we have more tests to come, we reflect on the experience as being almost tranquil; we felt so confident in their hands and also there is nothing quite like this for concentrating the mind on what is important!