"A day in the life of a Hallamshire surgery patient"

The emergency staff were quite exemplary; efficient, courteous and caring in every way. A particular painful episode was speedily made much less so.

The NHS seems to come in for a lot of criticism- my own experiences would appear to question the validity of much of this. My own experience/opinion is that little can be laid at the door of those at the sharp end of the treatment/care aspect. Were I to level such criticism at any one, I think I would start with PCTs and upper hospital management. Chiefs and Indians are the two words that spring to mind.

My own hospital experiences, where I have had cause to fell aggrieved are the outpatient attendances- appointments repeatedly canceled with patently spurious reasons offered in 'explanation' and lengthy delays beyond appointed times when finally seen there is no explanation to the waiting room which seethes with dissatisfaction. Maybe mass patient uprisings would prove a point.

However my experience at the Hallamshire was fantastic. It is hard to single out an aspect as 'best'. The standard of the care I had from all, from cleaners to consultants, could not have been better.

However I feel like the discharge procedures tend to impose unfair pressure on the nursing staff and that some aspects of it could be handled by clerical staff. I marvelled at the way the staff nurse who dealt with mine remained so calm and and professional.