"Unexpected late night visit to A&E"

At 11pm on Wednesday Evening as a result of a blocked catheter, I had reason to contact the 111 Emergency Service and was reassured by the help received from the receptionist and duty doctor who it was clear had my best interests at heart. The response from the paramedics who arrived after midnight and well within the given time scale was simply wonderful, as was the care received from the staff within the A&E unit. One hears so many negative media reports about long delays to these services, but I have to say that this wasn't my experience. I spent part of the next day recovering in Emergency Ward Zone B, and once again the staff at all levels could not do enough for me. This is the first time that I have needed to use any of these services since retiring to the area four years ago, and am amazed on reflection how smoothly things went considering the departments involved, which must say something about the way the hospital is managed and the dedicated staff who work within it.