"End of life in I.C.U"

In March 2017, a close & dear relative passed away in the I.C.U department of The GWH, following a long illness.

Firstly the staff there are extremely caring, tactful & professional. We were kept informed at all times on the condition of our relative. The doctor & surgical team were excellent in how they took us aside to a private area to explain how things were progressing & preparing us for the outcome. The nursing staff were amazing & caring, doing all they could to make our relative comfortable in their final hours, treating them & us with respect & dignity.

Whilst at first we were limited to the usual 2 visitors to the room, we were able to use the comfortable waiting area, where free tea & coffee making facilities were available.

When it was clear our loved one was entering the final stages of life, we were once again taken aside by the doctor, to explain the situation in detail.

The highly trained senior nursing team then took care of our loved one, allowing all of us present to come into the room to be with them in their final moments.

Nothing was too much trouble, we were even provided with tea & coffee making facilities, brought into the room on a trolley, so we did not have to leave our loved one.

The senior nurse responsible for caring & making our loved one comfortable at the end was fantastic, keeping us updated & showing genuine empathy with a caring approach that helped to prepare us for the situation.

We were allowed all he time we needed to say our goodbyes & never felt hurried or in the way, despite the I.C.U being busy. The whole atmosphere felt calm, unhurried & professional, whilst the human element was maintained.

The loss of a loved one is a terrible time, yet the staff did all they could to make it a little more bearable.

The patient liaison team then ensured we were kept informed regarding the preparation for taking our loved one to the funeral home & dealing with all the legal & administration steps that needed to be taken care of.

They showed a caring attitude, making sure that despite having to wait an extra 2 days to take our loved one from the hospital due to needing a coroner to counter sign a Medical Death Certificate, we knew the situation & helping to move the process along. No enquiry was too much trouble for the busy, yet caring PALs team.

When collecting the legal paperwork, no appointment was needed, I just had to go to the office, where I was taken to a comfortablev& private room, whilst a team member explained all the various forms to me.

Thank you.