"Care, love, dignity for patient and family"

My mother was admitted to the Beaumont Ward in late August with suspected gallstones. Whilst she was in pain, she was fairly well in herself and was happy on a general ward and well treated by all the staff, in particular the Sister in charge. She had a number of scans and tests to try and identify what was wrong. On the 6th day she started to deteriorate and get very confused and on the 7th day we were given the devastating news that she had terminal liver cancer. At this point the staff on the ward, who had already been brilliant, ramped up a gear - they arrnaged to move my mother to a precious side ward, allowing us time and space as a family to care for her, grieve together and say our goodbyes. They worked hard (in the absence of the palliative care team who must have been very busy as they did not respond speedily) to try and get my mum a Hospice place but, in the meantime, insisted that she should not be moved for her best end of life care, dignity and for our peace of mins. They dealt with us as a whole family, trying to address all our care needs whilst focussing on her as the patient. When she did finally pass away, just 4 days after we received the terminal prognosis, the Sister of the ward rang us at home, the day after she died, to check that we were all ok. As a result of the impeccable care we received, on behalf of our mum, we have asked that funeral donations are split between the Aylesford Unit (where mum received breast cancer treatment) and the Beaumont Ward who, for the last 10 days of her life, treated her as if she was a member of their own family. We cannot thank you enough.