"First Class Care for Ablation and later in..."

I came in for a second ablation on September 8th for Atrial Fibrillation.

The ablation was superbly handled by my consultant and his team who put me at my ease brilliantly. The staff on Charles Pumphrey afterwards could not have been more kind and compassionate.

But when my blood pressure dropped afterwards I was transferred from Charles Pumphrey Ward to Belgrave Ward where I stayed for a week. A drop in blood pressure is scary, but a doctor and nurses from the Coronary Care Unit of Belgrave Ward were quickly on the scene, and their calm competence was deeply reassuring at this difficult time as they wheeled me down the corridor.

Down at the Belgrave CCU I was monitored carefully and consistently through the night - always with kindness and good humour. And my nurse from Charles Pumphrey Ward even dropped in on her way off shift to see how I was. That was way beyond the call of duty after a long night shift!

During the subsequent week I realised just how busy the ward was, with people being admitted for heart problems every day. But even though the doctors and nurses must have been under pressure it never showed, and I always felt that I was important to them. That is so important when you are recovering.

I would love to mention names but that would be unfair when the team pulled together so well.

What struck me was the amazing level of expertise in cardiac care at every level. I had many questions and they were always answered with great clarity.

One or two niggles remain that are nothing to do with the superb care I received.

It would have been so nice to have had more toilets and shower facilities, but that is probably not realistic. It would also have been nice to have longer gaps between meals. Breakfast at 8.45, lunch at 12.00 and dinner at 5pm left no time to work up any sort of appetite and meant 15 hours between dinner and breakfast. Breakfast at 8, lunch at 1.00 and dinner at 7.00 would have been better for me.

I would have no hesitation in recommending St George's Hospital. Thank you to everyone who looked after me so well.