"I have only had very positive..."

What I liked

I have only had very positive experiences at this hospital. My most recent visit was to the A&E department for torn cartilage in my knee and I was seen extremely quickly and by staff who were kind, considerate, and took a genuine interest in how I came to injure myself, which has been important for the long term treatment of the knee. I have been given excellent feedback in clinic about the injury, and this bodes very well for my feelings about the upcoming surgery as I trust that I am in good hands and I have full confidence in the medical staff.

What could be improved

I was called 'irate' by a member of staff in Day Surgery when I called up and the record of a date for my pre-op assessment could not immediately be found. It was commented in surprise by those who overheard that I was accused of being irate, as I certainly was not. If I sounded weary, it is probably because I was expecting such a mix-up as it has be almost impossible to reach a member of staff at Day Surgery by phone and I have been passed between answer phone to answer phone which then ring unanswered. The other staff do not seem to be managing the absent member of staff's workload efficiently.

Anything else?

Having worked in A&E for many years, I fully sympathise with an overflowing reception area, which can sometimes be impossible to manage. However, on both occasions that I have presented, I have been impressed with the efficiency with which people are seen and assessed.