"a and e great, assessment unit not so"

An early Saturday morning visit to A and E via 111 and the ambulance service. Both excellent.

A and E staff brilliant both doctors and nursing staff. Swift treatment and pain relief given the staff could not have been more caring and considerate.

I was then transferred to the medical assessment unit,. where the morning shift staff were in overdrive a very busy place. The staff that greeted me again were great

I was again seen by a brilliant Doctor where I was told I would need a Ct scan. Probably after the weekend .The consensus was that it was my old heart problems. I cannot fault the care given. Unfortunately, when the night shift came on it was obvious that they weren't regular staff supplied by an agency. I experienced chest pain An ECG was quickly taken I was swiftly told that its OK its not my heart it must be my lungs and he didn't have anything he could give me. I was advised that he would come back as someone had just died. 1 1/2 hours later I rung for assistance because of the pain. Another nurse arrived shortly after and administered pain medication, she knew what to do. Thank you..

Apart from being woken at 215 am for a blood sugar test which on the chart said 2330 I had an excellent sleep.

The following morning it was agency staff in charge of our bay. The nurse didn't appear to know what he was doing and appeared overwhelmed. Fortunately the Health Care Assistants did, they were excellent but let down by there being no washing bowls, I was OK to walk to the bath but the poor HCA returned after a short while to embarrassingly have to tell me there weren't any towels.

Then there was the food. I don't expect Restaurant quality food but frankly it was appalling. The quality and standard has dropped the choice has been reduced and the poor health care assists have to deliver it. When the evening meal choices didn't meet with my taste buds choice I agreed to a soup followed by the chocolate sponge as offered. The poor HCA returned a few seconds later to say there was no chocolate pudding left. Still the soup was good,the custard great but missing the chocolate pudding!!

The amount of food wasted must be staggering because its tasteless and not too inviting especially on this assessment ward where patients do not have a preorder choice which is under stable given the nature of the ward, but surely if there is so much wastage someone should be asking why.

111 excellent. Ambulance excellent. A and E great. Assessment unit Let down by Temps and food..