"Very good though, some things could be improved"

I saw my doctor in the morning and he recommended I go to the hospital as early as possible for an examination in case my symptoms indicated a serious problem. He arranged an appointment with department that handles cases like mine (not A&E). By the end of the afternoon I had been examined and a possible diagnosis made. The doctors who saw me were sympathetic and helpful. They recommended I stay in hospital over night, which I did.

Everybody working in the ward I was put in was helpful. The one problem was a certain casualness about medication.

I take a blood thinner to protect me from strokes and heart attacks. I kept being promised I would get the tablets but by the time I left I hadn’t got them and had missed two doses.

There was a another problem that I think is a general hospital one.. At night, too much noise, activity, light, and lack of privacy made sleeping difficult. I didn’t sleep at all. I suffer from lack of balance and next day

I was wobbly because of lack of sleep.

I was particularly impressed by the consultant who saw me. She listened to me carefully, asked helpful questions and explained her diagnosis clearly and thoughtfully.

My worst experience was in the departure lounge. You are left in a room with no explanation of how things work. After an and a half,

I asked what was happening to the tablets I was waiting for and didn’t get much help. After two and half hours I asked again. Seeing I was becoming agitated, a nurse took pity on me went to the pharmacy, got my tablets and then helped me to a taxi.

By the time, I got my tablets, which are easily available, I had waited four hours. The impression created in the departure room was very poor - lack of information, unhelpful staff, and no obvious system. The contrast with the new set up for blood testing (which is brilliant) could not be greater.