"Excellent care but buildings' maintenance needs..."

I was recently a patient in Merrow Ward. The Nursing and auxillary staff were caring, sympathetic, supportive and displayed great patience throughout. They were understanding of my needs and spent time with me on the one occasion I got upset. If I had to be in hospital, RSCH would be my choice.

I understand there is a relatively new catering system. This works well and provides good quality food, wide menu choice (Oh, those naughty sponge puddings!) and it arrived hot enough in the Ward. The catering staff are equally caring and patient.

I felt I received slightly conflicting information from the Doctors prior to discharge, as I was first advised that I might have to stay over the following weekend; then that I could probably be discharged the following day; then, at 5.00pm, asked if someone could collect me that evening.

The let-down is the quality of the buildings' maintenance. The shower/WC room in Bay 9 had a broken showerhead support-clip to which there was a temporary repair with sticky tape. I reported this. There was a split in the floor covering in one corner which must be a breeding ground for germs. The pivoting-arm for the disabled next to the WC had, at some stage in the past, broken away from the wall and then refixed. No attempt had been made to make-good the damaged wall-plaster. A decorator came to repaint the Bay 9 door frame. He carried an open paint tin and wet brush without any container or tray. He placed the tin on the shelf of the drugs' trolley. This must have left a smear of paint which he wiped off with a paint-encrusted glove.

In one sense, I am being pedantic but this poor quality is so distinct compared to the very high quality of all other aspects of my experience at RSCH that I feel it needs to be addressed.