"THANKS TO NHS STAFF"

I write to thank and compliment all the NHS involved in handling my admission with chest pain to the RD & E Hospital during the evening of 15/10/18 and during my stay until 20/10/18.

At about 7.00 pm in my house in Kilmington near Axmonster, tightness around the chest on the heart side caused me to use my Boots blood pressure machine which read 195/110.

Phoning NHS Direct, I was quickly advised to crunch and wash down 4 aspirins and lie down and wait for an ambulance which they would organise.

It arrived within 30 minutes with 2 Ilminster based paramedics who were brilliant, providing reassurance and tests, administering a pressure lowering throat spray and monitoring me all the way to the RDE at Wondford.

A & E was very hectic there at the time with a number of emergencies involving drunks, druggies and police.

The paramedics helped the A & E staff and waited until I was settled and handed over properly.

The A & E staff were also brilliant and I was given excellent care and treatment before being found a bed in the Acute Medical Ward and settled down for the night.

During the next 2 days I was visited by at least 4 consultants while the nurses and staff on the ward were wonderful.

Transferred to the cardiac Avon Ward to await an angiogram on 18/10 18, once again I could not have asked for better care.

The consultant who carried out the procedure on 19/10/18 with his expert team, advised that my coronary arteries were clear and that stents were not required; the necessary medicines were prescribed for my future care.

I was discharged on 20/10/18 , enormously impressed by, and very grateful for, the professional and caring manner that I had been treated throughout my stay at Wonford.

Everyone from the consultants, doctors, nurses, ancillary staff, cleaners, caterers were courteous and helpful, the wards were kept scrupulously clean and the food was good.

I would be most grateful if my thanks could be passed on to the A & E department, the Acute Medical and Avon Wards staff and to the paramedics.

The only thing that could have been improved was the discharge procedure as 4 patients on Avon Ward, and presumably on other wards, were kept waiting until after 4.00 pm for a doctor to sign them off and release them. I understand that this is not unusual on a Saturday and makes it very difficult for patients tying to arrange lifts home etc i felt very sorry for the senior staff nurses who had to spend so much time phoning round to find a doctor and to pacify complaints from patients.