"My experience has restored my faith in the NHS..."

What I liked

I had to visit Basildon A&E due to appendicitis. From the moment that I arrived I was treated with polite, caring & knowledgeable staff. They eased my concerns & fear without administering any medication & calmed me down from my state of fear. Their attention to detail & communication with me was superb.

Once I was moved from A&E to a ward, again the changeover was smooth less. The staff had been made aware of my situation & once again they reassured me that everything would be OK. All members of staff from doctors, surgeons & nurses through to cleaners was exceptional & made me feel relaxed.

The aftercare following my operation I cannot commend any higher. The night-time staff (one male nurse in particular) was fantastic & made me feel completely at ease; even making me laugh which, following the operation, may not have been the best idea, but it was welcomed. Again, the changeover from the night-time staff to daytime staff was seamless and the new nurses knew of my situation straight away & continued the excellent care. This was also in a different ward due to overcrowding within the hospital (but it is going through a £17m re-vamp so this is understandable).

I cannot thank the staff concerned with my case more. They were all professional, caring & made me as comfortable as they could. If I could remember everyone’s name that helped me I would list them, but unfortunately I cannot.

Thank you Basildon Hospital.

What could be improved

If I had to state one thing that could have been improved, it would be the waiting time (approximately 3 1/2 hours to see a doctor). But I appreciate that the hospital is currently having some construction works carried out & the staff even commented that this particular Monday had been one of their busiest for years.