"A positive experience overall slightly..."

What I liked

Coming into hospital to have a vascular malformation removed from my calf was a daunting experience mentally as a 19 year old with no real medical issues to date, however all the staff I met both before the operation and the overnight staff who were monitoring were always polite, helpful and reassuring which really helped put my mind at ease and made my stay far more comfortable than I was expecting.

What could be improved

Despite the great service and care there is one section I felt was handled rather poorly. Discharge day. Due to the nature of my operation I was stuck in bed for at least 24 hours following the operation with a drain attached, however no effort was made to evaluate my capability of using my crutches to be able to leave after I was handed the documentation for leaving the hospital.

I have also had ongoing issues with the other leg which wasn't being operated on and of which the surgeon and other people were aware.

I proceeded to fall upon trying to get up with my crutches to leave and as a result my mother had to assist me in returning to the bed and asking for help and a wheelchair to get me to the car-park (two floors down from my ward). The porters provided no assistance and just about informed my mother of where the wheelchairs were.

This put a rather severe damper on what had otherwise been a comfortable stay all things considered.

Anything else?

I would just like to thank all the nurses in the Lichfield Day unit and staff from the Plastic Surgery unit for putting my mind at ease.