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Care Opinion

Overnight stay nothing short of outstanding

Posted By ritaemily

"Overnight stay nothing short of outstanding"

About: Crosshouse Hospital / Accident & Emergency Crosshouse Hospital / Cardiology Crosshouse Hospital / Combined Assessment Unit (CAU) NHS 24 / NHS 24 (111 service) Scottish Ambulance Service / Emergency Ambulance

(as a service user),

After developing severe chest pain in early evening eventually decided to call NHS 24. Of course the situation was worrying and not at all pleasant but...from first connection to NHS 24 onwards, the experience was managed courteously and professionally to the highest of standards. Paramedics took me by ambulance to Crosshouse Hospital and, though I was naturally anxious, I had a feeling of being as safe as I could be with the paramedic team. The ambulance driver did later look in to 'see how I was'...which gave me a warm glow. In the A and E unit, every member of staff treated me with the utmost care, respect and competence despite being really very busy. My husband, who has mobility issues, later told me that he was treated with outstanding courtesy and friendly helpfulness at reception, in the corridor in looking for exit and, not least, in the combined assessment area where he found that he had left his mobile phone at home! (since he did not know where I was and was anxious to find me so that I would not fret about why he was not answering his phone, he forgot to return to the receptionist to say he had left his phone at home but would go immediately to foyer in main hospital entrance as , rightly, he expected me to go there when I was discharged. So apologies and thanks to receptionist in CAU).

I was kept in the A & E area until all checks had been carried out the following morning and kept fully informed as to what was happening and why at all times. As I have said, everyone who attended did so with respect, courtesy and professionalism to the highest standards. It has been 35 years since my last stay in hospital and , despite the demands obviously having grown exponentially in that time, the practice of care and attention to detail that I experienced is nothing short of outstanding.: a credit to the NHS in general and to Crosshouse Hospital in particular.

Thank you 

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Responses

Response from Claire Gilroy, Specialty Doctor, Emergency Department, University Hospital Crosshouse, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 4 years ago
Claire Gilroy
Specialty Doctor, Emergency Department, University Hospital Crosshouse,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Emergency

Submitted on 24/07/2019 at 10:56
Published on Care Opinion at 10:56

picture of Claire Gilroy

Dear Ritaemily,

I hope you are feeling better now. Having chest pain is very frightening but I'm glad you felt safe. This is something that we want to achieve every time for every patient.

The paramedics are amazing aren't they? I am not surprised to hear that they came back to check up on you but we don't often get feedback on how this makes the patient feel. Reading that it gave you 'a warm glow' made me smile. We see the ambulance staff doing this every day and perhaps because it has become common place we have forgotten that these small gestures are what leads to a great patient experience.

I was pleased to read that your husband had a good experience with our reception staff both in the Emergency Department and in CAU. I will pass on your thanks to them.

I was also pleased you were kept informed at all times in the Emergency Department. I am sorry you had to stay with us all night. I hope you managed to get some sleep!

Finally, thank you for leaving feedback on Care Opinion. Receiving positive feedback really boosts staff morale, particularly when it is as busy as it has been over the last few weeks. I am sure that reading this will give all of our staff that same 'warm glow' you experienced with some kind words. I am not back in the office until next week but I will send this round to all staff via email and then share it at our morning huddle next week. If you would like to give me your details (name and date of birth) then I can also ensure that all staff directly involved in your care receive an individual email. I should also be able to find the ambulance crew that brought you to the hospital and send this to them to read too. My email address is Claire.gilroy@nhs.net.

Claire

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Response from Shona Lawrence, Clinical Governance Lead, Nursing and Care, NHS 24 4 years ago
Shona Lawrence
Clinical Governance Lead, Nursing and Care,
NHS 24

Submitted on 24/07/2019 at 12:23
Published on Care Opinion at 12:23

picture of Shona Lawrence

Dear Ritaemily

Thank you so much for taking the time to share you experience on Care Opinion. I do hope you are doing much better. It sounds as though this has been a tough time for both you and your husband.

From reading your story, it is clear that all staff involved in your care, and in supporting your husband, are a huge credit to the NHS. I see Claire from the Emergency Department at Crosshouse Hospital has already responded to your feedback and I am sure their staff will be delighted with your comments.

Thanks for mentioning the staff here at NHS 24 who managed the call to our service. Although we can very often be the first point of contact for patients and their families, we don't always get to find out what happens after the call to 111. Therefore, it is great to know that you received excellent onward care and were well enough to be discharged from hospital.

We always like to share positive feedback with staff as this reinforces for them the hugely important role they have in providing a positive patient experience. If you are contacting Claire with some additional detail, you might ask her to share it with us also so that we can pass it to the staff involved in your care here at NHS 24. Or, you can contact me directly on 0141 337 4597 or by email at Patient.Experience@nhs24.scot.nhs.uk

With best wished to both you and your husband.

Shona

Shona Lawrence

NHS 24 Patient Experience Manager

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Response from Alan Martin, Patient Experience Manager, Corporate Affairs and Engagement, Scottish Ambulance Service 4 years ago
Alan Martin
Patient Experience Manager, Corporate Affairs and Engagement,
Scottish Ambulance Service

Submitted on 29/07/2019 at 10:39
Published on Care Opinion at 10:39

picture of Alan Martin

Dear Ritaemily,

Thank you so much for taking to the time to share your feedback here on CareOpinion.

I apologise that it has taken me 6 days to reply as I have been out of the office but what a lovely post to come back too!

Firstly, I am very sorry to read that you had a need to use our service. It sounds like you had a very worrying time developing chest pain. I am however so pleased to read all of the lovely comments that you have made in regards to your care from when you called NHS24 onwards. Chest pain can be very scary as well as painful and re-assurance is most important. It appears that all the services involved in your comments managed to deliver this to not just yourself but to your husband also. Being kept informed and involved is a wonderful way to accomplish this and you have made comment around that.

I was really pleased to read about the help and support your husband got from the reception staff. He must have been quite upset and anxious at that point.

I also, am very happy to read about our staff. As Claire mentions it is so nice to hear about how following up on a patient makes you feel. When I am on the road I often try and find the patients I bring in to make sure that they are doing well. It is nice to see someone look better after the hospital work their magic.

I hope you are feeling a lot better now and I would like to wish you and your husband all the very best.

Kind Regards

Alan

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