"A lawyer's experience"

Anything else?

I should start by saying that I am a solicitor and some of my professional life has involved suing doctors and hospitals from which it is easy to get a false impression about the Health Service and the people who work in it. Having said that my experience of Leighton hospital has been one hundred per cent positive.

I have been an in-patient at Ward 13 of Leighton hospital twice in the last year, the first time began on my birthday in July when I had an infected gall bladder and the second was when I was admitted for the gall bladder to be removed in late September. In all I was there for about nine days and I needed two lost of surgery. I was on a mixed ward of mainly older people (I am 65 myself) and I had the time to observe not only the care I received but also the way in which the medical and nursing staff dealt with other patients. I cannot fault my own care, it was really excellent and I was very impressed by the way every one of us was treated. Not all patients were well mannered and pleasant yet the nursing staff did not lose their good humour and, more importantly their professional attitude to care. Both my times on Ward 13 were so pleasant that, when I was eventually discharged I really meant it when I said I felt as though I was going home after a holiday. Well done Leighton and well done everyone, medical and nursing but particularly the staff on Ward 13. Whilst I fervently hope I will not need hospital care ever again, if I was taken ill in the future I would not see it as entirely bad if I could look forward to the same level of care given to me in Leighton.