"A short stay at Newham University Hospital"

The treatment I received at A+E was excellent, the doctors and nurses brilliant! Its was when I told I needed a bed things were chaotic. I was moved from the assessment ward which is normal that evening to another day case ward to stay overnight, because there were no beds. I had to be nil by mouth from 12oclock, but was then told at 6. 00am that I need to be until 7. 00 in the morning! Then my op was cancelled because of emergencies. This was fair, but nobody told me I was being bumped off list for 13hours, which meant I was very hungry! Being informed sooner would have meant I could have eaten something sooner.

The theatre staff were very good, but as I was coming round from the anaesthetic, the theatre nurse asked me "are you going home? " How could I know without speaking to the consultant?

I was dicharged that evening, still groggy from the anaesthetic, with antibiotics, but without the required dressings for my wound.

Altogether a very stressful experience.