"Exceptional care"

My mother was brought into A & E with what we later were told was a stapphylococcal infection. Even though the department was very busy, staff were not only very efficient in their assessment and treatment, but they were calming to my mother, myself and my sister who was with me.

It wasn't always easy to find a doctor or nurse for information a couple of times, but given the busyness of the department that is unsurprising. When help was needed it was available quickly though.

My mother was then moved to Acute care, where again the care was of a very high standard. Here we were able to speak with not one but two doctors, who were very clear in their explanation of her diagnosis, but also with regard to the treatment she would be given.

Eventually she was taken to Ward 518. I would particularly like to commend the staff on this ward. Nothing was too much trouble, and they looked after my mother (and the family) exceptionally well. Once it became apparent that she was not going to recover and was put on to end of life care, every effort was made to ensure that she was as comfortable as possible and in no pain. We were provided with a camp bed in her room so that we could ensure there was always a family member with her at all times, and the team made sure that we had everything we needed. I cannot rate them highly enough. They made what was a difficult and emotional time much easier to bear than could have been the case.

There is only one downside, not down to staff or the care and treatment given. It is to do with the lifts in the building, which seemed insufficient for the "traffic". Using the stairs as an alternative was not an easy option, especially with the ward being on the 5th floor. One of my sisters is not able to walk very far now, so for her it was even more of a problem.

As I say, the care and treatment that my mother received was superb (especially on Ward 518), but please can something be done about the lifts.