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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the A&E staff at Norfolk and Norwich hospital deserve a...

44 replies

Grumpla · 18/05/2011 19:02

...bloody great big shiny medal?!?!

I was in there Monday night with DS (he's now fine) and I was just so impressed by all of the staff. The receptionist, staff nurse who triaged us, everyone in the A&E ward, the paediatrician - they were all absolutely brilliant.

At 1.30am our nurse even brought us a cup of tea. It was the nectar of the gods I am telling you. As if I wasn't already grateful enough for her looking after my baby and making him better. She was WONDERFUL.

There was also a very elderly lady in the next bed being treated and I was really impressed by how kind and respectful the staff were to her as well. They managed to explain the same thing to her about 800 times without sounding at all tetchy.

Everything was so calm and organised. Not at all like what I had imagined from TV! It made me feel so proud of the NHS & so grateful that they were there for us.

I hope at least one of the N&N staff is on Mumsnet and sees this. Thank you.

OP posts:
NoelEdmondshair · 18/05/2011 19:03

Glad you had a good experience but they were just doing their job.

DontCallMePeanut · 18/05/2011 19:04

Grin I'm glad your experience was good in there, OP. It's nice to hear success storiees with regards to anything NHS related, as opposed to constant moans. Glad DS is fine now. :)

Original poster
Grumpla · 18/05/2011 19:07

No they weren't.

'Just doing their job' would have been 'just' treating DS. They went out of their way to be kind, to reassure us and the other patients that they were dealing with. If they hadn't bothered doing that the clinical outcome would have been the same, the difference to the way we felt throughout the whole experience would have been enormous.

I may be misunderstanding their payscales, but I'm fairly sure NHS staff don't get paid extra for being nice!

OP posts:
picc · 18/05/2011 19:08

I think they'e all stars at the N&N, too.
I hope they see this :)

MissBetsyTrotwood · 18/05/2011 19:08

I love the NHS.

They do, truly sound amazing.

The tea and toast the midwife brought me after DS2's (traumatic) birth will always be the finest food I've ever eaten.

Good on you for shouting it out. And while I'm here, I'd like to do the same for my local, the Homerton in Hackney. The paediatric A and E are endlessly patient, kind, sensitive... I could go on and on.

AgentZigzag · 18/05/2011 19:08

I know what that cup of tea tastes like, I'm sure they're trained to know the optimum parched time in which to deliver it Grin

I've always had great experiences with our local hospitals, I've been out of the hospital 10 mins after the appointment time more than once.

Big, big shiny medals, and the biggest box of chocs that can be found Smile

AgentZigzag · 18/05/2011 19:10

I agree that a lot of the interactions you have in hospital are more than people 'just doing their job'.

doley · 18/05/2011 19:15

I agree .

My beloved Grandma died there (N+N):( the nurses and Doctors in the ICU were wonderful :)

It is so stressful with a little one ,I am glad they made things smoother for you .

I am so grateful that we have the NHS in the UK ...especially after living in the states .

Original poster
Grumpla · 18/05/2011 19:17

I think the timing and making of tea must definitely be taught in medical skool. No way was it a lucky guess. Ahhhh, I might have to go and make myself a brew now just thinking about it!

Cheers, NHS Brew

OP posts:
FirstVix · 18/05/2011 19:17

I noticed when I gave birth last week that there were a lot of thankyou cards to the maternity staff. Do people send them to other departments too? I bet they'd like it and it's good if management see that too.

BootyMum · 18/05/2011 19:18

Nah, YABU, Lewisham NHS is the best hospital Grin! Had the most fantastic second birth there in their midwife led unit. Honestly, it seemed more exclusive and special than being at the Portland!

But I'm so pleased you had a good experience and that DS is okay now.

It's really good to hear about the wonderful work done in the NHS instead of constant horror stories!

Original poster
Grumpla · 18/05/2011 19:19

X-post Doley. Sorry to hear about your Gran, but glad they were good. I really think it is the 'above and beyond' aspect of what they do that helps get you through these awful moments.

I was thinking about what it would have been like if we had been in the US - we were dithering about whether to take him in, if money had been a factor we might not have done.

I am glad we did.

OP posts:
BeatRoute · 18/05/2011 19:19

Instead of hoping that one of the staff members reads this,why not actually send them a card with your heartfelt words inside. I'm sure they'd love to receive it!

Go on!

(Glad your DS is OK)

TeddyMcardle · 18/05/2011 19:19

I agree, in all of my experiences with staff at the N&N they have been universally wonderful :)

Original poster
Grumpla · 18/05/2011 19:20

You know, I think I will.

An email at the very least!

OP posts:
doley · 18/05/2011 19:24

Grumpla there are so many people here that don't because of the money factor .

Don't want to hijack ,but I am always so happy to hear wonderful stories about the NHS after all the scaremongering that goes on here .

The Doctors /Nurses are all wonderful here but the system is flawed .

whereiswally · 18/05/2011 19:26

Love hearing good stories about nhs. I work for nhs and the best thing you can do (which is always lovely) is when people write a letter to CEO of the trust and explain what brilliant service you have had, then the CEO writes a letter to the ward about the letter that always goes down well, because normally the management just send letters to the ward to moan about stuff. Cards are lovely too

KurriKurri · 18/05/2011 19:32

What a lovely thing to hear OP. I had my cancer treatment at the N&N - and I agree, the staff go far over and above 'just doing their job' , - it's a wonderful hospital.

whereiswally - thanks for the info about writing to the CEO, - wil make sure I do that Smile

Helenagrace · 18/05/2011 19:59

I just want to back up what whereiswally suggested. I used to be a directorate manager in the NHS and my wards always really appreciated getting cards and letters of appreciation. I used to send a "what we've done well this month" email to all my teams summarising all the nice feedback - it used to balance the "tell me why this has gone so horribly wrong and I have now have a consultant surgeon throwing a toddler tantrum bending my ear" phone calls.

4madboys · 18/05/2011 20:02

yes they are fab, i had all 5 of my babies at the n&n and they were fab and we were there over easter hols with ds3 who had eaten a magnet and we were seen quickly and they were great, esp when they got a nurse to come and look after my other three whilst i had to go with ds3 for his x-ray!

and last year ds3 had kawasakies disease, again they were great and his follow up care has been marvellous, lovely staff :)

WhereYouLeftIt · 18/05/2011 20:07

Firstvix, I used to work on an orthopaedic ward, and patients would buy us chocolates and send us cards - all the staff did really appreciate them. It's a good point - perhaps drop a letter to the hospital, OP, addressed to the Chief Executive? Things like that did sometimes make it into the monthly e-mail to everyone too, so that even when it was to another 'team', everyone got the chance to feel 'we done good'! It does make a real difference to hospital staff.

TheLimeFairy · 18/05/2011 20:31

I'm a staff nurse at the N&N and appreciate positive comments as we do work hard and it is nice to know its appreciated.

Thank you Smile

Original poster
Grumpla · 18/05/2011 20:59

Yay!!! I got one! Hello LimeFairy.

I will still write, especially after hearing from other posters that it will hopefully get passed to the right people.

OP posts:
CurrySpice · 18/05/2011 21:03

How marvellous! The NHS is such a marvellous thing :o

PandaG · 18/05/2011 21:04

my Mum had her cancer treated at the NandN (and I was born at the old one!). The staff were fantastic, and continue to be when she has her checkups. Smile