I know its popular to diss the NHS, and when they are rubbish they are truly rubbish, but we had unbelievably good experience with them last week

[Anchovy]

DS (6) tripped at home last week just before bedtime and fell headlong into a sharp, stone step. His head was cleft open all the way down to the skull, which was obviously dented. Blood spurting everywhere. Him hysterical. Me comforting him and covered in blood like Jackie Kennedy in Dallas. Inappropriate amounts of skull on view etc etc.

We had an ambulance outside our house within about 8 minutes and 2 very calm paramedics did a bit of immediate checking. Whizzed Ds off to paediatric A&E, having radioed ahead to say they were on their way.

In A&E, quick mop up and triage. Then they produced a young, competent facial surgeon with a fantastic bedside manner, who took DS into a small operating theatre, explained exactly what he was going to do, promised it would only hurt for a very short time before they anaethetised it and then stitched him up unbelievably well. More checking. Allowed home with extremely clear instructions on what we had to do re monitoring vital signs/pain releif etc.

DS was back at home tucked up in bed within 4 hours of the accident. All that for free, dispensed in an immediate, calm, caring and professional manner. Plus the facial surgeon sewed up the back of his threadbare old bear with some proper sutures to make DS laugh.

Next time I'm feeling snippy about the NHS, I'm going to bite it back!

Glad you had a good experience.

Hope DS is feeling better - sounds really nasty.

God what a terrible experience, the fall I mean, but hurray for the NHS coming through for you. When it works it is brilliant isn't it?

how nice to hear good things. glad he is ok. and the bear!

i have had amazing experiences witht eh nhs when my daughter was diagnosed as being partially deaf. this was in sussex - the previous 11 years this had gone undetected in Oldham. the waiting times at our local A&E which might be closed down - is an hour at most.

in Oldham its 4 hours at least.

So nice to hear when things do go well, despite you know, skulls being revealed and all.

Glad to hear your ds is on the mend.

Gosh anchovy what a SCARE.
But what a great story, and a darling surgeon.

(And I am a bit in awe of the NHS separately over the last fortnight, which I will explain separately. (Nothing to do with me personally.))

Nice to hear this good experience and glad to hear that your ds is ok.

We have recently been in hospital with ds and the NHS were faultless.

I actually think the NHS are great most of the time, your story proves it. Glad to hear ds is better.

wonderful to hear.

this was actually something we were discussing on the way to harefield, as the radio was asking if the NHS was shite or soemthing (tagged onto end of traffic annoucments). have to say, bar the local hospital, dh care has been very good over the last 5years, and we know how fortunate we are to have the NHS.

Glad to hear your ds is ok again anchovy, what a scare for you all. I work within the NHS and people are always very quick to make a complaint, so it is really nice to hear someone actually pleased with the care they received

I also had a good experience in A&E with DS last month - more minor facial injury, and again, a really good, calm, friendly facial surgeon (yours wasn't greek, by any chance?)

Thing is, Misdee, I sort of contribute to the "NHS is shite" view often, at least in a passive sort of way - I have a private GP and had the DCs privately; my (very old)grandmother died in a lingering way under the eyes of a fairly indifferent regime. So this is a bit of a salutary experience for me.

I think it is a good reminder that there is not a single entity with a single quality standard.

We honestly could not have had a better experience.

Underwire - I completely agree. Ds has sent a card to the surgeon who stitched him up to thank him for his help. I know it is only a small thing but I think showing gratitude is hugely important.

Legalalien - no, not Greek. (It was in Kingston hospital).

i have also had a good experience with NHS with both my boys(asthma with oldest, heart problems with youngest). i bet you were more shaken then him!! hope you are both ok now

I think the NHS does better at acute care than it does the sort of routine stuff we have to go through with my dh (chronically ill but not life threateningly so). All the consultants dh sees now are well meaning but the NHS just isn't geared up to complex conditions that cross specialties and don't have easy, drug-related solutions.

Really glad your ds is okay Anchovy, that sounds horrible

I so agree with you.

I think we must have been very lucky as (barring minor inconveniences from time to time) we have nothing but good service all the way.

Glad your DS is OK now. Poor little chap - must have been terrifying for you all.

That must have been one hell of a shock. Blimey. Poor ds and poor you! Glad the NHS came up trumps though - it's true that we only ever hear about the bad stuff, not the millions of consultations every day that are OK or even brilliant. And we very rarely hear about the f*ck ups the private sector makes - for some reason they are less high profile.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes.

DS is well on the road to recovery. We had a very ropey 3-4 days when he had very bad swelling, a misshapen head, extensive heavy bruising, and lots of obvious stitches, but he is much better now: just bruising and stitches.

We are all a bit exhausted!

i have nothing but praise for the nhs .a and e lgi busy friday night .our little man passed away and they still had time to look after everyone ,its something i will never forget,and when my parents in their seventies mum is frail ,came to say goodbye a nurse carried him from chapel of rest to a and e rather than expect them to walk, she just wrapped him in a blanket and carried him to them, my dad said did you carry all the way ,she said yes hes still a baby,and i will be forever grateful for looking after his great grandparents so wellx

Me too Can't praise them enough.

glad your DS is ok, must have been very scary