Dear Editor,

I felt a strong desire to make my views known about my experiences with our NHS over the last ten days. I write this from my bed in the Jubilee Ward of Upton Hospital, Slough.

Of course, all everyone hears of these days are negative depressing stories. Be that about strikes, about lack of staff, about lack of resources, about long delays, it goes on and on and on!

But I don't want to comment on that, although I really could, so very briefly indulge me. How can the news reports this morning that the Junior Doctors are going on five days strike because the Government is not prepared to sit down and negotiate, and at the same news desk, the Secretary of State says they are prepared to offer more than the increase already given, but the Doctors negotiating team refuse to pass this on to their members!

So either this is all lies, or the media are reporting it inaccurately, or if this is the truth, someone seriously needs to bang their heads together and tell them that this "politic-ing" with peoples lives and health is totally unacceptable. Sort it out.

So negativity aside, I want to tell you what I have found at the coal face, so to speak.

I was admitted to Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot on Valentine's day, last week, for a long scheduled hip replacement. Heatherwood is a brand-new Hospital rebuilt on a new site in 2022, it appears to be well organised, well run, the staff are very professional and caring, and general morale amongst the staff seems very high and cheery. Those I asked said they really enjoyed their work.

Interestingly, three years ago I had my other hip replaced in the same hospital, before it had been rebuilt. It was a 1920's building. One had to be wheeled outside through outside gardens  to go to theatre. It was by no means appropriate for todays needs. 

Yet, back then still staff morale was high, no-one complaining, and the same feeling of a well run team doing their very best, and achieving good results.

The new hospital is wonderful, with all the new equipment and design for today's needs, and that is all appreciated. But it is clear that staff efficiency, morale, performance and happiness is not just about splashing millions of pounds around.

I was discharged from Heatherwood three days after my operation, however I subsequently started feeling poorly again and it was found that I had an infection. That, together with the Operational Therapists' concerns as I live on my own in a house with lots of steep stairs, made them want to re-admit me.

Feeling sick, an ambulance picked me up in the middle of the night and took me to Wrexham Park Accident and Emergency.

I was nervous about going there, as I had visited Wexham during Covid. Quite understandably the hospital then felt highly stressed, struggling like mad, low staff morale complaining about everything. Not a happy place.

I was very pleasantly surprised when we got to A&E. No queues,  I had expected to be left in a corridor, jolly and attentive staff, who even in the middle of the night were handling all sorts of admissions including shouting drunkards, with calm, authority, professionalism and good humour.  

I was admitted and treated for two days, impeccable care and treatment, really caring attentive staff from Doctors through to nursing, catering, porters  and cleaning staff. Very impressive, no complaining,  good morale and the feeling of good direction and supportive management.

I was expecting to be sent home, but the team of doctors, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, felt that I was not strong enough or fit enough to be discharged. So I was transferred to the Jubilee Ward of Upton Hospital.  Again, a bit nervous on arrival at this Victorian building, a former work-house, then maternity hospital and now specialising in rehabilitation.

There was a bit of grumpiness at my late arrival as shifts were changing and with none of my medical records available (as it is apparently a different Health Trust to Wrexham), until a young doctor and a just started young Sister found access to the records, and everything calmed down.

I have been here three days and am due to leave in two days time.  Again, the staff here are exemplary, very caring and attentive, and they clearly get a lot of personal reward for seeing aged and severely infirm patients slowly recover, gain confidence, regain a sense of humour and smile. They are encouraged to interact and be stimulated by all sorts of therapies directed with enthusiasm, humour, caring and superb professionalism. Over a few days it has been a joy to see the staff here working and the patients responding and valuing the help they are being given. This is truly a wonderful place to see and a great credit to the NHS and it's staff.

Being interested in what goes on behind the scenes, it is clear to me that the staff are determined that any problems, difficulties, annoyances or frustrations should not impinge on their work and especially not impinge on patients and patient care. 

 The biggest fear here is that there have been rumours that this hospital will be closed. It seems only rumours, but staff are clearly worried and wondering if they should be looking for a job elsewhere.

The mix of ethnicity and nationalities in these hospitals is a tribute to modern Britain, as they work so well and closely together. 

One excellent lead Orthopedic Nurse, who is wonderful at enthusing and encouraging really decrepit patients to give it their best and get better, tells me she is considering returning to her European home to work. I picked up a similar feeling from another Eastern European young lady.

So that clearly comes down to leadership. Having run some big companies, staff like to feel secure, they like to feel needed and above all they like to feel valued and appreciated. And told so regularly.  It really shouldn't be difficult to give staff here a clear picture of the future and their place in it.  These are valuable trained people who are doing an excellent job and need clear supportive management. Some real clarity of plans and the staff's valuable place in them, even consultation openness and honesty seems not too difficult to do. 

My conclusions? Firstly that the NHS itself needs to seriously promote, through good Public Relations, the wonderful job it is doing and the skill, personal commitment, caring abilities and professionalism of their staff. There are great stories every day of people brought in without having to wait, of Ambulance drivers in the middle of the night cheerfully helping people to hospital, of people who look as though they have given up on life being made to laugh and join in stupid games to help their rehabilitation,  thousands of more examples. I have seen all this this week.

No one wants to hear more negative, bickering nonsense and buck passing.

To get the whole Country, the Politicos, and the NHS management and staff to take us forward, we need to stop all this negative press and put out the good stories and thank the NHS staff like we did with the clapping during Covid. And, obviously have a clear deliverable plan for the NHS, and involve and consult the brilliant staff.

Sincerely,

Christopher Burr.