Patient delighted with care at GWH (From Swindon Advertiser)

Patient delighted with care at GWH

10:00am Monday 15th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(1)

KNEE op patient Mary Dawson said she was so pleased with her care at the Great Western Hospital site, she will even move there to put the sceptics in their place.

Mary, from Goddard Avenue, Old Town has just been discharged from Orchard Ward at Swindon’s Intermediate Care Centre (SWICC) after a four week stay for a knee replacement.

But far from the inedible hospital slop and bad bedside manner she had feared, the 62-year-old said she was treated like royalty.

“I have heard lots of bad things about the hospital but I thought it was lovely,” she said.

“The food was delicious, the staff were attentive and the wards and washrooms were sparkling. I’d quite happily live there just to show those negative people how lucky we are to have it in Swindon.”

Mary went into SWICC in February after years of battling a failing left knee.

While SWICC is not part of the main hospital building, it receives the same meals and nursing provision as the main hospital wards.

“I was glad to be in there,” Mary said.

“I had stopped being able to go out, my knee kept giving out on me and if I’d tried to walk too far I’d fall over. In the end I just thought ‘have the surgery, you’ll feel better’.”

Now just days after leaving hospital, Mary is ready to face the world again and the first thing on her agenda is a romantic day trip with partner of 28 years, Bill.

“I’ve already been out to do my banking and I’m going to be seeing my mum in Stratford soon and have a holiday in Torquay.

“It is very nice to be up and about and I have the staff of Great Western Hospital to thank for it. They are wonderful and don’t get half the thanks they deserve.”

Heather Mitchell, chief executive at NHS Swindon, said, “We value feedback from our patients and it is always wonderful to hear positive comments.

“We have highly talented and professional staff here in Swindon, who work hard to ensure that our patients receive the best care possible.

“We wish Mary Dawson all the best in her recovery.”