Background. My experience of UK NHS hospitals is not great. A week or so in one in Keighley (Victoria Hospital) in the fifties, when my mother was a nurse there. An appendectomy in Stevenage Hospital - of which I have almost no recall, I was quite ill with that. Minor surgury in 2006, 5 day stay with quite a neutral view, now I'm just out of an eight day stay in Peterboroughs main hospital (PDH). I have some very clear views on this stay. I was ill enough to be called in, yet felt, in myself, reasonably OK, which allowed me time to observe the workings of an NHS trust hospital from close quarters. I admit to a bias, since my mother was a nurse for a good few years and painted a very positive picture of the profession which I retain. Seeing nurses on strike in the past, I've always felt instinctively on their side. I saw strict (and seemingly grumpy) ward sisters melting whilst nursing a sick child. That mixture of discipline and caring is a hard one to get right which puts nursing up with the best IMHO.

In summary, PDH is quite short on staff. One nurse, eleven patients, on the night shift, seems verging on dangerous to me. One emergency and a call from another patient could go unanswered for ages, and did. The result is nursing staff who appear rushed off their feet trying to cope with the overload. The other view I've come away with is due to an unusual circumstance. We have an RAF base a few miles up the road, which would appear to be home to a ... team (squadron? I really don't know) of nurses, all full time RAF. It seems that we (the UK) no longer maintain RAF hospitals in the UK as we used to, instead making good use of the NHS hospitals to retain and build the skills of RAF nurses and allow them to practice their craft. At least that's my view, right or wrong. It certainly makes sense in these days of cost cutting. The end result is that the RAF are sending staff to PDH to help staff the wards, and the one I was on (Gastro Intestinal, a medical ward) just happened to be the (lucky) recipient of such a team. Led by a cheery Scot, Paula, we saw these young people each day (I don't recall seeing them on night shift). Perhaps five or six of them, different faces, including Scott, whom I was led to believe was army, though I didn't find out more about his involvement. Harping back to my prejudices, were I to describe a perfect nurse I'd be using adjectives such as professional, caring, cheerful, patience, knowledgeable, listening, smart, etc etc. I'm sure you could do the same. Over the days I grew to know this team I found a very good match for their demonstrated behaviour and my 'mythical nurse' image. They really were that good. The three patients who discussed this on my bay all agreed with that opinion. The last day was only slightly atypical. After the night staff, three qualified and one unqualified staff, for 34 patients, we had four nurses on the bay at the same time. Each cheerful, busy, chatting with us, dashing about energetically to get their work done. The mini whirlwind rushed around, leaving us with four clean, made beds, the patients ready for the day by 9:30. I feel sure we (the patients) were lifted by their mood.

On enquiring, I was told a guy by the name of Sqdrn Ldr. Andrew Evans, Deputy Officer Commanding, Nursing, is the man in charge of this team. Based also at PDH I was told, which was a pleasant surprise. Anyway, I sincerely hope he is proud of his team. He has very good reason to be. IMHO, tax money well spent, providing a useful service to the community whilst preparing the service personnel for their service role. Made me feel proud to be British.

I recall some time back the UK government picking up on hospital infection rates and pushing for improved cleaning on wards. Seems that initiative is past its sell by date, the cleaning done in the fifties made todays efforts look decidedly shoddy.

Whilst on the ward, I spoke to the matron, Lynne Pearson couple of times about some issues, and collated them over the days I was there. I'll be taking them up through PALS, though it has been suggested that routing my comments via Nick Patten, the Chief Exec might be more effective