Health care superstars!

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Pigeon

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Following the "Numpty Nurse" thread, where there were some horrifying examples, can I start a "Good health care professional" thread? I'm not denying any of the stories mentioned in the other thread are appalling, but unfortunately we only notice or talk about the bad experiences - and don't appreciate the good. OK, so I'm rather biased as I work in the NHS, but there are an awful lot of hardworking, highly educated, very caring people in there.

So I'll start with:

My consultant, who is brilliant, takes the time to get to know me as a person and doesn't tell me off, and is very encouraging. She also told me it was ok to cry when I got diagnosed, as I was trying very hard to keep everything in... cue floods of tears and she was very patient and didn't rush me at all. The next time she saw me in the waiting room she came over to ask how I was doing as she passed through, which I thought was really kind.
 
Good thread we must remember theres some good out there to..

Ill say my new GP she is so nice , takes time to ask how i am and how the family are, sits and talks me through any of my worries and seems to actually treat me with respect and not as a name on here appointment list who she wants rid of within 5 minutes, since changing over to her from my terrible GP who still would of had me on metformin, but now she put me on byetta i dnt know how i would of been getting on without her or how many hypers id of still been having ,but with her all that has changed.She is someone i really respect and i always feel so much happier when i leave her room.
 
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Excellent idea Pigeon, thank you for starting this 🙂

I would like to say a public thank you to everyone, without exception, who looked after me for the 8 days I was in hospital after diagnosis. I owe a great deal to them, and in particular to two nurses, one male, one female, who demonstrated the true meaning of the word 'vocation'. They were unstintingly caring throughout their 12 hour shifts in extremely difficult and stressful circumstances, but remained friendly, happy and attentive to whatever was required of them - often very demanding due to staff shortages. They were utterly brilliant and I felt very humbled to be in their care.

My experiences in the hospital helped me understand and come to terms with my diagnosis very quickly, and the follow up from wonderful DSNs got me on the track of good management from the very start. My GP is also wonderful - she listens to me, has my care foremost in her mind, not PCT economics, and the advice she gives is sound 🙂
 
This is a brilliant thread, three cheers for starting it and three cheers for all the good caring professionals.
 
My GP, who is prepared to prescribe test strips even though my local PCT has a blanket ban on T2s testing.
 
my consultant is awesome! my first appointment with him was well over an hour and he was so great saying it wasnt my fault i couldnt control my diabetes due to never heard of carb counting before or being on the same insulin regime since i was diagnosed 3 years previously. He gave me his email address for any questions. And when i did email i got a reply within an hour!

My DSN is incredible, she has become a counsellor as well now! my last appointment i burst into tears and because it was a joint appointment with my consultant as well, she ushered me through a cnnecting door and listened to me cry about things for half an hour. She texts me, sees me more than she should i think, is always giving me things for my pump. I mentioned that my meter was playing up and i was going to ring up the people to replace it and she just got me a new one from the cupboard! At my last appointment she told me to stop trying so hard, i was going to have a break down! I told her about my plans for baby and she immediately arranged for me to go on a CGM to get my HBA1C down 1/2 %. She is seriously great!!!
 
Pigeon said:
Following the "Numpty Nurse" thread, where there were some horrifying examples, can I start a "Good health care professional" thread? I'm not denying any of the stories mentioned in the other thread are appalling, but unfortunately we only notice or talk about the bad experiences - and don't appreciate the good. OK, so I'm rather biased as I work in the NHS, but there are an awful lot of hardworking, highly educated, very caring people in there.
Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly agree!

When I was diagnosed almost a year ago, I have nothing but praise for everyone.

From the chap who first saw me at Paddington Station when I was having a 'funny turn' through to the ambulance crew who took me to St Mary's (a 2min drive round the corner!). Then to the nurses and doctors at St Mary's and the diabetic specialist nurse there (who gave me a meter, showed me how to use it and told me about the X-Pert course). They were all brilliant!!

Now the doctors and nurses who are sorting me out liver-wise, they are pretty brilliant too. My GP is a good chap but, to be honest, because everyone else was on the ball I haven't really had to rely on him much (or the DSN at the practice for that matter).

Andy 🙂
 
Could I also include my optician? without whom I wouldn't have been diagnosed in the first place! He's a lvly bloke and always soooo kind.

Also must include Doc at surgery who is Diabetic specialist,

and last but certainly not least my DSN who is just brill! Thanks Jill your a good 'un 🙂

Thanks Shirl x
 
Great thread. My consultant is also fab. Told me not to beat myself up over my failure to lose weight and that she could help me. She gave me Byetta and it has changed my life. The nurse at my GP's is also fab along with the DSN at the hospital. I feel they all care about me and really want to help.🙂
 
Lovely thread! 🙂

My diabetic consultant - a total star, actually talks "with" me not "at" me, makes my care feel like a collaborative effort, listens to my theories either agrees or suggests other comments, basically treats me like an intelligent adult & does everything he can to help me achieve good control! 🙂

One particular DSN at the hospital, who helped me change to the above doc when I met her on a DAFNE course & has been 'available' via the phone since...

My diabetic specialist obstetrician, without whom I honestly, truly do not believe my babies would have arrived alive & healthy! He managed to eke out my first pregnancy to gain a further few precious days for baby in the womb despite severe pre eclampsia, and second time recognised the early signs of placental failure, meaning baby number 2 wasn't born brain damaged or worse! He's a wonderfully, straight talking, honest guy who really cares for his patients & works ridiculous hours to give them the best care - I'm just so grateful I had my kids before he retires soon!! 🙂 Bless him!

Great thread! 🙂
 
Good thread Pigeon!🙂 My HCP are second to none, special mention to my gp who has been fantastic over the years and continues to provide the best possible care. I've had the same dsn for over twenty years now, a lovely and caring lady who always has the time to sit and listen and talk about any difficulties experienced, no matter what her workload is like at that time. All superstars in my eyes! Toby.
 
I'd have to say that the DSNs at my clinic have been absolutely wonderful. The one I'm under has been nothing but supportive, and off her own back, ran, with one of the others a course for newly diagnosed T1's. They've also been behind me in getting the pump, even when I wasn't sure myself.

Also huge praise would have to go to the practice nurse at my GP's who was there when I was diagnosed, because she was so lovely and supportive, and I always ask for her when I need things doing by one of the nurses.

And one of the ward nurses when I was in hospital. She was very reassuring and made stupid jokes with me, helping me make a really frightening time a lot easier 🙂

Much nicer to read this thread than the other! 🙂
 
I would have to say that the Nurses and Consultants who work on Ward 17 at Good Hope Hospital are more than superstars, they are megastars. If it hadn't been for their patience and care from Tuesday before last until last Wednesday I wouldn't be here now, it was their hard work, and the willingness of one staff nurse in particular to tell a consultant that the Antibiotics I was on were unsuitable and that I should be on another one, that meant that the infection I had was cleared up rapidly.

I would also say my Clinic team are exceedingly good, as they take time to listen to me, and can understand if I am having any troubles. I will be having a visit there in December, so will have another chance to have a chat. Hopefully I can ask for a Pump this time 😉
 
My DSN Pauline and her colleagues Maggie and Debbie are seriously fab, I have Pauline's mobile number and instructions to call/text her whenever I need to. The three of them have got me through 2 very difficult pregnancies now, too. Pauline chewed out the obs registrar for me when he confiscated my pump after my daughter was born and refused to give it back (BS was over 30, he refused to give me *any* insulin 😱)

The consultants are ace too, especially the one who partners with the obs team to provide the diabetic antenatal clinic.

My GP is fab and will prescribe as many of anything that I need - I didn't even have an argument about the ketone test strips :D

And most of all, the lead GP at my surgery (now retired) who had a special interest in diabetes. He wrote the original letter of recommendation to the PCT for my pump funding and I don't know exactly what he said, but a mere 2 weeks later (!) I had approval through.
 
My experience of the staff in the NHS has largely been far more positive and encouraging than it has been negative. Like with everyone there have been aspects that could have been better but overall I am very happy with the treatment and support I have had available over the years. Where there have been problems I view the cause as being far more due to my own failure to take full advantage of what has been on offer than anything lacking in the assistance available. As I say though this is just my own impression from my own personal experiences.

My current GP is excellent, as is the senior practice nurse and the surgery as a whole. My clinic's DSN and dietician have both been instrumental in helping me improve the control of my diabetes and in maintaining this control.

I do realise that I am very lucky to have access to such good professionals and I am very grateful for this. It is also good to have the opportunity to express my praise for them, thanks for the thread Pigeon! 😎
 
Big thank yous too

Eileen Richardson, for being on the end of a phone line and calling me to check if i was ok for the first week after diagnosis, and for giving great lectures to pharmacy staff about insulins and pens and the practicalites of being diabetic. Also the rest if the lovely ladies at NGH Diabetes centre for never turning people away and telling me that no question is too stupid or wasting their time.

Dr Charles Fox, for being one of the loveliest consultants in the hospital and being honorary president (or something) of our local Diabetes UK branch. He's always polite and says hello when you meet him around the hospital.

Nurses Janet and Angela, for being understanding and patient and reassuring and interpreting what my GP has told me in a more positive light.

Colin and Anna, for dispensing some insulin for me (that i didn't use) so i didn't have to stay on EAU overnight.

the last two i'm not a patient of, but i think i'd like to give them a little bit of a pat on the back, i just work with them...

Claire from the discharge lounge, i've never been your patient, but you put up with a lot of grief from not just us in Pharmacy, but the wards and the patients.

And finally, Mrs Barbara Briscoe, who manages the thankless task of keeping the hospital in drugs and for not making a big deal out of my diabetes, just being kind and understanding.
 
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