LETTER: Excellent care by hospital staff

I am a retired 75 year old police officer who was admitted to your hospital in the early hours of 24th instant with respiratory failure due to pneumonia.

My wife dialled 111 and paramedics were with us in minutes, in itself an excellent performance for which I cannot thank them enough.

I spent five days in your Intensive Care Unit and was absolutely astounded at my treatment which only confounded all the adverse publicity given to the National Health Service by the media. As a hardened old former murder squad copper working all around the south east there is not much I have seen that really moved me, but not so with your staff.

For my five days in the Intensive Care Unit I rejected the frequent offers of a television and all day I observed your staff and how they work. I have to admit that even this grizzly old detective was moved by the compassion of every one of your staff without exception. There was one member that even at her own expense whilst off duty made up a mixed fruit juice drink especially for an elderly patient.

Another not only acted as mentor to his contemporaries, but would not leave the ward at the end of his shift if there was work that still needed to be done. To describe the conduct and compassion of the staff as exemplary is to say the least an understatement.

I know the people of Horsham are concerned at the distance they would have to travel to East Surrey Hospital in an emergency, but I was such an emergency and my life was not only saved, but I was cured within six days.

I accept that Horsham with its burgeoning population needs its own equivalent of your hospital and in the meantime I hope and trust that the above may be of reassurance to the local populace. Finally and once again, thank you, thank you to you and all your wonderful staff for their magnificent, compassionate, dedicated work.

BRIAN DUNNING

South Holmes Road, Roffey Corner, Horsham