We were invited to the carol singing in the Wards of the West Berkshire Community Hospital on the afternoon of afternoon of Thursday 20 December and we had to cut short our visit to Volunteer Centre’s Christmas drinks to get there for 2.30 p.m.
So Edwina Cooper and I arrived at the hospital to find about 20 people assembled in the ground floor. I recognised some of them were Friends of the Hospital and other were choir members. Armed with carol sheets, we went upstairs to the wards. Some of the ladies wore nurses overcoats inside out and I could only deduce that they were formally nurses. I was later told that it was a tradition for this to happen. Because of the current hygiene restrictions, we were only allowed to sing outside the wards but the singing was robust and loud enough for the patients to hear the singing. I, however, was asked if I would like to go into the Wards and speak to the patients wherever possible. So I left the carol singers and went with the Ward Sister to the first ward where I went round every possible bed to speak to the patients. Before I was allowed into each area, I had to wash my hands in antiseptic cream. On each ward there was a variety of conditions patients had ranging from neurological, surgical, heart and respiratory conditions; some were about to be allowed home permanently, some just for Christmas and then return, some would be in long term and a few who would never recover. There was one person who had surgery who had been involved in an accident in which a youth had died and his passengers critically injured. He had scars over his arms, legs and body and had lost an eye. He was however anticipating leaving for Christmas but possibly returning. He was relatively cheerful and seemed pleased at my visit. Most of the patients had either relatives or friends visiting
And I was able to speak to them as well. There was one lady who was in an isolation room with, presumably MRSA or similar and I was not allowed into her room, so I had to speak to her from the door. They were all very content with their care and I heard not one grumble from either patients or visitors I wished them all a speedy recovery and my best wishes for Christmas. I felt sad for those not coming out for Christmas but was very confident that they would be given as much care as they would have received at home from a very dedicated team of nurses.
So Edwina Cooper and I arrived at the hospital to find about 20 people assembled in the ground floor. I recognised some of them were Friends of the Hospital and other were choir members. Armed with carol sheets, we went upstairs to the wards. Some of the ladies wore nurses overcoats inside out and I could only deduce that they were formally nurses. I was later told that it was a tradition for this to happen. Because of the current hygiene restrictions, we were only allowed to sing outside the wards but the singing was robust and loud enough for the patients to hear the singing. I, however, was asked if I would like to go into the Wards and speak to the patients wherever possible. So I left the carol singers and went with the Ward Sister to the first ward where I went round every possible bed to speak to the patients. Before I was allowed into each area, I had to wash my hands in antiseptic cream. On each ward there was a variety of conditions patients had ranging from neurological, surgical, heart and respiratory conditions; some were about to be allowed home permanently, some just for Christmas and then return, some would be in long term and a few who would never recover. There was one person who had surgery who had been involved in an accident in which a youth had died and his passengers critically injured. He had scars over his arms, legs and body and had lost an eye. He was however anticipating leaving for Christmas but possibly returning. He was relatively cheerful and seemed pleased at my visit. Most of the patients had either relatives or friends visiting
And I was able to speak to them as well. There was one lady who was in an isolation room with, presumably MRSA or similar and I was not allowed into her room, so I had to speak to her from the door. They were all very content with their care and I heard not one grumble from either patients or visitors I wished them all a speedy recovery and my best wishes for Christmas. I felt sad for those not coming out for Christmas but was very confident that they would be given as much care as they would have received at home from a very dedicated team of nurses.
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