Cheryl Maguire, Registrant

I atteneded with my 75-year-old mother, who does have several underlying health issues. The symptoms she presented with on Monday were not part of her ongoing health concerns. She was in absolute agony, and it was clear that she was distressed and very swollen. The medical staff kept dismissing our concerns, and there was a general lack of care and understanding.

On Tuesday, I spoke to a nurse who listened to my concerns and genuinely seemed to care and took on board what we were saying. She had a lovely manner about her. We were distressed seeing our mother in extreme pain and feeling helpless. Her kind, caring attitude and the fact that she listened to us were reassuring and showed that in the cold, harsh world of casualty, someone does have compassion. C

Cheryl showed our family both sympathy and, more importantly, empathy. She is a credit to the casualty department. Yes, there are cuts in the NHS, and it’s in crisis; yes, there may well be 160 patients waiting outside; yes, staff are working under pressure, but that does not mean that each and every patient is not being cared for with care and compassion.  It was refreshing to see Cheryl and her caring attitude towards our mother. My mother was there for over 20 hours on a trolley, and Cheryl arranged for a hospital bed, so it was comfortable for my mum. A simple gesture that took a few moments to arrange but made a huge difference to our mother’s comfort levels.

Thank you, Cheryl, for making a difference.