Dr David Sheppard 2020-03-28 Person 5 5 0

Dr David Sheppard took over my mother’s case (Lorraine Firth) in Kemp Welch Ward at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, from the General Surgical Team in early February 2020 after she had been admitted , almost three weeks before, with a serious spinal infection following a fall in her Care Home in Hampshire. Her condition was not improving, and when combined with her advanced Alzheimer’s, her state became intolerable and her treatment to date I considered to be not particularly appropriate. Then she contracted a pneumonia bug, at the time coincidentally that Dr Sheppard took over, and sadly her condition turned critical. Dr Sheppard was compassionate and totally honest with me and my family about the gravity of Mums condition and for the first time I found myself dealing frankly and honestly with a Doctor , who was not afraid to be honest - something that I greatly appreciated and was very thankful for, as it is so rare. My mother was transferred to a palliative care regime shortly after, with out full agreement and understanding and then thankfully back to Orchard Gardens Care Home in Bishopstoke, for an end of life program:in familiar surroundings, hugely helped by the wonderful local District Nursing Team. Lorraine had undergone a number of previous surgeries in the last three years, undertaken by another very talented surgeon in Frances Goulder, of the Colorectal Team, at RHCH, but this last admission was via an emergency procedure. Without the help, advice and honest compassion of Dr David Sheppard we feel my mother’s suffering may have continued much longer unnecessarily and so I cannot recommend the ability, honestly and compassion of David Sheppard highly enough. Thank you David: Grant Firth Lorraine passed away peacefully on February, her suffering peacefully ended.