Dr David Sheppard

Written by a patient at Salisbury District Hospital

I was in winchester hosp earlier this year. My 1st CT went terribly wrong & left me in great pain. Dr Shephard didnt seem to have much time for me & on the friday when he made his rounds he sat at the end of my bed with his back to me, without acknowledging me, talking to his students (?) & i asked if i could go home as it was the weekend & had not been given any results etc & frankly didn't see the point in staying any longer. He told me he had to confer with another doctor & it was a possibility i could go home. When i was just about to leave the hospital i was given a folder of papers for my discharge & it was three days before i felt rested enough to find out my results, which i didnt know were included in the 8 or so papers in the folder, & was very shocked to find my results. I had not been told what my problems were, which at over 60 were vere alarming. My own doctor also had yet another result which were not in any of the papers & were very frightening. I do not wish to have to be an in-patient in winchester again & hope to God it does not happen in error. Why i was not told any results by Dr Shepherd or anyone else, i dont know, but leaving me to find out for myself - & for me to call my doctor in a rather alarming state after being told by a consultant at the hospital i'd called. I will never understand why i was told nothing - & am still suffering from the effects of it.

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Written by a carer at Royal Hampshire County Hospital

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.

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Written by a patient at Salisbury District Hospital

Dr Sheppard is and outstanding Consultant Gastroenterologist who will be hard to be replaced at Salisbury Hospital....Winchester Hospital 'Gain'....Salisbury Hospital 'Great Loss'. I only met him this January, after being under the Gastroenterology team for 7 years. He is the first Consultant who has listened to my problems, read through all my records, test results and has hopefully got the bottom of my true diagnosis. He is a brilliant Consultant who actually spoke my language. I have praise for a true professional who is well respected, thoughtful and well mannered. Nothing was too much trouble and he listened to my questions. I wish him great success in his new position. I only wish I had been referred to him earlier. 5***** +++++++ Taryna Widdicombe

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Written by a member of staff at Salisbury District Hospital

Dr Sheppard is an outstanding consultant and an inspiring mentor. Dr Sheppard is really knowledgeable, thorough and he has great communications skills. He is really empathic and the repport that he develops with the patients is really inspiring.

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Written by a patient at Salisbury District Hospital

Dr Sheppard was very understanding and made me feel at ease straight away. He showed concern and was sympathetic explaining the tests and treatment clearly. He said a follow up appointment would be in 6 weeks and the appointment letter came after a few days. I would definitely recommend Dr Sheppard.

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