Sunderland Royal Hospital 2018-05-12 Person 5 5 0

I was taken into hospital on the 19th April for an induction, due to everything not going exactly to plan, I ended up not delivering until the 25th April, so needed up being cared for by a wide range of staff. From the moment we arrived on the ward, the level of care/professionalism was outstanding. At every stage, the midwifes offered both relevant and important advice as well as a listening ear to consider the next steps. Both day and night, there attitude to care was amazing, spending time ‘chatting’ to make the experience better but also ensuring we had everything we needed. My husband wanted to stay throughout the induction and he was also made to feel very welcome. The staff involved both of us in every aspect of the care i needed and gave us time to talk and make decisions on our timescale. As I mentioned, we had a lot of members of staff supporting us, so i hope I do not miss anyone out, but a special mention for: Vicky - who saw us across three night shifts and ensured we had everything we needed but also answered every question we had - even at 3am in the morning. She also took time out of her shift to come and visit our new family on the delivery ward when our baby eventually made an arrival. Alison - an amazing midwife who has such a way with patients to make them feel that every aspect of contact with her is not for the needs of the job, but rather for the patient. Gemma - Kind and caring with a reassuring word when needed. Pam - An amazing professional who at difficult times is willing to offer advice and consequently takes time to ensure the whole ‘process’ is as calm as possible. She also took time out of her shift to come and visit the delivery suite to welcome our little bundle into the world. Abby - A warm and welcoming midwife who worked so hard to ensure our stay was as comfortable as possible. Lindsay - A person who shows just why people are midwifes and has a clear love for her job. Her words of reassurance and care ensured that we were able to make well thought out decisions. The consultants and Doctors also provided us with essential support and a specific warm mention needs to go to Mrs Ahmed who guided us towards a natural birth, which despite my hesitation was the best decision. Her time to phone up and check how we were doing the following day was just amazing. Thank you to everyone on this ward.