The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Treatment is second to none
Three weeks ago, I was unfortunate enough to break my foot. Now, I would love to have a great broken foot story, for instance doing cartwheels on an exotic beach somewhere, or skiing down Mont Blanc, but unfortunately the actual process of breaking a bone in your foot is frequently rather more mundane and invariable quite boring.
In my case, dropping a large heavy suitcase straight onto my foot.
However, this article is not about me but the NHS in Peterborough where my treatment - and the on-going treatment - has been superb.
The staff at Peterborough City Hospital have been absolutely wonderful, despite there being a shortage of nurses and doctors.
The Royal College of Nursing says we need 24,000 more nurses and NHS Digital estimates there is roughly one GP vacancy for every two practices.
Around 1,500 doctors leave Britain every year for better pay and more relaxed working conditions in Australia or New Zealand.
Despite our national doctor shortage, nearly 800 straight ‘A’ medical students are turned away from medical school every year.
The NHS needs 24,000 more nurses and 3,500 more midwives, yet again potential students are being turned away, tens of thousands of them every year.
The NHS desperately needs additional funds, £2 billion is needed for social care.
This could be provided if we stopped sending £11 billion in foreign aid every year and started looking after our own people first and our NHS.
Hospital car parking charges need to be scrapped. Why should people have the added financial distress when their lives are already in disarray.
Despite all these problems, the treatment I am receiving under Peterborough City Hospital has been brilliant, absolutely second to none.
The doctors, nurses, receptionists and all the staff are professional, cheerful and efficient.
I would just like to say a big thank you to all the staff and remind people how fortunate and lucky we all are to have such a wonderful hospital here on our doorstep.