Thought I'd write this review on the back of having attended this hospital for daycase surgery yesterday in addition to several outpatient appointments prior to this. Unlike the RVI the Freeman is situated just outside of the city centre in High Heaton/South Gosforth but remains easily accessible by car, bus or metro. It has a lot of speciality services including the regional Transplant Centre and the new build Northern Centre for Cancer Care.
I'm a massive advocate of the NHS and am well aware of the pressures but every time I attended an outpatient appointment I was kept waiting for between 1 and 3 hours which is where they lost a star. Waiting areas were cramped and didn't offer any drinking facilities other than water of course and I wasn't permitted to leave to get a coffee neither (which for a caffeine addict was difficult to take!)
That said.....the staff are all incredible! Obviously rushed off their feet and yet always willing to go the extra mile to ensure every individual is cared for, particularly on the ward. I was given privacy and treated with respect. Every step along the way meeting the doctors, anaethetists, physio's and nursing staff they would have a laugh with you to make you feel at ease and they promptly organised home prescriptions and follow up appointments. I was in significant pain post surgery and the nurses were wonderful...promptly giving me a cocktail of meds which settled it nicely and they offered me regular coffees/toast.
Overall I'd say persevere with the waiting times and try not to let it cloud your overall judgement as once through the doors the care is exceptional and all credit to everyone in the NHS who works hard to make patients like me feel lucky to have such a great healthcare system in place! read more