Thursday, 7 June 2007

THE SOUTH TYNESIDE HYLTON

On Monday afternoon this week a good friend of mine was knocked over by lorry and suffered amongst other things a broken foot and some nasty lacerations to the lower leg. He had been cycling through Jarrow and the lorry hadn’t seen him as he approached a roundabout.

Last night my wife and I went to see him in hospital, weighed down with the usual sweets, cards, newspapers and books; all things designed to give him something to do while he awaits his operation to reset his foot and tidy up his other injuries. Whilst the sweets were welcomed with open arms (and that was just the nurses) to be honest the rest was superfluous to requirements. Not only does the hospital have a well-stocked shop with magazines, books and newspapers, somebody visits the ward twice a day with a selection of papers for purchase. Above every bed is a small PC console with internet access, radio and TV programmes and a phone service. For a fee of £3 per day these can be used at one’s leisure. Should you have felt the need to watch England’s game on the night (surely these people are poorly enough!) for a fee equal to Sky’s normal charge you could also watch the football equivalent of an enema. All this is washed down with breakfast, lunch and a three course evening meal, all served in bed.

Together with a spotless ward, pleasant staff and a general feel good factor, South Tyneside Hospitals are a pretty good beacon for the NHS. Whilst throwing myself under a lorry is a bit extreme, I wouldn’t mind a couple of weeks in there myself!

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