It was a chance for the team at Pilgrim hospital to hear direct from people who have spent time on the unit on what they thought of their care and any improvements they think can be made to the service.
In addition to presentations from staff on service delivery developments, there were also patient speakers, and a question and answer session with consultants and specialist care team members for patients to take part in.
The event was organised by Hayley Head, Junior Sister and Dr Manish Chablani, Service Improvement Lead, who are responsible for the follow up of patients on Pilgrim’s intensive care unit.
Hayley said that she was really pleased with the turnout on the day: “We do this event once a year, to get patients together who have been supported in the unit.
“We invited around 35 patients and are keen to hear about their experiences and also how they have found their transition back into the community.
“All the feedback we receive is reviewed and relayed back to the staff on the unit and we also have a feedback board on the unit where we display some of the comments we receive.
“Often patients in intensive can experience some particularly vivid dreams, so talking about them with other people who’ve had the same can be a really positive thing.”
John Burns (71), attended the event with daughter Samantha and spoke candidly about his own experiences while on the unit.
John was admitted in January this year suffering from a split bowel after previously being operated on for a hernia.
He said attending events like this were a great way of getting things off his chest.
“Knowing that other people have had the same experiences and dreams really helps.
I can’t remember much at all apart from going down to be operated on and then waking up in intensive care.
“I was in an induced coma for about four weeks but it was just one continuous dream.
“I dreamt about different places and went all over the world. I remember being in a helicopter and I had to come down because there was a blizzard. There was someone on a horse below me who made a letter H in the snow and the helicopter landed.
“When I came round my wife and daughter were sitting there with my nurse and I told them I’d been to America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – but I’ve only ever been as far as Ireland and Jersey.”