Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee

Committee Inquiry into Stroke services in Wales – Written evidence from R.W.Smith M.A

2 August 2009

Catherine Hunt,
Deputy Clerk,
Committee service,
National Assembly for Wales,
Cardiff Bay.
CF99 1NA

Dear Catherine,

Here are my impressions of the stroke service in Wales.
When I first had a stroke, I was sent to University Hospital of Wales, and finally stayed there for seven months, having caught MRSA while I was there. I was put in solitary confinement, but fortunately I am not unhappy alone, as some people are. Such people must have company, and would be unhappy isolated from other patients. They could be given the opportunity to talk to other patients by telephone. I must have had MRSA very badly, because since my discharge from hospital, a number of people have been surprised to find me still alive. Later, I was back in hospital for a week, and saw that great effort was biting made to prevent secondary infection of patients.

I have the advantage of living in Cardiff, in easy reach of a hospital with a team of experts in stroke treatment. People living away from Cardiff are less well served.
I am willing to give this evidence orally if required.

Yours sincerely,

R.W.Smith.