accomplishedAbout the only hard thing was the number of times that it seemed I had to tell various people the same things over again. Gary (nurse) on Monday, during my induction; Elizabeth (doctor) on Wednesday; Betty (my named nurse) on Thursday. Some of this was apparently due to my notes not having arrived. Yes, I know that there are very good reasons to be cautious about medical notes being stored on an NHS-wide information system, but giving a detailed medical history three times in a week to people who share the same building seemed a bit extreme. Then again, it did give three of the staff members (most necessarily, I think, Betty) an opportunity to get a personal understanding of me that reading notes doesn't necessarily give.
There are surprisingly few of us there. I know that some people are still off sick, but I asked Gary how many people there were, and he said that there are about twenty users and six staff, not counting administration. Given that there are around 300,000 people in Coventry, it just doesn't seem possible to me that this is anything like an adequate provision. And yet I heard that the WV kind of facility isn't at all generally available in the NHS. So I'm feeling very lucky to have got the chance to go there.
The best thing about it for me is simply that there's always someone to talk with, whether it be in one of the formal activity groups or simply while making a cup of tea or having lunch. I feel like someone who's crawled out of a desert into an oasis. So much so that I almost begrudge the weekend break :)
Apparently the head bod at WV is someone who seems only to be referred to as "The Professor". This person (I don't even know whether it's female or male) is apparently based at the University of Warwick and turns up only for clinical reviews. She, or he, is always spoken of in hushed tones and with much reverence, it seems to me. Now I've dealt with plenty of professors in my time, and one thing that they've conspicuously failed to inspire in me is reverence. Some of them, to put it plainly, have been utter idiots. We shall have to see what this one's like when I've had my first review.
I'm sorry I haven't updated during the week, but mostly when I get home I've been too tired to do much more than curl up with a book and a cup of tea. I'm hoping that this improves when I'm more used to having a clock-determined day.
In other news, Mum continues to do well, and asks me to pass on her best wishes to all of you.
