Seal of approval from Royal visit patient
FOUR decades may have passed, but for one of UHW’s first patient’s the experience was simply five star.
Phillip John, of Rhoose, was a patient at the hospital when the Queen arrived for the official opening and remembers a very different experience from the usual medical experience.
He said: “I went to UHW. I was suffering in those days from eczema and was admitted to the dermatology floor. From what I can understand, there were only two floors that were made open for the grand opening. After being in CRI, it was like going to a five-star hotel.”
Despite the fact that there was still building work to be done, Phil said that staff made him and the other patients feel like royal guests.
He said: “Everyone went out of their way to make us comfortable. It was more like a night out for the boys in some cases. We had, dare I say it, flagons fetched in and everyone would have a sit down until the late hours of the night chatting. We’d have a visit from matron who would spend a minute or two talking with us, but there were never any complaints. We were well treated.
“All the boys fell in love with the nurses there. Some used to give us some grief if we were up late as they wouldn’t get up in the mornings.
“I can remember one particular one. As soon as she came on shift, she would go around and make sure we were awake. A lot of the boys got so fed up with her they decided to get their own back on her and filled a bath of cold water one night. When she started in the morning, they picked her up, carried her into the bathroom and dumped her unceremoniously in the bath of cold water.
“Some of us thought we’ve done it now, we’ve gone too far. But the sisters who were there just sort of laughed because it was all in good fun. But it was fine; it was a lovely, lovely place.”
Phil, who was 24 at the time, was looking his best when the Queen arrived for the official opening, sporting pyjamas bought especially by his mum. He sat up straight as Her Majesty came to his bedside.
“I can always remember that when the Queen came there, by the time they actually got to the wards they were running a bit late and the Duke of Edinburgh went off to the women’s end and the Queen came to the men’s end.
“It was a big day for everybody. Everything had to be tidied. They came in, went around, sort of nodded, said hello. I think the girls had the better visit with the Duke of Edinburgh down the other end.”
The care he received at the hospital during his stay has won UHW a special place in Phil’s heart.
He said: “As a hospital, it is one of the best as far as I’m concerned. What the future brings we don’t know.
“It was a lovely place; everyone went out of their way to make sure we were looked after there. It was more like a hotel. Great staff.”
