In the last two months of 2023 I had to call St John’s ambulance for my husband six times. Although concerned for him, I had immediate and complete confidence in their care and concern offered to him by all the paramedics. Each team who attended to him was professional and compassionate towards him and stayed longer to reassure me.

Our next experience was the A&E department at Tauranga Hospital, not once but five times in about two weeks. The excellent standard of care continued each time. Although quite often, running to attend to the increasing number of patients, the staff was always courteous, diligent and responsive to the many requests directed to them. At the end of a very long 10 hours in A&E, when my husband had many scans, tests and observations, I thanked the doctor who had attended to him and I was surprised by his response. “You don’t have to thank me, it’s my job” to which I replied: “I want to thank you because it may be your job but it’s the manner in which you carry it out that is of great inspiration & reassurance for me as a wife”. So he thanked me too.

My husband was eventually admitted to hospital due to a deterioration in his condition and yet again I experienced an extra level of compassionate care for him. This was in Ward 2C. I stayed there for four and half days and nights with my husband until he unfortunately died having experienced the best care he could possibly have had. The number of times, staff came to check on, not only him, but also me was incredible. He died with dignity and respect, shown so genuinely by all the staff who were no longer strangers but friends.

I miss my husband terribly but confidently know that we, in Tauranga, are so blessed to have a health team who has a passion for treating the sick and their family, and who excel in the manner in which they carry that out. Forever grateful.

L Tobin, Tauranga City.