OVER the past year, every article I have read concerning the Worcestershire Royal Hospital seems to have nothing good to say. Therefore I feel I simply have to write to readdress the balance.

Our 16-year-old daughter recently spent 16 days in the Critical Care unit of the hospital. If I had believed what I had read in many different articles about it I would have expected her to been treated differently because she was severely disabled and life-limited.

But regardless of her disabilities, she was treated with respect and urgency.

From the moment she entered A&E as an extremely ill young lady, she received the highest level of care possible. Even if she had of been transferred to a special paediatric hospital, I believe she would not have received such care.

JoJo needed to be on the Critical Care Unit but until they could arrange a bed, a decision was made to close the emergency theatre and use the equipment and space as a temporary CC bed.

Therefore, the next time the closure of an operating theatre is reported, maybe it would in the interest of fair reporting to point out that this may be the reason.

For the next 16 days, the staff on the Critical Care Unit battled to save our daughter's life. I use the word battle because that's exactly what it was. During those 16 days, condition after condition arose, each one seriously threatening her life.

Understanding

Each one was discussed and every method of treatment explained. We were treated with respect and understanding, even though I'm sure we got in the way.

Every member of staff from the consultants, registrars, staff nurses, nursing auxiliaries and the cleaner (yes the cleaner - no fear of MRSA on this unit) worked extremely hard putting in long, punishing hours.

Watching the dedicated and highly-trained doctors and nurses go about their work gave us confidence and peace of mind that everything that could be done was being done.

Unfortunately, on the morning of the Tuesday, November 9, our daughter passed away. During this time, the whole family were treated with compassion and understanding.

We were allowed to stay with our daughter for as long as we wanted and only when we were ready did we leave.

We should be praising the hospital not berating it. Every member of staff goes above and beyond their call of duty for everyone who enters the hospital.

People should stop criticising them for what's not their fault.

CAROLE FERN, Droitwich.