An emotional reunion!

Exceptional patient care is what we strive for, and recently a patient with an unusual reason for being brought to ED came in to say thank you for the care which saved his life.

It was just a normal day in the garden for Christopher York from Ashgate – before he woke up in ED having sliced through his neck with a chainsaw.

Christopher was rushed to our hospital with a severe wound to his neck by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) after the decision was taken that he needed medical help urgently.

Normally, Chesterfield Royal Hospital would not deal with trauma cases, but the blood loss was so extreme that a journey to a local trauma centre would not be feasible.

A team of ED staff was assembled, and due to their heroic efforts, which involved the consultant stemming the blood flow with his hands, Christopher was rushed to theatre for an emergency operation.

Thanks to the speedy response of our ED doctors and nurses, the excellent work of our theatres team, and the outstanding care provided by our Intensive Care Unit professionals, Christopher made a speedy recovery and was soon discharged from hospital to continue his recovery at home with his family.

Dr Hal Spencer, Chief Executive, said: “Providing outstanding patient care is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s incredibly rewarding to hear from patients like Christopher, who recently returned to express his gratitude to the teams who cared for him at Chesterfield Royal Hospital. His kind words are a powerful reminder of the difference our colleagues make every day.

“I’m immensely proud of our staff across the Trust. Their dedication and compassion often go unseen, and this recognition is truly well deserved.

“A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in Christopher’s care—including our teams in the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Theatres, Devonshire Ward, and ENT. We’re delighted to hear that Christopher is on the road to recovery, and on behalf of the Trust, we wish him all the best.”

Christopher popped in to thank staff, commenting: “Because of you folks, we have a family again. Thank you for giving us our family. I believe that I wasn’t going to make it to Sheffield or Nottingham. It is thanks to all of you that I’m still here.”