Patient stories and your experiences

Real experiences, shared by our patients

Our patients and their families generously share their journeys to help others understand what to expect and to show the impact of compassionate, high-quality care.

Why we share stories

Every patient’s experience is unique, and by sharing these stories, we aim to:

• Inform: Learn about different services and care pathways from those who’ve been through them.
• Support: Feel reassured that you’re not alone on your healthcare journey.
• Inspire: See the dedication of our staff and the positive difference care can make.
• Improve: Turning patient feedback into meaningful changes that address what matters to patients.
  

How stories are collected

Our stories come directly from patients and their families. Each story is shared with permission and is normally anonymised to protect privacy.

There are several different ways that people can share their experiences of our services, from filling in our Patient Stories form here to offering a simple thank you through to getting support from our Patient Advice and Liaison Service when things have gone less smoothly.

Positive experiences

This section shares experiences that highlight the dedication, compassion and expertise of our staff. Every story celebrates the care we provide and the positive impact it has on the people we support.

Maternity, Gloucestershire Royal

"Such a wonderful experience giving birth to my son here recently.
12 years ago I had a similarly wonderful experience giving birth to my daughter, too. Such a skilled and caring maternity team - I couldn't have asked for anything more. Thank you!!"
Anon, October 2025

Oral and Maxillofacial department

"I recently had to have some cancer removed from my lip by the Max Fax Team. The whole experience from start to finish was superb. I was exceptionally well cared for and my scar has healed really quickly. Thank you for taking such good care of me."
Chris

Urology department

"I had to attend GRH Urology for an “invasive investigation” and was very apprehensive about what was to come. I need not have worried.

"The two nurses who conducted the procedure were wonderful throughout. They put me at ease and made the whole process seem very normal. They were chatty, friendly and both had a sense of humour which helped me greatly.

"An excellent advertisement for the NHS!"
Anon

Physiotherapy department

"I visited the physiotherapy department today and had an appointment with a wonderful physiotherapist. The physiotherapist really listened to my worries and showed a lot of empathy and understanding, she gave me time to explain myself fully.

"My symptoms and treatment options were explained to me fully, in understandable language and in a very gentle, encouraging way. Where the physiotherapist wasn’t able to answer a question - because if asked something outside of her expertise - she let me know honestly that she couldn’t say, and explained which practitioner would be better placed to answer this. The physiotherapist explained to me what they would do to explore further or escalate if I didn’t respond as expected to my treatment plan, and this was really reassuring.

"My appointment was very encouraging, without minimising my experiences and I went away feeling hopeful and informed. Moreover, the physiotherapist still saw me despite my being late (as I’d lost my way around the hospital grounds) and was very patient when I gave quite ‘waffle-y’ responses! Really happy with my experience and I hope the team know what a fab job they’re doing.”
Anon

Where we can improve

We know that listening to patients honestly is one of the most powerful ways to improve care. This section shares experiences that help us understand what we can do better so we can learn, adapt and ensure everyone receives safe, compassionate, and effective treatment.

Every story helps shape the way we care for our patients today and in the future.

Imaging department, Cheltenham General

"The appointment letter had no map or information leaflet about the procedure. Eventually got to the hospital to find the parking area cramped with uneven appalling road surface. No clear signs on the outside of the building. Found an extremely helpful lady in the shop who was heading in the direction needed to go. Took nearly 10 minutes in an absolute maze of a building."
Anon, October 2025

Patient's Choice award

Each year, patients, carers, families, friends and members of the public are invited to nominate a member of staff or a team who has gone the extra mile to provide outstanding care at Gloucestershire Hospitals. The video below shows patients talking about the care they received from the four shortlisted candidates in 2025.

Look out for news on social media and our website about when this goes live next year.

Patient/ family member/ carer experience surveys

We often ask patients/service users, family members and carers to tell us more about their experiences of our services by answering a few questions. This feedback not only helps us understand what we are doing well but also what we could do better to enable us to make positive changes based on people’s suggestions.   

The surveys are service-specific and include the three standard NHS Friends and Family Test questions which feature in all NHS feedback surveys.

• Read more about the Friends and Family test at Gloucestershire Hospitals

Demographic and protected characteristic questions (about factors such as your age, race and sex) are included to help us identify health inequalities, although these are optional.    

We offer surveys via paper forms, email, text messaging, QR Codes and website links. All patient/ family member/ carer feedback is anonymous and cannot be linked to your medical records. Read more about how we meet NHS security and data management standards.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

This page is for sharing stories; however, our PALS team are here to support our patients, relatives and colleagues by discussing their experiences and helping to resolve concerns. Please contact them if you would like to discuss your care.